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Flat roof
CharlieBubble
Posts: 43 Forumite
We saw a really nice house that we decided to put an offer in on as we have looked at nearly everything on the market in our area. It's on the high end of what we can afford, but we've seen some real shockers in the last few weeks, so this new house looked perfect.
I offered about 8% off the asking price as I had seen it was on the market for at least 5 months (since found out it's nearer 9 months with no reduction) and was 1 of 3 unsold on a new development. It was rejected, but during the call from the EA I felt pressured into making a much higher bid. He tried to get me to go up another 6% right away, which kind of annoyed me, so I ended the call without raising my offer and ignored his calls for a couple of days.
2 days later I answered a call from the main town centre office (not the one actually selling the house). I am quite friendly with the agent here and he asked if I could/would go higher. I said yes, but not as high as this guy was trying to make me go. He said he felt that a deal could be done and I should call them back. The first EA had annoyed me so much I left it for the weekend and decided to drive past the house in the daytime as it had been evening when we saw it.
When I drove past, I noticed the house has a flat roof. This was not mentioned by the agents and makes me think that I may have problems in the future. The flat roof is also home to about half a dozen solar panels on angled frames, which makes me think this won't help matters a few years down the line.
The agent I am on good terms with called again on Monday and asked my thoughts. I said that I had seen the house in daylight and was slightly put off by the flat roof. He didn't know it had one. He didn't seem to know that I would probably face higher insurance premiums etc and said he was sure it would conform to standards and would be covered by the NHBC. I know all this, but it still bothers me.
To add to this, it's a semi and the property next door shares about a metre length of the flat roof on my prospective property and also has a slightly smaller flat roof of it's own. This means we may have to either share repairs later on, or be forced into repairs if their part of the roof leaks.
I'm thinking of asking the vendor/builder what materials have been used, how the solar panels are connected to the roof, how any holes made to fix the panels have been sealed, if it has any gradient at all, what the drainage they have put in place consists of etc. Is there anything else I should ask?
Does anyone else with experience of flat roofs think I'm making too much of this? I've had some experience of flat roofs. My parents old house had a shared one with their neighbours that covered the downstairs hall, cloakroom and garage. When the neighbours got a leak, my parents basically had to get theirs replaced at the same time as it was a shared roof.
Any advice or thoughts are welcomed.:)
I offered about 8% off the asking price as I had seen it was on the market for at least 5 months (since found out it's nearer 9 months with no reduction) and was 1 of 3 unsold on a new development. It was rejected, but during the call from the EA I felt pressured into making a much higher bid. He tried to get me to go up another 6% right away, which kind of annoyed me, so I ended the call without raising my offer and ignored his calls for a couple of days.
2 days later I answered a call from the main town centre office (not the one actually selling the house). I am quite friendly with the agent here and he asked if I could/would go higher. I said yes, but not as high as this guy was trying to make me go. He said he felt that a deal could be done and I should call them back. The first EA had annoyed me so much I left it for the weekend and decided to drive past the house in the daytime as it had been evening when we saw it.
When I drove past, I noticed the house has a flat roof. This was not mentioned by the agents and makes me think that I may have problems in the future. The flat roof is also home to about half a dozen solar panels on angled frames, which makes me think this won't help matters a few years down the line.
The agent I am on good terms with called again on Monday and asked my thoughts. I said that I had seen the house in daylight and was slightly put off by the flat roof. He didn't know it had one. He didn't seem to know that I would probably face higher insurance premiums etc and said he was sure it would conform to standards and would be covered by the NHBC. I know all this, but it still bothers me.
To add to this, it's a semi and the property next door shares about a metre length of the flat roof on my prospective property and also has a slightly smaller flat roof of it's own. This means we may have to either share repairs later on, or be forced into repairs if their part of the roof leaks.
I'm thinking of asking the vendor/builder what materials have been used, how the solar panels are connected to the roof, how any holes made to fix the panels have been sealed, if it has any gradient at all, what the drainage they have put in place consists of etc. Is there anything else I should ask?
Does anyone else with experience of flat roofs think I'm making too much of this? I've had some experience of flat roofs. My parents old house had a shared one with their neighbours that covered the downstairs hall, cloakroom and garage. When the neighbours got a leak, my parents basically had to get theirs replaced at the same time as it was a shared roof.
Any advice or thoughts are welcomed.:)
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Comments
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I personally would avoid any house where all the roof is flat. The maintenance costs are going to be a lot higher and yes, insurance companies don't like them.0
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I cant believe you didnt notice the flat roof and solar panels on your first viewing, before you put an offer in on the house. Are you allowed out on your own often?Be Alert..........Britain needs lerts.0
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paddedjohn wrote: »I cant believe you didnt notice the flat roof and solar panels on your first viewing, before you put an offer in on the house. Are you allowed out on your own often?
Gee, thanks for your most helpful reply. It was evening, so not the best light. The flat roof is only about 60% of the roof. The roof of the house has a pitched section around the outside that is pitched at an angle of maybe 45 degrees and goes up 2 or 3 metres, so you have to be around 100 metres away from the house to notice it. And before you ask, no it's not obvious from the photograph of the property in the EA details.0 -
i think it takes a few viewings until you work out all the problems. A flat roof basically holds the rain so it increases premiums. I'd be offering less not more based on the insurance premiums being higher so will cost you more in the long run:T:T :beer: :beer::beer::beer: to the lil one
:beer::beer::beer:0 -
Originally Posted by paddedjohn
I cant believe you didnt notice the flat roof and solar panels on your first viewing, before you put an offer in on the house. Are you allowed out on your own often?CharlieBubble wrote: »Gee, thanks for your most helpful reply. It was evening, so not the best light.
I kinda have to agree with paddedjohn...
You decided to buy a house you had only seen in the dark.....:eek:
And then expected the EA to answer some simple questions?:oStop! Think. Read the small print. Trust nothing and assume that it is your responsibility. That way it rarely goes wrong.
Actively hunting down the person who invented the imaginary tenure, "share freehold"; if you can show me one I will produce my daughter's unicorn0 -
Why? That's his job! To get the best price possible fo his client!during the call from the EA I felt pressured into making a much higher bid. He tried to get me to go up another 6% right away, which kind of annoyed me,
Why should it be?It's prety obvious? Lots of things are 'not mentioned'. You made an offer on a property with almost zero knowledge of the property? A flat roof is hardly the sort of 'hidden' issue that only becomes apparant after a survey!When I drove past, I noticed the house has a flat roof. This was not mentioned by the agents
That sounds like a bonus to me - lower leccy bills?The flat roof is also home to about half a dozen solar panels on angled frames,
Many properties share party walls/roofs etc - very common. There may even be repairing responsibilities defined in the Title - have you looked?
This means we may have to either share repairs later on, or be forced into repairs if their part of the roof leaks.
There is no reason not to ask questions about the roof - though most of this should come out when you have a survy done an/or if you get a solicior to invesigat Title.
Given the Qs you are asking, I recommend using these professionals, rather than trying to DIY the conveyancing or surveying.0 -
propertyman wrote: »I kinda have to agree with paddedjohn...
You decided to buy a house you had only seen in the dark.....:eek:
And then expected the EA to answer some simple questions?:o
No, I decided to put in an initial offer on a property after viewing it from the road outside in the daylight a few weeks previous to the internal viewing, an internal viewing and seeing photographs taken of it in the daytime, none of which hinted at either a flat roof or solar panels. It was only after driving up a road nearby that goes up a hill level with the roof that I was able to see it was a flat roof with solar panels on it.
It's a newly built house, some people put down thousands of pounds on houses that aren't even built yet on the strength of some artists impressions and some plans. I put in an offer. I think you'll agree there is a difference from putting in an offer and actually buying a house, but that wouldn't be dramatic enough for your post would it.0 -
Why? That's his job! To get the best price possible fo his client!
Why should it be?It's prety obvious? Lots of things are 'not mentioned'. You made an offer on a property with almost zero knowledge of the property? A flat roof is hardly the sort of 'hidden' issue that only becomes apparant after a survey!
That sounds like a bonus to me - lower leccy bills?
Many properties share party walls/roofs etc - very common. There may even be repairing responsibilities defined in the Title - have you looked?
There is no reason not to ask questions about the roof - though most of this should come out when you have a survy done an/or if you get a solicior to invesigat Title.
Given the Qs you are asking, I recommend using these professionals, rather than trying to DIY the conveyancing or surveying.
The EA was suggesting some rather weird things to try an get me to up the price i.e. if I was prepared to go up to £390k, then could I pay £402k and the vendor pay the stamp duty. No idea why benefit that would be for him.
I agree things may have come out in the survey, but that wild have been down the road and after spending mony on solicitors, surveys etc. I'm just tired of crappy EA who have the faintest knowledge of the houses they are selling. Example, "it's fully double glazed throughout", while we're both stood next to a single glazed front door and a single glazed window in the downstairs cloakroom.
The solar panels are only used to heat the water, so no major savings on the electricity.0 -
CharlieBubble wrote: »No, I decided to put in an initial offer on a property after viewing it from the road outside in the daylight ........ but that wouldn't be dramatic enough for your post would it.
I would suggest in honestly not for the purposes of being dramatic that you are treating this with all the seriousness of window shopping.
The person is trying to move home and doesn't need an"initial" offer that you feel you can just walk away from. This is someone's life and plans you are twiddling with!
Get serious and quickly and learn something for your sake and everyone else's.
New build houses are sold on plan with stage payments and staged inspections on the basis it is built as promised.
If you have seen it several times you needed to focus on seeing the pointy bit where the roof meets. Basic school geometry teaches you that the angle of the roof, which you can see, means the roof bit needs to go further to meet the other bits.
I am not trying to "beat up" on you but your posts bely a staggering confidence with enormous naivety.
You must seriously focus or next time you wont see the "flat roof" and it will cost you money and heartache.Stop! Think. Read the small print. Trust nothing and assume that it is your responsibility. That way it rarely goes wrong.
Actively hunting down the person who invented the imaginary tenure, "share freehold"; if you can show me one I will produce my daughter's unicorn0 -
Here are some guides to help you
http://www.roofconsult.co.uk/guide.htm HOuseholders guide to flat roofs
RICS guide on housebuying & Surveys http://www.rics.org/buyingahome/
NHBC Warranty http://www.nhbc.co.uk/Warrantiesandcover/Homeowners/
On a new build roof ideally you want
1: A warranty from the installer with an insurance backed guarentee
2: Same from the builder
If the builder is still in business your first stop is with them, the NHBC is really an insurer of the last resort, and with the excess on the warranty only extensive repairs are covered.
Have it fully inspected prior to purchase.Stop! Think. Read the small print. Trust nothing and assume that it is your responsibility. That way it rarely goes wrong.
Actively hunting down the person who invented the imaginary tenure, "share freehold"; if you can show me one I will produce my daughter's unicorn0
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