The envitable Homebuyer report question...

TeamLowe

Hi all, got my report back yesterday and under E1 - chimney stacks, it has a 3 and the following comment:-

'there is a small shared brick chimney stack over the right hand party wall position to both the front and rear main roof slopes. from ground level, these chimney stacks appear to require and (sic) overhaul to include making good all damaged/perished brickwork, repointing to sections of the mortar joints and upgrading of the lead flashings around the base of the stack'

...what does he mean by 'an overhaul' of the chimney stack? does it need replacing or just the work listed under 'to include...' i know nothing about chimneys!

we're not looking to negotiate on price as we're happy with the price paid and there's no big bads in the survey as far as i can tell

my favourite comment of the whole thing is...
'The suspended timber floors at first floor level appear to be in a serviceable condition. However, we would like to point out it is probable that upon removal of the floor coverings some areas of woodworm infestation may be found in the floor timbers'.
very helpful.

jackomdj

Sounds like typical back covering comments!

princeofpounds

It means what it says - the mortar needs repointing, any bad bricks need removal and replacement, and the lead flashing needs maintenance.

These are all fairly standard chimney repairs. Chimneys are very exposed and narrow structures, so they are often the first part of the brickwork of a house to suffer from age. They are also a major join with the roofline, and so if the flashing is not right it's a possible source of leaks.

The real question is how genuine and urgent the need is. It can be back-covering, but the fact it is talking about requiring and overhaul suggests to me that it's a bit more than just guidance it needs looking at.

Take a look yourself, or get a trusted builder to look at it. Things like the flashing are normally straightforward to see - if it's missing, peeling or degraded then it will need dealing with. The brickwork is a little more nuanced but it's not rocket science - are there cracks and/or crumbling in the bricks and mortar?

teneighty

Sounds like typical back covering comments!

How is that back covering? I'm not a fan of Homebuyers Reports but despite the small typo is a very clear and concise description of the defect and suggested remedial work required.

overhaul to include making good all damaged/perished brickwork, repointing to sections of the mortar joints and upgrading of the lead flashings around the base of the stack'

The extent of the overhaul is clearly outlined in the report. I would suggest you get some quotes from a general builder. In my experience chimneys are always tens times worse when you get up on the roof and inspect them closely.
As princeofpounds explained the chimney always takes the worst of the weather and is often the most neglected and forgotten part of the house. By the time you can see the defects from ground level the deterioration is already well advanced. Whenever you see "damaged/perished" brickwork there is a chance that you could be looking at a rebuild. It is not something worth skimping on because of its exposed position, you will only end up having to redo it again and again with the consequential risk of water penetration and all the other associated problems.

Lord_Baltimore

deleted...

TeamLowe

thanks for the help, for some reason i was concerned that 'overhaul' meant tearing the thing down and rebuilding!

As the comments also include that the 'owner of the adjoining property may have number of legal rights over these shared chimneys' so I'll ask solicitor to get confirmation of that and discuss with neighbour if they do have rights when we've moved in that we'd like it to be looked at by a roofer

thanks again!

jackomdj

teneighty wrote: »

How is that back covering? I'm not a fan of Homebuyers Reports but despite the small typo is a very clear and concise description of the defect and suggested remedial work required.



The extent of the overhaul is clearly outlined in the report. I would suggest you get some quotes from a general builder. In my experience chimneys are always tens times worse when you get up on the roof and inspect them closely.
As princeofpounds explained the chimney always takes the worst of the weather and is often the most neglected and forgotten part of the house. By the time you can see the defects from ground level the deterioration is already well advanced. Whenever you see "damaged/perished" brickwork there is a chance that you could be looking at a rebuild. It is not something worth skimping on because of its exposed position, you will only end up having to redo it again and again with the consequential risk of water penetration and all the other associated problems.

I did mean mostly about the woodworm, how does he know that without looking! But yes, houses of a certain age can have problems, so he is covering himself!