Survey results, are these problems serious??

MelaBella

anotherginger wrote: »

If you have the money, go for it! Going through this myself at the moment with a property that has loads of 3's. It's a bit of a shock seeing all the problems written down on paper, but once you start getting quotes for work and prioritising what you need to do, it doesn't seem to bad.

You don't have to do everything all at once. Start with the most disruptive and preferably don't try to live there at the same time.

I've just noticed it's a flat, so are all of these items your sole responsibility or will you need to get other owners on board?

I dont want to spend money on this as im not going to stay in the property for long (hopefully!). Im quite worried about some items especially like the structural movements after reading some comments on this forum. Howevewr im getting quite mixed opinions some peiple are convincing me all these problems are common for old period priperties. Im afraid if i give up on this flat the next period flat is going to have similiar problems:(

MelaBella

DarlyPaws wrote: »

It sounds like the property needs quite a bit of work. I would be concerned that the roof and windows need replacing. Those are very high cost items. Also, evidence of movement in the past isn't necessarily a deal breaker if the movement has stopped and the building is safe. However, if the movement hasn't stopped and is seasonal, I would be worried.

Personally, I wouldn't continue with the purchase unless you have significant funds to sort out all the various problems. It sounds like it could potentially be a money pit.

It doesnt say the roof needs to be replaced, it jsut says it needs overhauling, the insulation is inadequate and missing in some places, also some spates are missing. The roof got rating 2 . With regards to the movemets pls see below, they are longstanding. However th seasonal movements may occur due to the nature of subsoil (subsidence cases occurs in the arae). Hoever it does says that there are no sins this particular property is affected. So that sounds very confusing to me. So, is this serious or not? Or the surveyers right. This stuff in every report to protect their backs?

DarlyPaws

MelaBella wrote: »

I dont want to spend money on this as im not going to stay in the property for long (hopefully!). Im quite worried about some items especially like the structural movements after reading some comments on this forum. Howevewr im getting quite mixed opinions some peiple are convincing me all these problems are common for old period priperties. Im afraid if i give up on this flat the next period flat is going to have similiar problems:(

I live in a house that is nearly 300 years old and we don't have any of these issues. When our survey was done, the only issue that turned up was that the back door needed replacing, which we already knew. However, if an old property isn't looked after, it will develop problems.

I would actually call the surveyor and discuss the issues he highlighted and your confusion around them. He should be able to explain all the issues in detail, give an estimate on cost, and let you know exactly how serious they are (if at all).

Fire_Fox

Is this a leasehold flat? If so read the long lease to see who is liable for all these repairs, you may find some or all are down to the freeholder and chargeable to all the leaseholders equally. If it is a leasehold flat you cannot make any structural alternations without consent of the freeholder so don't just go ahead and fix anything.

Replacing old Victorian sash windows with good quality matching double glazed units is pricey, most UPVC windows are horrible and in many parts of the country will devalue your flat. You may not even be able to use plastic if you are in a conservation area or there are restrictions in the long lease.

There used to be an independent timber and damp specialist called David Aldred post, his information was very helpful. There was also someone who showed me photos of a particular brand of UPVC double glazed windows on a listed building, they really were very impressive. Can't for the life of me remember any more detail but you might find something with an advanced search on the DIY board.

princeofpounds

If you have the money, go for it! Going through this myself at the moment with a property that has loads of 3's. It's a bit of a shock seeing all the problems written down on paper, but once you start getting quotes for work and prioritising what you need to do, it doesn't seem to bad.

Whilst I love the optimism, I wouldn't be quite so enthusiastic.

The truth is that a category 3 problem can be something that a bit of money and effort can fix, or it can be something that means the whole place needs to come down and start again. Just 'going for it' wouldn't be wise.

My opinions (but speak to your surveyor)

1. With the roof, replacing tiles is largely a matter of money and is not usually hard. However, if water has come into the roof and is rotting away the supports then that can be a very expensive job involving taking the roof off and putting a new one on.

2. Damp - depends a lot on the reason for the damp and the construction. Some problems are solved quite straightforwardly, involving a particular thing that needs fixing (badly sited gutter). Others are more pervasive around the whole building (eg any walls built into an earth bank that is pushing moisture onto the wall.). Similarly to the roof, normally fixable but with a certain amount of money and the potential of some structural work.

3) Windows - probably the easiest to judge yourself, and the easiest to estimate a firm price on. So this wouldn't be a deal breaker in most circumstances as long as you priced it up.

4) Movement. This is the tough one. Most properties move after being constructed, a bit. Then this stops. If it has stopped and not compromised any structure then this is not a problem. If it continues, it's a massive problem, because this will have knock-on effect on insurance and the mortgageability of the property. Underpinning is an expensive solution and major work.

So for me, I'd be trying to get estimates on the work, incorporating that in my offer, and I'd pay particular attention to the roof timbers, the source of the damp and what is really going on with the movement.

MelaBella

spoke to the surveyer he siad the movement is longstanding and common for period properties, he said better to worry about the damp and associated costs of dealing with it and he actually strongly advised me to renogotiate the price as the flat needs work!

im still concerned about the structural movemments, any buyers who purchased old flats in LOndon had similar problems with structural movements and cracks??? i appreciate your feedback