Had terrible homebuyer report. Thinking of walking away

Blacklight

You didn't say how old it was, I'm guessing late 1800's. Prior to that it wasn't a requirement to have a damp course and it will do the property far more harm than good to try and install something retrospectively. Ground water under pressure has to go somewhere and you putting a barrier in it's way after several decades will have unforeseen consequences.

Any asbestos will be incorporated into the other building fabric and won't be readily airborne. It'll need taking care of in time but it's nothing to worry about.

Chimney stack probably wants repointing. Roof needs re-felting. Might want to reduce the ground level in the garden a little, make sure airbricks are ventilated.

Nothing you've said would worry me apart from the unventilated flues. No telling on that until you get a camera up there (c.£100). If there's not damp on the chimney breast above the fireplace then maybe you're okay.

GoldenShadow

We just bought our first house and I would be put off if our survey had come back like yours.

Ours is a 1920's semi. The only reds were electricity as no certificates for anything so auto fail, gas and water, again due to no paperwork and not seeing it working. Ours was an ex rental but hasn't been particularly well looked after considering.

We've still spent a bit on electrics and the roof even though it's mostly OK, so I can see why you have hang ups. No matter how much people on the Internet can reassure, you have to deal with it all.

Mistermeaner

In my experience a retrofit damp course if done properly is fine. Involves replasetring on inside so fit around redecorating.

Not sure I understand comment on ground water under pressure - damp soaks up through osmosis type process rather than being forced under pressure.

dendes

They always make out like the house is going to fall down in those surveys. We bought a house that was over 100 years old and the survey was really bad. Didn't stop us though as they were built properly back then.

N1AK

Claire_bordicott wrote: »

We are arranging builders to go in and quote. But we have already resigned ourselves to the fact...our dream home is a shed! Are we wrong?

Thank you, Claire x

Not to comment in detail on this specific example but take the ratings (colour coding) on these reports with a decent pinch of salt; I've seen some truly ludicrous things highlighted as severe on occasion. That doesn't mean that nothing highlighted in this was serious, but that some red text doesn't automatically mean a write off.

vlad

Personally I would walk away, reading between the lines I would also be concerned about wall ties (if it has them) which can be messy and expensive to repair, why buy a shed?

stebiz

vlad wrote: »

Personally I would walk away, reading between the lines I would also be concerned about wall ties (if it has them) which can be messy and expensive to repair, why buy a shed?

'Wall ties' in an old terraced property. Not in a million years.

Mistermeaner

vlad wrote: »

Personally I would walk away, reading between the lines I would also be concerned about wall ties (if it has them) which can be messy and expensive to repair, why buy a shed?

Not all advice is equal. There will not be wall ties in the property you describe.