Buying a house with no building regs

Running_Horse

Run Forrest run!

djlevackio

Urgh this sounds so similar to a house we were trying to buy. We found out a lot later than you though.

Walk away, you cannot start to calculate the cost/risk involved when there are so many issues.

There are other houses out there, and most of then have been built properly!

Slinky

Johnandabby wrote: »

I was always told to never buy a house from a builder, plumber or electrician...

I noticed last week that a house we used to own has just gone up for sale. The person who bought it from us (we never met) I believe is some sort of builder/handyman. He's certainly done a lot to alter the house, moving walls etc. Interestingly he's taken out the patio doors to the conservatory which we had built. We had the conservatory added under permitted development not requiring planning permission providing we kept the patio doors in and there was no heating connected to the central heating system (we checked all this with the council prior to doing it). I can see that he's heating the conservatory with an oil filled radiator as we did.

I checked the council website and cannot find any permission for the changes he has made.......

I feel sorry for the poor souls who get involved in buying it as it looks like there's a whole can of worms waiting for them.

robbrewer

Thanks guys, We are very ready to walk away.

We have one last visit with a contractor just to see what crazy price he would charge just for the issues he can see, let alone whats hidden.

Problem is, until the house is ours we cant start chipping off plaster to see if the chimney is supported, or how badly the window is installed, and whatever else.

We're in a pretty lucky position money wise, as we have a fair chunk set aside, and a family of tradesmen BUT if its going to be a money pit, where one job un-earths 3 more issues, then its will be a nightmare.

We cant loose anymore money than what weve already paid unless we actually exchange. Which it's unlikely we will do.

Id till like to have a professional round to stop me guessing at how much work there is and just tell me straight. If by some chance we did still decide to go for it, it would be with a massively decreased offer.

Caroline_a

I live in my parents' old house. Many years ago (around 50+) they took out the chimney from the dining room, and an RSJ was put across to support the chimney/wall above. Around 5 years ago I had the room above this (which is the bathroom) moved around. The plumber found that the old bricks in the chimney weren't stable! I had the chimney taken out fully (cost around £1000), but the builders did tell me that the instability was due to old mortar rather than not having the rest of the chimney below it.

GRM

Run, don't walk.