Survey results - is it right to negotiate on price - advice please!

Worried

We got our survey results back and it highlighted bits and pieces of work that need doing. There are lots of minor things that we are not bothered about as they are so inexpensive to sort out and we can do the work ourselves. There are 3 or 4 things however, that are not urgent, or major, but they would be quite expensive to sort out if you add the work up together and they are the kind of things that we would want to be sorted, so that problems don't occur or worsen. OH has got a verbal quick estimate from the builders he has in at work...

They are...

Digging out a trench in concrete drive way, as it is currently above the level of the damp proof course - £240

The extension is single skin and there was a damp reading in there that is just below the level at which wet or dry rot could occur, so we would want exterior brickwork rendered with this special membrane stuff that helps stop penetrating dampness - £500

Extension has flat roof, with single felt layer, surveyor suggests adding a further 2 layers to roof to prolong it's life -£200

soldier course bricks on Chimney need repointing and some loose tiles etc. some rebonding, remortaring needed- £230

The soffits and fascias need renewing this year as is exposed timber and perhaps soft timber - £200-300 to renew, £800 to replace with plastic ones.

So there could potentially be 2k-ish work to be done. None of the work has been flagged up as urgent though or as effecting the value of the house, so are we within our rights to approach the EA about the vendors getting this work sorted out, or negotiating some reduction in price for the work?

If yes, how do we best approach this with the EA? Do we need to get proper quotes in writing before entering into any negotiations?

I am concerned as EA keeps phoning to see if we've had results and what we think, as vendor will not instruct their solicitor to send draft contract etc. until they've heard that we're happy with survey.

Doozergirl

If it doesn't affect the value of the house, then I think it is wrong to renegotiate.

The only thing there that I think you could negotiate on is the single skin wall, but I am dubious about 'special membrane stuuf'. It should be dealt with properly and insulated as well.

Digging a trench costs the price of a spade!

Worried

That's kind of my feeling, but OH says if you don't ask, you don't get and thinks it's worth seeing if they'll take a bit off. I feel like the work is stuff we can do as we go along, but he wants to address a lot of the problems straight away to prevent damp etc., so thinks we either ask them to do it, or reduce the price a bit to enable us to get the work done. I'm so not sure. Does anyone feel we've the right to ask for something (at least try) for this sort work, or is it just too cheeky?

Trench thing would cost a bit even if we did it ourselves, as drive is concrete, so would have to hire hammer drill etc.

Doozergirl

It's good to be the sort of person that believes that if you don't ask you don't get, but you should be asking before you agree on a sale price?!

It's unfair to the vendor and your husband is wrong IMVHO.

Worried

Doozergirl wrote: »

It's good to be the sort of person that believes that if you don't ask you don't get, but you should be asking before you agree on a sale price?!

It's unfair to the vendor and your husband is wrong IMVHO.

Sorry, what do you mean? You should agree on a sale price anticipating these kind of problems?

Doozergirl

If a problem does not affect the value of a property, what is the reason for renegotiating on the price? You make an agreement based on what you think it is worth. If the surveyor agrees with you, then how do you justify letting the vendor down?

All houses, especially older ones are going to have some issues which may need addressing at some point. Where there are major unexpected issues where things are not regarded as safe or they affect the value, then it is fair to renegotiate.

The issue that stands out is the single skin wall. Depending on how large it is, it should be addressed properly; insulated and a second skin built, not just rendered.

IainCMartin

My house has a flat roof on the extension, anyone can see that, all prospective purchasers have been able to look out of the back bedroom and see the flat roof from above as well as seeing it from below in the garden.

To have someone come back to me and say "My survey says you have a flat roof" would be stating the obvious, and as it doesn't leak I would be in no rush to fund replacing it for them.

BUT if the situation was such that it would cause the whole process to fall through, then for a small sum I would consider negotiating a "goodwill" contribution, but no more than about £1k.

[Deleted User]

You can try negotiating if you want, you might save a grand or two or you may not. Its as simple as that, flip a coin.

Most people try it on in this country and try to rip people off its not a new concept. I got my house for 10 grand cheaper when it was already 20 grand under the average price in the road. The house looked worse then it was due to poor or undecorated rooms with the odd small hole in the ceiling, couple of missing roof tiles, minor leaks, luckily the lay person cant see through the 1K of decoration needed and thus pay 30K more for a place with beige walls and ceilings that are patched up. God bless every last one of them, theres one born every day .

floyd

Yant1 wrote: »

luckily the lay person cant see through the 1K of decoration needed and thus pay 30K more for a place with beige walls and ceilings that are patched up. God bless every last one of them, theres one born every day .

Very true, thanks to those people, we bought our 1930's house for 30K less than the others on the street and have increased its value by some 70K in 3 years :j
God bless peeling paint and candy striped wallpaper

Worried

IainCMartin wrote: »

My house has a flat roof on the extension, anyone can see that, all prospective purchasers have been able to look out of the back bedroom and see the flat roof from above as well as seeing it from below in the garden.

To have someone come back to me and say "My survey says you have a flat roof" would be stating the obvious, and as it doesn't leak I would be in no rush to fund replacing it for them.

BUT if the situation was such that it would cause the whole process to fall through, then for a small sum I would consider negotiating a "goodwill" contribution, but no more than about £1k.

Obviously we could see it had a flat roof, it's the fact that it's only one layer of felt that is the problem and we'd need to add a further 2 layers. We couldn't see that by merely looking form the window.

To be honest though, I don't think I'm going to bother with trying to negotiate anything of the price. I agree with what has been said and it's nothing urgent or affecting the value, so I don't feel it's fair to ask for wear and tear stuff and minor stuff we can do ourselves, or not at all. I just hope our buyers are as reasonable when we come to sell!

TJ27

I know there are plenty on this forum who think it's wrong to negotiate after the survey.

I'm among those who think it's OK because how on earth are you able to know the value of anything unless you know what's wrong with it? And how would most people know what's wrong with a house, apart from obvious stuff, unless they get it surveyed? (And yes, I know that the value of a house is only what somebody is prepared to pay but the same logic still applies.)

Having said that, the items listed are relatively minor and I would suggest that it might be seen as a little bit petty to haggle. So if it was me, I probably wouldn't bother doing so in this case.