HELP! - terrified by findings on Buildings Survey!

PrincessJR

Hoploz wrote: »

The lack of RSJ doesn't mean the ceiling is on its way down. It means the upstairs back wall is on its way down!

Upstairs back wall?
What I don't understand is why the overall summary of the survey says that the house has been maintained to a good standard, and that should prove a good investment and yet there is potentially something serious? Or is replacing an RSJ not that serious? I have no clue.
Are we talking £1000 or £5000?

PrincessJR

Chanes wrote: »

Then face what it throws at you and fix it, if you really want it you are going to have to do that. And from the look of it there's more coming maybe when the damp specialist reports. And get the structural engineer! We've had a money pit house in the form of a Victorian terrace - it was lovely when it was finished. But I can still remember the floor of that old terraced house being lifted up to find the remains of the knock through arch beneath rotting out the floor supports...and having the concrete floor taken out in the kitchen...and then finding a whole supporting wall resting on a wooden plank when plaster was knocked off the wall. Yes, those Victorians sure knew how to bodge a job!

On a postive note lots of us have had a house with expensive challenges so at least we can offer you some sympathy and empathy.
Good luck!

Gosh - and I always thought Victorian houses were solid and built to last! We had problems with damp in a 1920s detached due to the bay windows but nothing more serious than that so this is all very daunting especially with a 2 year old and a 4 year to consider!

Nobbie1967

PrincessJR wrote: »

Upstairs back wall?
What I don't understand is why the overall summary of the survey says that the house has been maintained to a good standard, and that should prove a good investment and yet there is potentially something serious? Or is replacing an RSJ not that serious? I have no clue.
Are we talking £1000 or £5000?

Replacing an RSJ is not that serious. You'll need a structural engineer to do some calcs to get the right size and then fitting is fairly straightforward, just messy and will need a fair bit of making good. Nearer to £1k than £5k.

Mind you, are you sure it's not just the old plasterboard coming away from the joists. Sounds like you'll need to replace the ceiling and assess the need for an RSJ while it's down. Factor this into the price if the owner is unwilling to allow investigations.

PrincessJR

Nobbie1967 wrote: »

Replacing an RSJ is not that serious. You'll need a structural engineer to do some calcs to get the right size and then fitting is fairly straightforward, just messy and will need a fair bit of making good. Nearer to £1k than £5k.

Mind you, are you sure it's not just the old plasterboard coming away from the joists. Sounds like you'll need to replace the ceiling and assess the need for an RSJ while it's down. Factor this into the price if the owner is unwilling to allow investigations.

Thanks. Yes initially we thought it was simply a plasterboard issue and had decided to replace the whole ceiling as it's artex anyway. Im wondering if the surveyor has simply covered himself by going for 'worst case scenario' - need to get it checked though either way!

Im sure a competent builder could assess it rather than a structural engineer or am I wrong? Quotes from a SE to come in and examine it are coming out around £500! :shocked:

camptownraces

A structural engineer is needed, not a builder, to carry out calculations about the precise support which is required and examine the existing situation.

PrincessJR

camptownraces wrote: »

A structural engineer is needed, not a builder, to carry out calculations about the precise support which is required and examine the existing situation.

Understood, thanks very much. Now to get permission from the vendors to start lifting floorboards up!

G_M

PrincessJR wrote: »

Understood, thanks very much. Now to get permission from the vendors to start lifting floorboards up!

Discuss with the structural engineer what access he'll need before you instruct him to do the report. Then check with the seller's that they will permit the SE whatever access he needs.

No point paying a SE for a report that says "As I was unable to remove plaster to inspect the supports within the wall, it is impossible to know......"

PrincessJR

G_M wrote: »

Discuss with the structural engineer what access he'll need before you instruct him to do the report. Then check with the seller's that they will permit the SE whatever access he needs.

No point paying a SE for a report that says "As I was unable to remove plaster to inspect the supports within the wall, it is impossible to know......"

Thank you yes indeed!

martinthebandit

If your already planning to replace the ceiling anyway is the possibility of a 1 or 2k more to stick an RSJ in really going to make you walk away?

Especially if the rest of the structural survey is generally positive?

I would be tempted to try and negotiate the price down by 1k or so but probably be prepared to take it on the chin.

lincroft1710

PrincessJR wrote: »

Gosh - and I always thought Victorian houses were solid and built to last!

Did you know that some of the worst housing in Britain was built in Victorian times, most of the slum clearance from 1950s to 1980s was of poorly built Victorian housing.