Got survey report back

drummer_666

Hi,

Just had my full structural survey back. I'm not sure of my next steps. I expected to spend about 15-18k doing it up. new windows, new boiler, refurb kitchen and showeroom. Maybe new wiring and decorating.

But hadn't accounted for damp (it wasn't evident, wall paper ok etc) or new floor joists (felt ok to walk on).

Extension flat roof only has felt covering, needs re-covering with slates/tiles. Do you think it actually needs to be covered in slates/tiles or if it would be ok with just felt recovering?

Extension (kitchen/shower room) floor is uneven and as old house probably no damp proof membrane. Suggests taking up and relaying these floors whilst refurbing (these both need total refurb). Hmmmmmm. I think this is costly?

Rising damp evidence, but no pentrating damp. High readings in front and rear walls of both reception rooms. Believe property needs injection of chemical damp-proof course into ground floor walls.

Some give in the floorboards in hallway and reception rooms, so there may be some rot to the unseen floor joists below.

I don't know whether to get an independent damp specialist. Ok, it needs plaster removing, injecting with chemical damp proofing, replastering. Ok I can cope with that but hadn't budgetd for it, but if I want to try and knock money off the house price do I need to get a damp specialist survey done?

Also the house is valued at my offer price (or more). I don't know what it was valued at, but got text from lender saying the valuation was satisfactory.

steve1980

You were aware that there was work needed. The valuation has matched up with your offer price so you're not really going to have much to bargain with.

Flat roof - rather than slate/tile why don't you use rubber roofing?

drummer_666

steve1980 wrote: »

You were aware that there was work needed. The valuation has matched up with your offer price so you're not really going to have much to bargain with.

Flat roof - rather than slate/tile why don't you use rubber roofing?

I had no idea that there was any damp in it and no reason to suspect that.

I also had no idea that there was no damp proof membrane in the extension floor

So it's prob about £8-10k more work doing than I thought

Also - when I get the house I'll need to get damp proof doing to the walls as a priority. Before I do this I'll need to check 100% that it needs this, and not a leak / condensation. So I'd need a report then - if I own the house will I still have to pay for this?

Figuring if I'm going to have to pay for that survey anyway then I may as well do it pronto for negotiating

Re: Rubber roofing? How long do these tend to last and are they much cheaper than tiled roof?

thanks

steve1980

Your mortgage survey has indicted that it's been valued up so there is no negotiation on that part.

Rubber roofing is expected to last approximately 20 - 25 years, some even more than that.

Uk_Lover

You can always negotiation !If you find major work after the survey then I'd be wanting a reduction or i'd walk.The flat I'm in the process of trying to buy has 5k worth of work per flat needed on the outside, as soon as I heard this I dropped my offer by 3k. I guess it depends on how much you want it and how much they want to sell. I'd get survey and then look at what it's going to cost you then go back, maybe offering to split the cost which was what I did in my current house.

motherofstudents

Don't assume you will need a chemical dpc. If you get an independent damp specialist they will do a thorough survey and tell you exactly what needs doing. I think this will cost around £60 to £100 but it could save you a lot. The flat roof you can get covering which will carry a guarantee of 25 to 30 years and is expected to last much longer. The floor joists are cheap enough to buy and you could probably fit them yourself. You just need hangers and probably some boron gel on any cut ends. A dpm can be laid quite easily if you are lifting the floors. As above, try to negotiate some off if you can but it doesn't sound too bad.

propertyman

You should ahve an inspection carried out especially if the entry floor is giving under load as this may be a sign of rot in the damp area under the floors. it will also establish if there are other causes such as high ground level , ponding, or leaky gutters or blocked drains.

Not all houses have or need a dpc. We bought our second house in Canada and despite the snow and rain, they don't build with a dpc!

There is no such thing as felt or rubber roofing and are now synthetic mesh compounds impregnated with a water proof compound as felt once was with rubber. Felt roofing and Ruberoid are names /terms that persist.

As long as the slope to the gutter is good, and the underlying surface is in good order and ventilated and insulated, you can lay it yourself- any major DIY chain sells it.

But as it is old be aware that the timber below might be rotten, and you work safely.

http://www.roofconsult.co.uk/guide.htm

drummer_666

thank you guys.

i've decided i'm not going to get further surveys before I buy.

i've priced things up for what I think is the worst case scenario and it is still worth it. just not as much scope for adding extra value as i first thought.

I'll ring EA in the morning and try to get a few grand off. I'll go in saying survey reported problems not evident in viewing, rising damp and no damp proof membrane in extension floor. will cost approx £10k to sort out, so meet in the middle and take £5k off. hopefully I'll at least get a couple of k reduced

I will get damp specialist report when I get the house to see if it really does need extension floor relaying and plaster in other rooms ripping off etc

property man - http://www.rubber4roofs.co.uk/ - i googled rubber roofing and go lots of interesting results. but you say rubber roofing doesn't exist? hmmm, confused!

and the downstairs floors didn't have noticeable give to me, I did bounce about a bit and didn't notice anything, so it may be that the surveyor is being over cautious or it may be that a couple of joists need replacing.

thank you for your replies!!

propertyman

drummer_666 wrote: »

thank you guys.

i've decided i'm not going to get further surveys before I buy.

i've priced things up for what I think is the worst case scenario and it is still worth it. just not as much scope for adding extra value as i first thought.

I'll ring EA in the morning and try to get a few grand off. I'll go in saying survey reported problems not evident in viewing, rising damp and no damp proof membrane in extension floor. will cost approx £10k to sort out, so meet in the middle and take £5k off. hopefully I'll at least get a couple of k reduced

I will get damp specialist report when I get the house to see if it really does need extension floor relaying and plaster in other rooms ripping off etc

property man - http://www.rubber4roofs.co.uk/ - i googled rubber roofing and go lots of interesting results. but you say rubber roofing doesn't exist? hmmm, confused!

and the downstairs floors didn't have noticeable give to me, I did bounce about a bit and didn't notice anything, so it may be that the surveyor is being over cautious or it may be that a couple of joists need replacing.

thank you for your replies!!

Because the "rubber4roofs" is not made of rubber...simply synthetics with the characteristics of rubber.

I hope it works out for you but £5k does not go far if on opening up you find a world of work to do.

But that's drummers for you they are prone to disaster as Spinal Tap has shown

drummer_666

hmmm. rang EA about the damp issues

He said they will order an independent damp and timber specalist report, free of charge. So they have information to tell the vendor.

They've also said can I send them a copy of my survey report? Isn't this a big NO NO?

Fair enough them getting the report done. If it doesn't actually need any work I'm happy to pay my first offer price. If it does, they'll be more convinced to drop the price a bit?

I didn't expect that, is it a good or bad thing the EA arranging independent specialist survey?

GAH

A bad thing really, the agent works for the vendor remember. If anyone should be instructing some to go and look at the damp it should be you.

Also you need to be wary of a lot of these damp free surveys, as the majority of them are after business and for sometimes workthat isn't really there.