Buying a house with Woodworm

NWOIHTS

Thanks for all the feedback so far. I have not heard back from the home report author yet. If not by tomorrow night I will phone them on Wednesday. Although when no reply goes on for more than two days it's either one of two things:

On holiday

or

Doesn't want to speak about it!

So hopefully a phone call will reveal all. This is where it gets confusing for me so maybe you can point me where to step next.

In any case I will have to get a survey on the house and say it is active worm then does that mean I have to pay for treatment? I would think the owner would have to pay as it is like selling a car with a blown tyre.

The agent did seem a bit blase about it all. He said usually woodworm is historical and it's rarely a big problem now and is easy to treat if it is there. Maybe this is just sales speak but surely he would know that a surveyor would find this out anyway.

Anyway time will tell, I am assuming far too much at this moment!

poppasmurf_bewdley

The agent is bound to talk down the problem. His job is to sell the property on behalf of the current owner, and to earn his commission.

You have to decide, on the result of the survey, whether or not to proceed with the sale. The current owner doesn't have to have the woodworm treated. He may just be hoping that a buyer won't have a full survey done. Many people when buying a house only have a valuation survey done, which is usually enough to satisfy a building society or bank providing the mortgage.

Finding the woodworm will be a good bargaining counter however on agreeing a final price.

NWOIHTS

I've arranged a £60 survey of the roof timbers and should get a report in a few days. They do not check under the floors however just in the roof timber where it was reported.

ConfusedofYorkshire

We had live woodworm. 700 to treat plus a 30 year guarantee. It wouldn't put me off unless it had compromised the roof

dominoman

An older house like that will nearly always have some signs of woodworm. Don't let it worry you. Woodworm can be treated cheaply and quickly.

Many houses have woodworm for many many years and it takes a long time before the structure is weakened in any way.

Get another specialist to check if you wish - but personally I wouldn't bother. Just treat it when you move in.

Imp

Just remember to get more than one quote. A large national company quoted us £500 for some work. A local independent company quoted £150 for the same job.

NWOIHTS

Imp wrote: »

Just remember to get more than one quote. A large national company quoted us £500 for some work. A local independent company quoted £150 for the same job.

I'll wait and see if they say there is any work needing done, and if it is expensive amount of work, get another quote. The cost so far is £60 for inspecting roof, and another £60 for floor boards - if they can get access that is.

ConfusedofYorkshire

Imp wrote: »

Just remember to get more than one quote. A large national company quoted us £500 for some work. A local independent company quoted £150 for the same job.

Pretty hard to get more than one quote as all the ones I rang said they'd charge a survey fee before quoting. They would not accept the findings of another surveyor, even an independent one

NWOIHTS

So today I managed to speak to the timber surveyor today who told me that there is quite a bit of woodworm in the timbers of the roof. I asked if he thought there was any structural affect and he said no he didn't think so. He said that there is insulation on the attic floor that would need to come up as well and they need to cover the upper floors, and it would cost I think it was about £650.

Other things he mentioned was the owner things it was treated about 40 years ago but couldn't be sure and also that the house being rural and the timbers being pine it is more likely to have woodworm.

NWOIHTS

Following on from this my question is would a full survey pick up on any structural problems from woodworm or anything else?