First Time Buyer - Survey in and concerned!

JMFD

I got my homebuyers report through from my surveyors, which had 3 red traffic lights of concern.

They are:
The Gas hasn't been serviced in a while.
I'm not particularly concerned about that - the local Gas Showroom do saftey checks for c.50 which I could get done before sale. The boiler is <5 years old, and a decent combi.

The electric wiring hasn't been checked in >10years and is of an age that it may develop issues. I'm not sure how much of a problem this is going to be.

My biggest concern:
There's a walkway with a workshop/storage room, utility area and storage area on the side of the house. This looked all in order on our visits.

However, the surveyor visited after some heavy rain, and it's leaking significantly. While I could live with it til we got it replaced (we were planning on changing the extension at some point to make a larger kitchen and similar), the roof is asbestos cement (we had no idea!), and "reaching the end of its serviceable life and will need replacing in the near future". Because of it leaking, the wood is also starting to decay.

I'm not sure how much it would cost just to get the roof replaced? Overall dimension is 2x10m?

G_M

JMFD wrote: »

I got my homebuyers report through from my surveyors, which had 3 red traffic lights of concern.

They are:
The Gas hasn't been serviced in a while.
I'm not particularly concerned about that - the local Gas Showroom do saftey checks for c.50 which I could get done before sale. The boiler is <5 years old, and a decent combi.not an issue. Get it inspected if concerned.

The electric wiring hasn't been checked in >10years and is of an age that it may develop issues. I'm not sure how much of a problem this is going to be. no one gets their electrics checked (except landlords). 'of an age'? You mean it is 1950s..?

My biggest concern:
There's a walkway with a workshop/storage room, utility area and storage area on the side of the house. This looked all in order on our visits.

However, the surveyor visited after some heavy rain, and it's leaking significantly. While I could live with it til we got it replaced (we were planning on changing the extension at some point to make a larger kitchen and similar), the roof is asbestos cement (we had no idea!), and "reaching the end of its serviceable life and will need replacing in the near future". Because of it leaking, the wood is also starting to decay.

I'm not sure how much it would cost just to get the roof replaced? Overall dimension is 2x10m?

Ask your surveyor for an estimate for the roof?

ring a builder or two for quotes?

As you say, you can live with it - it's not the main house, just an add-on storage room.

Is it a flat roof? As an alternative to removing the asbestos roofing (which does need specialist handling) could you get roofing felt laid on top?

JMFD

Thanks for your swift reply, house is a 1960s build.

The surveyor wouldn't give an estimate on the roof, and said to get a quote from a "reputable and experienced contractor." It is a flat roof.

robatwork

Do you know if the electrics are the old rubber insulated type? You may well need a rewire if that's the case, otherwise probably may still need updating. I would get a sparky out same time as the builder to do an EICR

JMFD

Thanks for the warning. Looks like my ideal house is not so ideal

JMFD

The plot thickens...

The vendors have informed me the roof to the side passage way is a Party Roof, and the responsibility for its upkeep is the neighbouring house's. The neighbouring house is a council house still (one of the few on the estate).

On the plus side, the vendors said they'd fork out for the EICR.