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Opinion on survey results
Villarkita
Posts: 28 Forumite
We are in the process of buying a new house, as FTB we conducted a full building survey, we got the report today and it details 3 red stage 3 issues and 6 stage 2 amber.
Could I ask you knowledgeable people to have a look and give your opinions?
RED
F1 Roof structure
The loft void could not be safely accessed, due to the height and nature (glass) of the loft
hatch. Hence we recommend that you instruct a competent contractor to examine the roof
void and provide quotation for all appropriate remedial works.
Particular attention should be given to the condition of the roof timbers, completeness of
the party wall, levels of insulation and ventilation as well as weather tightness of the roof
covering.
To provide safe access additional equipment may be required, this should be discussed
with the current owner.
F3 Walls and partitions
The walls are a mix of plastered masonry and timber stud construction.
There is some shrinkage / thermal movement cracking visible to the wall surfaces; these
are not of structural significance and can be filled and decorated over.
Under normal use, older lath and plaster
(usually before the 1940s) finish to walls can
become unstable when the layer of plaster becomes detached from the laths beneath.
Although I could see no particular problems now, you should expect more repairs in the
future especially when you redecorate.
Within some areas, hollow sounding plaster was recorded. In practical terms this can, but
does not necessarily, mean that plaster will fall away when stripping off old decorations. It
must be accepted that the plaster is becoming fragile and patch repairs, or more
substantial renewal of plaster will be found to be necessary in future.
Upon removal of existing decorative surfaces there is a possibility that areas of re
plastering will be necessary prior to redecorating.
The internal walls are damp at low level. I could not discover the cause so you should ask
an appropriately qualified person to investigate the matter. To do this properly, parts of the
property may have to be removed / disturbed. You should discuss this with the current
owner. Once you have repaired the dampness, you may have to carry out other additional
work that could typically include replacing damp plaster, repairing rotten timber, etc. This
can add to the cost of the work.
It should be recognised that as a property ages it will show more indications of its natural
movement. No structure is static, and houses show dynamic movement, caused by wind
or thermal effects, as well as from natural ground movement and these are not areas of
structural failure.
It should be noted that if any work is proposed to be undertaken to the party wall with the
neighbouring property a Notice will need to be served on the adjoining owner under the
Party Wall Act 1996. Failure to serve such a Notice, when works are of significance that it
may affect the party wall on the interior of the neighbouring property, can lead to legal
action being taken by the adjoining owner.
A specialist damp and timber treatment contractor (PCA Member) should examine the
entire property and provide a quotation for any necessary treatment.
F5 Fireplaces, chimney breasts and flues
The property includes a number of fireplaces and chimney breasts and these include a gas
fire in an original fireplace and some that have been taken out and sealed. When a fireplace
has been taken out of an external chimney breast and the opening blocked up, the
following work should be done: the top of the flue at chimney level should be fitted with a
terminal fitting that keeps out the rain but allows ventilation of residual moisture in the flue
and the flue should be fitted with ventilating air bricks to the outside air towards the bottom
of the flue. You should consider doing this soon.
The appliance should be tested by a competent heating engineer before use.
It appears the fireplace and chimney breast to the dining room has been removed. We
cannot confirm that satisfactory support has been provided to the remaining structure
above. At the time of our inspection there was no evidence of damage or disturbance to
indicate inadequate support, although only the removal of boarding around the base of the
residual chimney breast above could confirm the nature of support.
There is the potential for brickwork to collapse without warning. This would require
immediate attention and if adequate support cannot be confirmed, then contractors should be requested to provide quotations for any necessary work.
Amber
E1 Chimney stacks
The chimney stack is made of brick.
The flashings around the chimney stacks consist of lead.
The soakers [under flashings] that provide water tightness between the chimney stack
edge and the roof are concealed and could not be viewed. However, there is no evidence of
internal leakage at these positions to suggest that they are defective.
The mortar between the bricks (called pointing) has eroded. To repair the chimney safely,
contractors will have to use appropriate access equipment (e.g. scaffolding, hydraulic
platforms, etc.). This can increase the cost of the work.
The chimney pots are open and are vulnerable to rain / blockage by birds. Open chimney
pots can allow rain penetration or can be blocked by nesting birds. To prevent these
problems, you should provide an appropriate terminal soon (see section F5).
E2 Roof coverings
The roof has a covering of clay tiles. These are original, and have exceeded their design
life; consideration should be given to the possibility of replacing the roof covering.
It is now standard practice to insulate lofts in order to conserve energy and reduce heating
costs. With the increase in insulation it has become necessary to reduce the risks of
condensation problems by ventilating roof spaces.
Improved roof void ventilation can be achieved in a variety of ways, improving the provision
of ventilation grilles and air bricks in gable walls, as well as roof ventilators in the roof
slopes. A reputable roofing contractor will be able to undertake this work and it is
recommended that quotation be obtained prior to legal commitment to purchase.
The ridge tiles appear to be firmly fixed in place. It is not uncommon for ridge tiles to
become dislodged by high winds, and occasional re fixing of these must be anticipated.
Mortar to the roof edge is cracked. Whilst no remedial attention is required at present, the
situation should be checked occasionally and the repairs addressed when necessary.
The valley gutters could not be fully seen and therefore comments could not be made on
there condition. To gain access would involve using a long builder's ladder which is outside
the scope of the normal survey. Valley gutters are prone to leakage problems and a full
inspection is recommended prior to legal commitment to purchase. Even valley gutters that
are in sound condition can become blocked by leaves, snow or ice, causing water levels to
rise above the edges of the joints and so seep into the fabric of the building. It should be noted that maintenance and repair costs, when needed, tend to be expensive.
The seals around the skylights have not been closely inspected, and because of the
vulnerability of these areas to weather penetration, it is recommended that a roofer be
engaged to closely inspect the roof and provide quotations for any necessary work.
However, as I could not closely inspect the roof slopes, valley gutters and flat roofs
(because this would involve a long ladder, which is against guidance given by the HSE) a
close inspection by a competent roofer is recommended, and some works are expected in
this area.
E5 Windows
The windows are plastic framed double glazed units. As the windows have been replaced in
the recent past. You should ask your legal adviser to check whether these windows have
either building regulation approval or have been installed by a contractor registered with
FENSA. This is a government approved trade association whose members can self certify
that their installations meet the standards of the building regulations (see section I). If they
were installed before April 2002 or do not have either of these, you should ask an
appropriately qualified person to assess the quality of the installation.
Double glazing can be prone to a failure of the seals at the edges of the panes of glass.
Over a period of time the seals can deteriorate, causing unsightly condensation / misting
between the panes. When this happens there is no remedy other than to replace the
defective double glazed panes.
Some of the sealed double glazed units have failed and will require replacing.
E8 Other joinery and finishes
The external joinery includes fasciae, soffits, bargeboards and timber cladding. These are
made of timber. The surfaces are painted.
They are due for a decorative overhaul.
Without a protective decorative finish, timber will rot requiring costly repairs. To prevent
this, you should redecorate the external surfaces regularly. Before decoration, most
external surfaces need preparation and some repair. Although this is normal, this repair
work can increase the cost of the work. To redecorate external surfaces safely, contractors
may have to use appropriate access equipment (e.g. scaffolding, hydraulic platforms, etc.).
This can increase the cost of the work.
The existing paint may be lead based, and care should be taken when working on this as
inhalation can be toxic.
F7 Woodwork (e.g. staircase and joinery)
The joinery items consist of: doors, door frames, skirtings, picture rails, staircases,
banisters, handrails and window cills. These are made of natural wood with paint or stain
finishes.
Distortion can be seen in the fit of some internal doors and frames, caused by internal
settlement and shrinkage. We found no evidence of progressive movement to warrant
further investigation. There is the potential to re set distorted doors and frames acceptably
square, as part of ongoing maintenance.
G1 Electricity
There is a mains electrical supply, the meter and the consumer unit are under the stairs. I
saw no evidence that this electrical system has recently been inspected. However, the
Institute of Electrical Engineers does recommend that electrical systems are inspected
and tested on change of occupancy. If you want to be reassured, you should ask an
appropriately qualified person to inspect the electrical system now. The system has a
limited number of outlets and some improvement work is expected.
Any advice oer opinions on this would be appreciated.
Could I ask you knowledgeable people to have a look and give your opinions?
RED
F1 Roof structure
The loft void could not be safely accessed, due to the height and nature (glass) of the loft
hatch. Hence we recommend that you instruct a competent contractor to examine the roof
void and provide quotation for all appropriate remedial works.
Particular attention should be given to the condition of the roof timbers, completeness of
the party wall, levels of insulation and ventilation as well as weather tightness of the roof
covering.
To provide safe access additional equipment may be required, this should be discussed
with the current owner.
F3 Walls and partitions
The walls are a mix of plastered masonry and timber stud construction.
There is some shrinkage / thermal movement cracking visible to the wall surfaces; these
are not of structural significance and can be filled and decorated over.
Under normal use, older lath and plaster
(usually before the 1940s) finish to walls can
become unstable when the layer of plaster becomes detached from the laths beneath.
Although I could see no particular problems now, you should expect more repairs in the
future especially when you redecorate.
Within some areas, hollow sounding plaster was recorded. In practical terms this can, but
does not necessarily, mean that plaster will fall away when stripping off old decorations. It
must be accepted that the plaster is becoming fragile and patch repairs, or more
substantial renewal of plaster will be found to be necessary in future.
Upon removal of existing decorative surfaces there is a possibility that areas of re
plastering will be necessary prior to redecorating.
The internal walls are damp at low level. I could not discover the cause so you should ask
an appropriately qualified person to investigate the matter. To do this properly, parts of the
property may have to be removed / disturbed. You should discuss this with the current
owner. Once you have repaired the dampness, you may have to carry out other additional
work that could typically include replacing damp plaster, repairing rotten timber, etc. This
can add to the cost of the work.
It should be recognised that as a property ages it will show more indications of its natural
movement. No structure is static, and houses show dynamic movement, caused by wind
or thermal effects, as well as from natural ground movement and these are not areas of
structural failure.
It should be noted that if any work is proposed to be undertaken to the party wall with the
neighbouring property a Notice will need to be served on the adjoining owner under the
Party Wall Act 1996. Failure to serve such a Notice, when works are of significance that it
may affect the party wall on the interior of the neighbouring property, can lead to legal
action being taken by the adjoining owner.
A specialist damp and timber treatment contractor (PCA Member) should examine the
entire property and provide a quotation for any necessary treatment.
F5 Fireplaces, chimney breasts and flues
The property includes a number of fireplaces and chimney breasts and these include a gas
fire in an original fireplace and some that have been taken out and sealed. When a fireplace
has been taken out of an external chimney breast and the opening blocked up, the
following work should be done: the top of the flue at chimney level should be fitted with a
terminal fitting that keeps out the rain but allows ventilation of residual moisture in the flue
and the flue should be fitted with ventilating air bricks to the outside air towards the bottom
of the flue. You should consider doing this soon.
The appliance should be tested by a competent heating engineer before use.
It appears the fireplace and chimney breast to the dining room has been removed. We
cannot confirm that satisfactory support has been provided to the remaining structure
above. At the time of our inspection there was no evidence of damage or disturbance to
indicate inadequate support, although only the removal of boarding around the base of the
residual chimney breast above could confirm the nature of support.
There is the potential for brickwork to collapse without warning. This would require
immediate attention and if adequate support cannot be confirmed, then contractors should be requested to provide quotations for any necessary work.
Amber
E1 Chimney stacks
The chimney stack is made of brick.
The flashings around the chimney stacks consist of lead.
The soakers [under flashings] that provide water tightness between the chimney stack
edge and the roof are concealed and could not be viewed. However, there is no evidence of
internal leakage at these positions to suggest that they are defective.
The mortar between the bricks (called pointing) has eroded. To repair the chimney safely,
contractors will have to use appropriate access equipment (e.g. scaffolding, hydraulic
platforms, etc.). This can increase the cost of the work.
The chimney pots are open and are vulnerable to rain / blockage by birds. Open chimney
pots can allow rain penetration or can be blocked by nesting birds. To prevent these
problems, you should provide an appropriate terminal soon (see section F5).
E2 Roof coverings
The roof has a covering of clay tiles. These are original, and have exceeded their design
life; consideration should be given to the possibility of replacing the roof covering.
It is now standard practice to insulate lofts in order to conserve energy and reduce heating
costs. With the increase in insulation it has become necessary to reduce the risks of
condensation problems by ventilating roof spaces.
Improved roof void ventilation can be achieved in a variety of ways, improving the provision
of ventilation grilles and air bricks in gable walls, as well as roof ventilators in the roof
slopes. A reputable roofing contractor will be able to undertake this work and it is
recommended that quotation be obtained prior to legal commitment to purchase.
The ridge tiles appear to be firmly fixed in place. It is not uncommon for ridge tiles to
become dislodged by high winds, and occasional re fixing of these must be anticipated.
Mortar to the roof edge is cracked. Whilst no remedial attention is required at present, the
situation should be checked occasionally and the repairs addressed when necessary.
The valley gutters could not be fully seen and therefore comments could not be made on
there condition. To gain access would involve using a long builder's ladder which is outside
the scope of the normal survey. Valley gutters are prone to leakage problems and a full
inspection is recommended prior to legal commitment to purchase. Even valley gutters that
are in sound condition can become blocked by leaves, snow or ice, causing water levels to
rise above the edges of the joints and so seep into the fabric of the building. It should be noted that maintenance and repair costs, when needed, tend to be expensive.
The seals around the skylights have not been closely inspected, and because of the
vulnerability of these areas to weather penetration, it is recommended that a roofer be
engaged to closely inspect the roof and provide quotations for any necessary work.
However, as I could not closely inspect the roof slopes, valley gutters and flat roofs
(because this would involve a long ladder, which is against guidance given by the HSE) a
close inspection by a competent roofer is recommended, and some works are expected in
this area.
E5 Windows
The windows are plastic framed double glazed units. As the windows have been replaced in
the recent past. You should ask your legal adviser to check whether these windows have
either building regulation approval or have been installed by a contractor registered with
FENSA. This is a government approved trade association whose members can self certify
that their installations meet the standards of the building regulations (see section I). If they
were installed before April 2002 or do not have either of these, you should ask an
appropriately qualified person to assess the quality of the installation.
Double glazing can be prone to a failure of the seals at the edges of the panes of glass.
Over a period of time the seals can deteriorate, causing unsightly condensation / misting
between the panes. When this happens there is no remedy other than to replace the
defective double glazed panes.
Some of the sealed double glazed units have failed and will require replacing.
E8 Other joinery and finishes
The external joinery includes fasciae, soffits, bargeboards and timber cladding. These are
made of timber. The surfaces are painted.
They are due for a decorative overhaul.
Without a protective decorative finish, timber will rot requiring costly repairs. To prevent
this, you should redecorate the external surfaces regularly. Before decoration, most
external surfaces need preparation and some repair. Although this is normal, this repair
work can increase the cost of the work. To redecorate external surfaces safely, contractors
may have to use appropriate access equipment (e.g. scaffolding, hydraulic platforms, etc.).
This can increase the cost of the work.
The existing paint may be lead based, and care should be taken when working on this as
inhalation can be toxic.
F7 Woodwork (e.g. staircase and joinery)
The joinery items consist of: doors, door frames, skirtings, picture rails, staircases,
banisters, handrails and window cills. These are made of natural wood with paint or stain
finishes.
Distortion can be seen in the fit of some internal doors and frames, caused by internal
settlement and shrinkage. We found no evidence of progressive movement to warrant
further investigation. There is the potential to re set distorted doors and frames acceptably
square, as part of ongoing maintenance.
G1 Electricity
There is a mains electrical supply, the meter and the consumer unit are under the stairs. I
saw no evidence that this electrical system has recently been inspected. However, the
Institute of Electrical Engineers does recommend that electrical systems are inspected
and tested on change of occupancy. If you want to be reassured, you should ask an
appropriately qualified person to inspect the electrical system now. The system has a
limited number of outlets and some improvement work is expected.
Any advice oer opinions on this would be appreciated.
0
Comments
-
A glass loft hatch!!??0
-
Yes that's right.chile_paul wrote: »A glass loft hatch!!??
To be honest after seeing your post in a similar thread I would definitely be interested in your opinion.
I have just emailed a roofer to possibly come and inspect.0 -
Anyone got any opinions or anything to add?0
-
How old is the house?If you go down to the woods today you better not go alone.0
-
As there is a valley gutter, this would imply that there are two pitched roofs which meet at eaves height, these can often be problematical. What is the agreed purchase price and what percentage did you negotiate down from asking price?If you are querying your Council Tax band would you please state whether you are in England, Scotland or Wales0
-
The surveyor said the house was built around 1910Grumpelstiltskin wrote: »How old is the house?
The asking price was £110,000 and we have agreed £97,500.lincroft1710 wrote: »As there is a valley gutter, this would imply that there are two pitched roofs which meet at eaves height, these can often be problematical. What is the agreed purchase price and what percentage did you negotiate down from asking price?0 -
So it's more than 100 years old.
You can expect if the roof has never been replaced it will need doing sooner or later.
Does it have a damp proof course?
The wall plaster again being 100 years old is as the surveyor said liable to come away when wallpaper is removed.If you go down to the woods today you better not go alone.0 -
With this age of house and at this price level, you will undoubtedly find that it will need some remedial work.
I am not an expert on pricing, but obviously you are looking at several thousand pounds worth of work.If you are querying your Council Tax band would you please state whether you are in England, Scotland or Wales0 -
In the listing it stated that it had a damp proof course and it was still under warranty.Grumpelstiltskin wrote: »So it's more than 100 years old.
You can expect if the roof has never been replaced it will need doing sooner or later.
Does it have a damp proof course?
The wall plaster again being 100 years old is as the surveyor said liable to come away when wallpaper is removed.
What I have done is raise a few enquires regarding the DPC and I also suggested having a few roofers go and check over the roof, loft space and also have someone check whether chimney breast is supported correctly.
Would you agree I have dealt with these correctly?
I understand that, what's most important is when the work will need to be undertaken and obviously the price.lincroft1710 wrote: »With this age of house and at this price level, you will undoubtedly find that it will need some remedial work.
I am not an expert on pricing, but obviously you are looking at several thousand pounds worth of work.
Thank you for the post.0 -
The roof tile renewal isn't urgent, but will probably need doing in 2 years or so, cost perhaps £4 -£5,000, possibly more.If you are querying your Council Tax band would you please state whether you are in England, Scotland or Wales0
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