Roof question

Money_saving_maniac

Hi, I'm looking at buying an end of terrace but have noticed the roof appears to be sagging. All of the roofs appear to go up and down, not on the top ridge line but like bulges and hills along the 4 houses. The terrace next door has got a couple of tiles missing.
The vendor says they have never had a problem with the roof but they would say that anyway wouldn't they? Obviously I would have a survey done but if that's going to cost me £600 to say run a mile that's 600 quid out of an already very tight budget.
These are small 1930's houses.
Does this sound like a problem and does it sound extremely expensive?

Cakeguts

If it is the original 1930s roof it could have come to the end of its life and need replacing. If it goes up and down that usually means that the timbers need replacing as well as the tiles. That could get quite expensive. Is the bad condition of the roof allowed for in the purchase price?

Money_saving_maniac

No cakeguts but I mentioned to the EA I was concerned about the roof. But the vendors are trading up and concerned about whether they are going to be able to afford their new house with the offers they have in, so i'm concerned about whether I will be shelling out for a survey just for them to not sell...

david1951

My roof bows a bit but the surveyor said it was simply due to the original tiles being replaced with heavier ones. I have no idea if this is the case in your situation.

Unfortunately (or fortunately) that is why you pay the £600 - to get a professional and valuable opinion on whether or not you are buying a lemon.

Davesnave

Duplicate thread:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5494954

Money_saving_maniac

Davesnave wrote: »

Duplicate thread:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5494954

Not a mortal sin. I simply thought that I was duplicating my chance of knowledgable answers

Davesnave

Money_saving_maniac wrote: »

Not a mortal sin. I simply thought that I was duplicating my chance of knowledgable answers

I didn't say it was, but responders ought to know if there's another thread, or they may miss further info that's been revealed, or not see that a point they take time making has already been made.

Sorry if you can't see it from their POV.

Ozzuk

david1951 wrote: »

My roof bows a bit but the surveyor said it was simply due to the original tiles being replaced with heavier ones. I have no idea if this is the case in your situation.

Unfortunately (or fortunately) that is why you pay the £600 - to get a professional and valuable opinion on whether or not you are buying a lemon.

Did your surveyor say if it was an issue? Did the replacement roof come with the required certification?

OP...I'd be a little concerned. The house I brought recently is pretty old, the roof looked okay - not the greatest and the mortgage company recommended a survey. I decided not to but I have the money to rectify if needed, do you?

If it does need replacement it will either cost you during your ownership or at the point you next sell.

gwynlas

If you think the roof is bowing and you tell surveyor they will agree in order to cover themselves. Why not go down the route of getting a few quotes for replacement then deciding if you can afford it?
Depending on what might or might not have been done to date 1930's house would perhaps need new damp proof course,rewiring replumbing new heating system doors and windows as well as kitchen bathroom and new roof. Only you can decide how important each of these is in the scheme of what you do when.

Money_saving_maniac

The only thing that worries me about the house is the roof. But I've heard someone around there had a reroof and it was 12 grand, I didn't realise reroofing ran as expensive as that!
I'm feeling quite uncertain now though because the vendor wants an unrealistic price IMO - they've already chosen their next property and need to make the money out of this house to fund the buy, so if the survey threw anything up I'd be paying top dollar for this house and then the vendor wouldn't even move on price.
So disappointing I really could see us living there, which I'm struggling with. i've seen so many houses and although my head has said 'they're fine' my emotions just go 'meh'....
This one my heart goes YAY and my head goes 'meh'.

Money_saving_maniac

Got some photos of the roof now on the other thread if anyone wants to have a look and offer an opinion....

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5494954

I just don't want to be spending £££s on a survey and the surveyor says get a roof specialist to look at it or to even spend out £££s when somebody who knows more than me (not hard) looks at it and says - ooh that's going to be expensive.
The real issue is that the vendor doesn't want to budge on price at all so it wouldn't be a question of it's going to be Xk we'll split it....