Dream home has no building regs for loft conversion - please help!

chickaroonee

Pull out completely and lose my 'dream house'.

Planning and building regs are two different matters.

Are you getting a mortgage?

shortchanged_2

Pull out completely and lose my 'dream house'.

housebuyer77 wrote: »

Evening all

So I have an update on the situation....

The talk about the aga and TV etc may have given the wrong impression. We went round the house the other night and spent the evening with the vendor, they seemed genuine, charming and open about all the work they did and reasons why they did not get the regs. They did not show off these things but just said they bought them all as they wanted those things and are happy to leave them in the house for us to enjoy. Why on earth would you buy those things if the project was all about making money?

It's amazing how many people get suckered in by all the insignificant things when buying a house.

Does he have a receipt for the AGA? Who's to say he didn't get it off ebay for a fraction of the price. Same goes for the TV.

I have to agree with what the other posters are saying that I wouldn't trust what this guy was saying, he seems to have a convenient answer for everything. The more you are challenging him on the works the more it seems to be unravelling.

I'm sorry but I don't see the logic in spending all this money and not doing a proper job.

He would have had to sell at some point, even if it was after he died or left it to his family. So this house for life thing doesn't wash with me.

Errata

housebuyer77 wrote: »

Re. the windows this is the reply:

"The windows installed are not manufactured but were bespoke; therefore there is no FENSA certificate. An assessment could probably be made to a company in order to confirm that they comply, but it is not something we were concerned with.
The windows were made by The Original window Company; I have a copy of the estimate if you wish to see it.
Unit 13, Duttons Farm, Bangors Road South, Iver, SL0 0AY
The windows were installed by our master carpenter xxxx
The glass installed was Pilkington Glass (Period Stained Glass) fitted at the time of manufacture."

The company are Fensa registered, no.33723 and state on their website "All items are designed to exactly match your requirements, and meet all current building regualtions. "
ETA he's a builder and will be aware that the council can certify them if there's no FENSA documentation.

somethingcorporate

Pull out completely and lose my 'dream house'.

If you cannot be convinced by our opinions then spend a couple of hundred or a grand and get a structural engineer to have a look at the house, see what they think with the finished product.

Just ask yourself would any self-respecting person, let alone BUILDER, not get the regs after spending so much money on the house. He's trying to find a bigger mug than himself to palm it off on to.

andy.m_2

Pull out completely and lose my 'dream house'.

Sounds like the OP cannot afford their dream house, but can afford this house and so has made this their dream house in their mind.

The truth is, if this house was safe then it would be a lot more money and out of the OPs price range.

hazyjo

Pull out completely and lose my 'dream house'.

housebuyer77 wrote: »

Re. the windows this is the reply:

"The windows were made by The Original window Company; I have a copy of the estimate if you wish to see it."

'Estimate'? Does he mean 'receipt'? If it's an estimate, there's nothing to say he actually used them.

Jx

Errata

housebuyer77 wrote: »

The old house was completely unmodernised 3 bed semi with a separate single garage to the side. The plans involved knocking down the garage and building 2 story side extension plus single story extension on the rear, creating new bay windows. Plus the loft conversion.

This has been an intrigueing thread, not least because the original 3 bed semi seems have have detached itself from it's partner house.

DaftyDuck

Pull out completely and lose my 'dream house'.

hazyjo wrote: »

'Estimate'? Does he mean 'receipt'? If it's an estimate, there's nothing to say he actually used them.

Jx

There are so many disparities like this (no FENSA certificate, yet the Co. are FENSA certified, Planning versus Building Control..) he's got to be covering so, so many more that haven't shown their ugly head (is the extension build over an adopted sewer, at a guess, anyone?).

I remember not too long ago finding I could accidentally slip between "estimate" and "quote" when asking or accepting for works to be done... I soon learnt that could be a costly mistake. But, for a builder to slip up between "estimate" and "receipt".. Hmmm. I somehow don't think he's slipped, I think he's got the gift of the gab!

I'd guess he got an estimate from The Original Window Company, thought it high, and actually got them knocked up by some no-FENSA bloke round the corner, hence no certification.

I'd not buy it. Someone will, either you, OP, or someone else. But, in my opinion, it will be a costly mistake.

Edit... and someone (caspar? ) pointed out a while back, that rear left hand corner has got a heck of a lot of load - and stress on it, and I hope it had a new set of foundations or there's real trouble ahead there. It'd need a complete rebuild over the 1930's structure that was there. I wonder if the sparkling decor is a result of a redecoration to hide the hairline cracks in the plaster?

Errata

DaftyDuck wrote: »

I'd not buy it. Someone will, either you, OP, or someone else. But, in my opinion, it will be a costly mistake.

I wouldn't touch it with a bargepole, but that's because someone I know is a builder who knows Harefield quite well, and this thread will have been of great interest to them.

hazyjo

Pull out completely and lose my 'dream house'.

DaftyDuck wrote: »

I'd guess he got an estimate from The Original Window Company, thought it high, and actually got them knocked up by some no-FENSA bloke round the corner, hence no certification.

Exactly. With you 100% on that.

Can't wait to hear what happens once solicitors and mortgage providers are involved!

Jx