London - should I buy this Victorian house?

kcseb

Hi all

Have sale agreed on a 3-bed Victorian terrace, big and on a very pretty street. Has a lot of potential long-term.

The market is also mad in that area. I got gazzumped twice and have upped offer by 40k. Am having to pay cash.

We're ready to exchange but my surveyor has given a really damning report today, as below. They basically split it into two non-self contained flats in the past (not that you can tell now), and took out load bearing walls and chimney breasts, v.unlikely to comply with building regs.

Is this a nightmare waiting to happen, or fixable once I buy? I would need to mortgage after buying, though can spend a month or two first doing work.

Ta

PROPERTY SUMMARY
The internal configuration of the property has been altered in the past and would appear to have been utilised as two non-self-contained residential units, although kitchen fittings to the first floor have now been removed. Alterations carried out including the removal of loadbearing walls and chimney breasts are considered unlikely to have been carried out compliant with current Building Regulations although of course your solicitors should seek to verify this.

We are unable to confirm the adequacy of any support provided to superstructures remaining where loadbearing walls (inc. rear elevatio) and chimney breasts have been removed.

Openings have also been made to rear elevations and again, we are unable to confirm the adequacy of any support provided. Roof coverings have been replaced although with deflection apparent to roof surface likely to indicate upgrading to roof structures will be required.

On the basis of the above defects we would not recommend you proceed with this purchase.

arbroath_lass

kcseb wrote: »

On the basis of the above defects we would not recommend you proceed with this purchase.

Why ask people on the internet when your expert is saying this?

Annie1960

Run quickly away from this property.

mikey_l

What is your position? Are you looking to live in this property or is it an investment?

Are you able to get any further clarification from the seller?

I'm no expert but at the very least you need to get a quote on the work that needs doing before moving further.

LEJC

My gut feeling would be that you have paid for a survey and you are now questioning what has been written because possibly you dont want to agree with the findings....


perhaps you like the house and its on a good street and you've upped your offer...etc etc...but unless you take further qualified advice on the cost of remedial works and have a large budget to cover them,you are likely to find that moving forward the property also becomes difficult for you to sell in the future.

CH27

You've paid an expert for his opinion & he has given it. Heed it.

PasturesNew

Probably the very worst, by miles, I have ever seen on these boards.

kmmr

I wouldn't be quite as negative as some people here. There are opportunities in 'difficult' houses if the price is right. I would proceed with caution but there is a little bit of hope in here.

kcseb wrote: »

PROPERTY SUMMARY
The internal configuration of the property has been altered in the past and would appear to have been utilised as two non-self-contained residential units, although kitchen fittings to the first floor have now been removed. Alterations carried out including the removal of loadbearing walls and chimney breasts are considered unlikely to have been carried out compliant with current Building Regulations although of course your solicitors should seek to verify this.

When was this done? Building regulations change all the time, so nothing done more than a few years ago will comply with CURRENT building regulations, but could be perfectly fine. If the modifications were done 20 years ago, and it's still standing, I would take that as a good sign.

Anyway, as he says, get your solicitor to ask.

kcseb wrote: »

We are unable to confirm the adequacy of any support provided to superstructures remaining where loadbearing walls (inc. rear elevatio) and chimney breasts have been removed.

Openings have also been made to rear elevations and again, we are unable to confirm the adequacy of any support provided. Roof coverings have been replaced although with deflection apparent to roof surface likely to indicate upgrading to roof structures will be required.

Again, they can't tell, but it could well be structurally sound. A proper investigation may be invasive (ie removing some plaster or floorboards) but the vendor will have the problem with everyone so may be willing to allow it.

kcseb wrote: »

On the basis of the above defects we would not recommend you proceed with this purchase.

Fair enough - that's pretty clear. Has the survey suggested a cost for remediation and what have they valued it at? Are you willing to do any work that may be needed if you get it at a reduced price.

good luck!

princeofpounds

These would be my conclusions, bearing in mind they are guesstimates only:

You will find it hard and expensive to insure this property, if you are honest about it (and you need to be to be covered).

It may be in some danger of partial collapse, although the fact that it hasn't collapsed already probably indicates that it is not an imminent risk. But it's a risk I wouldn't be wanting to take at almost anywhere above normal levels given the possible consequences.

Your mortgage company may well now downvalue the property and retain some of the mortgage pending repairs works.

Repair works will be necessary and expensive (I have no idea how much, but probably tens of thousands).

It is not necessary to comply with current building regulations, but lack of proper load bearing stuctures has never been compliant.

Sounds like the roof has been done incorrectly too, which means another few tens of thousands for a replacement. Sagging roof often means it needs re-doing from scratch.

Campervanman

We had a similar survey on a property. We loved it so much we got a builder to look at the work needed. The surveyor had found only some of the problems as he 'was unable to inspect/unable to confirm'. The builder found even more problems and we walked away. Which hurt as we loved it so much. Some five years later it has been on the market four times and has never sold.
If my surveyor recommended me not to proceed I would do exactly that. You will find another house without the grief and uncertainty this one will present now and in the future.

Doozergirl

In nine years on these boards I have never seen a survey report that suggested not proceeding!

As specialists in restoring this sort of property, everything can be fixed, but you really need to know the cost and have a large amount of cash free to remedy it all. Close to rebuild, it sounds like.

If you were to consider going ahead, I would show the survey to the estate agent and demonstrate that this house is unmortgageable. And take a very hefty chunk off the agreed price. A full set of structural engineer's calcs is essential before you do anything else.