should we get another builder ?

mags1234

We are selling semi-detached house from late 1960. Buyers bank surveyor pointed inadequate sub floor ventilation which might course damp. So we did get damp survey and they found no damp.
The buyers still got builder to price work for changing sub-floor ventilation. I think this changes would include adding more holes outside the house. Their builder price the job for £2000.

My question is: should we get another builder to price this job ?
or because the sub-floor ventilation is working good as it is, we should stick with the original price of the house?

Doozergirl

£2000!

Have younseen the details of that quote?

Increasing sub floor ventilation could be a simple matter of knocking in some air bricks. Cost would be £100. Later extension can cause more hassle - it's hard to know without looking.

Just because there is no damp now, it doesn't mean you don't need ventilation. I would get your own builder to have a look and quote accordingly.

Errata

£2k for a few air bricks:eek:when there's no sign of damp and the surveyor said "might" not "will". Someone's having a laugh.

princeofpounds

I'm surprised they are so insistent about this work. If the property has been long-standing without proper sub-floor ventilation, but has no damp, then it is not especially high risk. It's something that comes up a lot on surveys simply because many older houses don't have enough air bricks (and often didn't need them as they were drafty enough!)

societys_child

Don't know what needs doing, but 9"x3" air bricks 88 pence each

Mojisola

mags1234 wrote: »

We are selling semi-detached house from late 1960. Buyers bank surveyor pointed inadequate sub floor ventilation which might course damp. So we did get damp survey and they found no damp.

Have any changes been made to the ventilation since the house was built such as blocked-up airbricks or some of the floors changed to solid floors?

If not, I'd want the surveyor to explain why he thinks the ventilation is inadequate as the house has managed for around fifty years without becoming damp.

mags1234

Thanks all for quick answers.

I didn't see the quote.
There is sub-floor ventilation but as they sad it is not enough. The garden at the back is ~15cm higher then front and so vents are to low at the back (according to today’s building technique - I guess).
I understand that everything might happen in the future. But should we, as seller, prevent all this “what ifs” ?

I do not owned it from the beginning but there is wooden floor which, I am pretty sure, hasn't been changed and we have laminate flooring panels on part of the ground floor. Rest of it is uncover.

Do you think I should challenge them about the survey as Mojisola sugested?

Thanks again.
Mags

Mojisola

mags1234 wrote: »

There is sub-floor ventilation but as they sad it is not enough. The garden at the back is ~15cm higher then front and so vents are to low at the back (according to today’s building technique - I guess).

Are the vents partially covered? Has the DPC been breached by the garden being raised?

mags1234

There are 3 vents in the back. They are situated just above cement slabs of the patio. This patio has small slope, going down away from the house. It was like that when I bought it 10years ago.
DPC is above it so it wasn't breached.

Mojisola

mags1234 wrote: »

There are 3 vents in the back. They are situated just above cement slabs of the patio. This patio has small slope, going down away from the house. It was like that when I bought it 10years ago.
DPC is above it so it wasn't breached.

In that case, I'd get a second opinion about the surveyor's comments.

mags1234

So, I will get a builder myself then.

We already give the buyers almost 5% off the original price during negotiation. And with additional £2000 for a builder or off the house price we won't be able to purchase property that we want to buy.
As far as I know buyers bank is giving them mortgage but different then they originally thought .