Survey Report Results & Questions

househunt

Hello everyone,

We've got our home buyer's survey report back and the valuation has come at our full agreed price.

However the report has pointed out a lot of issues, so I just need some reassurance if I should go back and negotiate or leave it be and continue with the property purchase. I know that on many occasions survey reports tend to just about write anything to cover their backs.

I'll let you guys take a look and give me your opinions:-

ROOF & GUTTERING

• Woodboring insect infestation affecting some of the roof timbers, visible within the roof void.
• Number of loose/dislodged tiles to front roof slope as well as some broken/missing & laminated tiles to the rear slope. The roof should be overhauled & repaired.
• The gutters are overspilling & leaking.

MAIN WALLS

• Defective render should be hacked off & replaced
• Need to budget for further wall tie remedial works

GARAGE

• The roof sheets to the garage are thought to contain asbestos.

INTERNAL WALLS

• There are areas of loose, hollow & uneven plaster which should be hacked off & renewed.

CHIMNEY BREASTS & FIREPLACES

• There are gas fires in living & dining rooms and improved ventilation is required.

Thanks again

househunt

Can anyone help please?

lewishardwick

My biggest concern would be the roof and walls... Anything structural should be checked over.

Asbestos only needs to be worried about if it's in bad condition or being removed.

The internal walls just replaster when decorating.

Gas fires probably only meet old regs, nothing a gas engineer can't review. Will probably just need updating if / when you replace the fires...

dc197

Other than the insects none of that sounds too serious. Each job could probably be fixed within a couple of hundred quid. This is standard DIY homeownership.
Crack a window vent when the fires are on.
Leave the asbestos alone and it will be fine.

The insects might require a specialist.

househunt

Thank you very much for your replies. I'm glad I've asked on here.

My car has just been written off at the worst time and I've had to purchase another one for work, so a large portion of my contingency money is spent.

My main concern at the moment is the woodworm infestation and to save money I'm hoping I can carry out this task myself. I'm pretty good with DIY and don't mind learning, so is it possible that I could do the woodworm treatment myself? My friend already has a Pump Up Sprayer, so if I:-

• Purchase Permethrin treatment, i.e. something like a couple of the Soluguard Woodworm Treatment (5L).
• Sprayed it over several treatments (if necessary over several months)
• As an extra precaution, I also plan to buy an injection and fill it up with the Permethrin treatment and individually inject it into as many bore holes.

Would the above technique work?

I must add that I've just noticed the survey report with the following:-

"I was unable to inspect parts of the roof void", so I'm not sure how he managed to find the woodworm infestation in the first place, lol.

Davesnave

It's unlikely that the woodworm is active, and your report doesn't say that it is. The wood boring beetles don't like old, dry wood, so unless the roof void is damp, they'll have left years ago.

It's also possible that the roof has already been treated, maybe several times, as this was often a popular condition for obtaining a mortgage in times past.

I would get a roofer to look at the overall condition of the roof and advise whether you have options to plan for an overhaul rather than tackling it straight away. Study similar houses nearby, if there are any, to see if they have had recent replacement roofs.

You don't say how old the house is, but these matters look fairly normal for a mid C20th property.

househunt

Hi Davesnave,

Sorry about that. It's a semi-detached house built approx 1930 to 1940. Your right in saying that the surveyor hasn't mentioned any damp wood, but he has mentioned possible dislodged tiles and also mentioned that he could not check for any roof leaks due to dry weather, so your idea to get a roofer to check overall roof condition is very wise idea.

But (and this is a big BUT!), if I find woodworm to be active, would I be able to treat it myself, like I mentioned in the previous post?

Davesnave

househunt wrote: »

But (and this is a big BUT!), if I find woodworm to be active, would I be able to treat it myself, like I mentioned in the previous post?

You would, with permethrin as you suggest, which is probably the only amateur treatment you can buy these days.

I'm afraid I don't know if companies like Rentokil have anything more effective or even how effective permethrin is. Its a plant extract used in agriculture/horticulture, but I have no personal use for it.

I'm loosely in farming and aware of having better chemicals available to me than I can find in B&Q etc. However although I've used them for years, they're technically 'under the counter' to the uncertificated these days.

Permethrin is toxic to cats and fish.

Someone other than me may be able to advise, but if the loft is dry, I think the 'problem' won't exist. Surveyors like to cover their rear ends, and it's something they can probably write about almost all houses the age of the one you propose to purchase.