Need some advice!

icklejulez

I have just had the results of my survey and dispite thinking everything is ok with it we have had the homebuyers repoert back and the problems are as follows, we were wondering if there was anyone out there with words of wisdom for us. We will not lose the house because of this because for the age of the house we were prepared to find some problems and there are no urgent problems so I dont think as it stands we can get the price of the house down as the value has come back at our agreed price and that is based on the findings of the survey.

A representative sample of timber has been inspected and the possibility of concealed defects being present to inaccessable timbers cannot entirely be ruled out. It is common for property of this type and age to suffer rot and wood beetle infestation to concealed areas. A precautionary check by British Wood Preservation and Damp Proofing Association firm is reccomended.

Ventilation to the ground floor timber is inadequate and additional air bricks are required.

External ground levels are set at an inadequate height in relation to internal floor levels and the apparent height of the damp proof course. Due to the nature of the surrounding ground surface reduction in height may be impractical at this time.

No significant dampness was found apart from in some areas of ground floor wall surfaces. Signs of penetrating dampness were noted to first floor wall surfaces below window openings.

Evidence of condensation was noted to sections of some wall surfaces. This is not unusual problem in properties of this type.

There are concrete roof tiles. The roof is of traditional timber design.
There is evidence of some deflection and distortionto the frame but this is not considered to be significant.

Chimney. It is highly probable that some deteriation has occured and minor works can be expected. Repairs are required and a close inspection should be carried out to assess the extent of necessary works.

The rainwater fittings are missing and damaged in places and a complete overhaul in now required.

Lath and Plaster ceilings of this age have a limited life span and are prone to loss of key and eventual collapse. The durability of this type of ceiling is dependant upon the joint strength between plaster and lath. This will deteriorate with age and will prgress rather wuickly. Failure of lath and plaster ceilings can occur without warning.

Walls ahve a textured finish. Such finishes apllied before 1980 can incorporate an asbestos content.

The observed wiring and fittings are a mixture of modern and older style suggesting partial rewiring in the past. Some elements are likely to need upgrading.

Plumbing where seen is a mixture is run in a mixture of copper and lead although a number of areas were hidden from view. This mixture of materials can lead to defects and suggests that at least some of the old pipework is replaced.

Baxi gas fired back boiler located in the fireplace of the front room.

hot water cylinder could not be inspected due to a lagging jacket. It is dated. It will be prone to leakage and corrosion. The heating and hot water system is coming to the end of its natural life expectancy.

These and problems with drainage are the negative points on the survey. I do understand it is an in depth survey and he will be covering his back in many ways but he has suggested we get so many tradesman out we would be busy for weeks. Are there any we need to concentrate on more than others after all the mortgage company thought it was ok and have sent us the mortgage offer. Any one any experience in any of these areas for costs etc. We have around 7k to do neccisary work, slight updating and decorating but know it wont go far.

Thanks

JoeK_3

icklejulez wrote: »

I have just had the results of my survey and dispite thinking everything is ok with it we have had the homebuyers repoert back and the problems are as follows, we were wondering if there was anyone out there with words of wisdom for us. We will not lose the house because of this because for the age of the house we were prepared to find some problems and there are no urgent problems so I dont think as it stands we can get the price of the house down as the value has come back at our agreed price and that is based on the findings of the survey.

A representative sample of timber has been inspected and the possibility of concealed defects being present to inaccessable timbers cannot entirely be ruled out. It is common for property of this type and age to suffer rot and wood beetle infestation to concealed areas. A precautionary check by British Wood Preservation and Damp Proofing Association firm is reccomended.

Ventilation to the ground floor timber is inadequate and additional air bricks are required.

External ground levels are set at an inadequate height in relation to internal floor levels and the apparent height of the damp proof course. Due to the nature of the surrounding ground surface reduction in height may be impractical at this time.

No significant dampness was found apart from in some areas of ground floor wall surfaces. Signs of penetrating dampness were noted to first floor wall surfaces below window openings.

Evidence of condensation was noted to sections of some wall surfaces. This is not unusual problem in properties of this type.

There are concrete roof tiles. The roof is of traditional timber design.
There is evidence of some deflection and distortionto the frame but this is not considered to be significant.

Chimney. It is highly probable that some deteriation has occured and minor works can be expected. Repairs are required and a close inspection should be carried out to assess the extent of necessary works.

The rainwater fittings are missing and damaged in places and a complete overhaul in now required.

Lath and Plaster ceilings of this age have a limited life span and are prone to loss of key and eventual collapse. The durability of this type of ceiling is dependant upon the joint strength between plaster and lath. This will deteriorate with age and will prgress rather wuickly. Failure of lath and plaster ceilings can occur without warning.

Walls ahve a textured finish. Such finishes apllied before 1980 can incorporate an asbestos content.

The observed wiring and fittings are a mixture of modern and older style suggesting partial rewiring in the past. Some elements are likely to need upgrading.

Plumbing where seen is a mixture is run in a mixture of copper and lead although a number of areas were hidden from view. This mixture of materials can lead to defects and suggests that at least some of the old pipework is replaced.

Baxi gas fired back boiler located in the fireplace of the front room.

hot water cylinder could not be inspected due to a lagging jacket. It is dated. It will be prone to leakage and corrosion. The heating and hot water system is coming to the end of its natural life expectancy.

These and problems with drainage are the negative points on the survey. I do understand it is an in depth survey and he will be covering his back in many ways but he has suggested we get so many tradesman out we would be busy for weeks. Are there any we need to concentrate on more than others after all the mortgage company thought it was ok and have sent us the mortgage offer. Any one any experience in any of these areas for costs etc. We have around 7k to do neccisary work, slight updating and decorating but know it wont go far.

Thanks

In my opinion, there are sufficient problems to warrant a visit to the estate agent or vendor. Reading the report suggests a minimum of £2,000 of remedial work that should be negotiated.

JoeK

Doozergirl

I'd check ans treat infestation, redo the rainwater system and replace the heating and hot water systems with one system that runs off a combi boiler.

There's lots of stuff there that doesn't cost much to fix either. It's an old house; nothing there surprises me at all.

BobProperty

icklejulez wrote: »

.....External ground levels are set at an inadequate height in relation to internal floor levels and the apparent height of the damp proof course. Due to the nature of the surrounding ground surface reduction in height may be impractical at this time......

I think you're right in that there is a lot of backside covering going on. Priorities will depend on the seriousness of the problems. e.g. if some of the wiring is old rubber coated stuff or the lead pipework keeps leaking then those are the parts you will have to address. A lot of it may work perfectly adequately for several years, who knows?

My only immediate concern is the part I highlighted above. What is the surveyor on about? Is it all concreted or something? It obviously warrants the ground level being reduced and some extra air brick being put in, but I'm curious as to what's the problem is.

Jennifer_Jane

I think you need to approach this as if you are selling on immediately. Hopefully you will get lots of good, technical advice on the survey, but I would worry about a few of these things (me - oldish woman on my own, no spare money for repairs, etc). Don't like a few of the things mentioned and would go back to the surveyor to ask him about things. Presumably the price you were prepared to pay was for a house that was damp-free etc (ie did the vendor point out any of these things?) In which case your offer was based on the house being free of these things. For my house purchase, I sent off all the points, asking the vendor to sort out things or I wouldn't buy it (I was FTB, so had power). They did loads, and all the small things more experienced people here would probably overlook, but I said that if I had another pernickety FTB buying the house, then it should be ready for resale. So much can and will go wrong with a house, you want in good nick when you buy it. Whether you think the price is fair is up to you, but I would certainly try to get a discount based on the adverse survey or for the vendor to make things good - otherwise what's the use of the survey?

Doozergirl

Jennifer_Jane wrote: »

I would certainly try to get a discount based on the adverse survey or for the vendor to make things good - otherwise what's the use of the survey?

So that if you're buying house that you know could do with some updating, that you can decipher exactly what needs to be done when you move in? Sometimes people buy houses that they know aren't perfect and offer accordingly (not that any of them are)

icklejulez

It is quite cheap for the area and the offer was accepted on the basis that there would be no more renogotiating after the survey. So we are in quite a bad position to barter. We are purchasing the house at 130k its on at 136.5. Its in the survey thats its been valued at 130k because of the problems highlighted in the survey so giving the EA a copy wouldnt make much differance. The house down the road in slightly better condition decoratively is on at 145k(just been reduced from 150k). These are very big houses, 80 years old in a very quiet position close to a nice beach and a good school. The only problem is is how much, electrics, boilers, damp proofing etc are likely to set us back. It is also in 'need' of a new kitchen and bathroom which we will have to do as cheap as possible for now. Luckily I do have builders on hand pretty much but they are limited in what they can do. I want the house to be safe for my children and at a point where something will not fail immediatly and I have no available cash to do it up. I am planning on staying in this house for around ten years or so because it has everything we would be looking for.

The garden is concreted and flagged over. If that makes it clearer. I am planning to eventually turf the garden so perhaphs I could invest in ripping up the concrete to a lower level?

Thanks for all the advice as you can imagine its a tough time as we've had a lot of bad luck and we are hoping this is the one and just want to get past this stage.

J

WaveyDave_2

I've just bought a 1930s semi. It has similar problems to yours. I think the best way to do it, is assess how much of a budget you have, and prioritise the works. I'm getting the electrics and plumbing done first. These are safety issues and can't wait. Decorating is secondary. I was told by my surveyor that if I did the plumbing, electrics and decorating, I could put the house back on the market and make my money back within 6 months. We've also got lath and plaster ceilings, we've been advised to get these boarded over, much tidier and you'll only lose perhaps an inch of celing space.

Get tradesmen in to quote for the work now. We had a similar issue, we negotiated a price and couldn't go back afterward. As Doozergirl says, its an old house, some of these things are to be expected!

Hope this helps.

BobProperty

icklejulez wrote: »

.....The garden is concreted and flagged over. If that makes it clearer. I am planning to eventually turf the garden so perhaphs I could invest in ripping up the concrete to a lower level?.....

That makes sense. Someone has concreted it, maybe a bit on the high side, then someone has laid slabs on top making it much too high. Tell hubby he needs the exercise in the summer evenings

SpanglyBex

Icklejulez, I'm waiting for my survey report to come back any day now, and if it comes back looking like yours I will be overjoyed! Maybe not a fair comparison as we're buying a Victorian semi that's a repossession so we know there will be some problems, but basically your survey there reads not dissimilar to the one we received on the house we live in now - much of it is "could be's" & "possibles" that, on our place, have never happened! They just have to cover their backs against negligence claims, though (& the guy that did ours was a friend of the family!).

Obviously the other replies are right & you must get any dangerous stuff done urgently, but the rest of the things you can do over time as & when you have the money.

How exciting - good luck, & I hope you'll be very happy in your new home! :T

icklejulez

To change the heating to a combi boiler what sort of a price am I looking at etc. I know this varies alot so if anyone has a rough figure. Also electrics, is it expensive to get an electrician round?