FTB just got a survey done and stressed

nighttrain123

I put an offer in for a period terrace and just got a survey done.

However it came back with a 3 for the walls, specifically the render:

The front elevation has some cracking to the front elevation and minor cracking to the
rear elevation. These are primarily age related wear and
tear and have no significance
to anything structural. The cracking has some bearing on the dampness to the plaster
below the internal upper floor windows. The render can be patch repaired, however,
but we find this doesn't provide adequate water proofing a
nd eventually the cracking
will return. We advise that the most effective and long term solution is to hack off al,
render to both elevations and replace it with new

Also this damp issue which is probably related to the render cracks:

However, we did note high readings (indicated by a red led light to the meter in the picture) below
the two first floor bedroom windows. We see this quite a lot with older properties that
have been rendered, where they were ori
ginally just brickwork.

Now I'm stressed about a) possibly having to try and negotiate the price down a little. They may tell me I should I spotted the render cracks when I viewed the property? b) if the 'damp' problem is more than just a little penetration through the render cracks? The word DAMP make me want to run a mile!

Am I being too much of a worrier here? I'm a FTB and this whole business of buying a house is truly daunting.

ST1991

If i was buying that house i wouldn't be worried about it. Outside rendering can be patch repaired, and re-rendered in time. (as it says)
Damp if most likely due to the cracks in the rendered, but the sounds of it? Fix cracks, and damp will clear up.

Did the Survey value the house at less than the price you have offered? if so, negotiate on price.
If it has valued it at what you have offered, then i don't think there is much room to renegotiate, as it is valued at this price even with these 'faults'.

nighttrain123

It was just a building survey and not a valuation. I don't need a mortgage if that explains why I didn't get a valuation? The price is roughly in keeping with the area and previous sales + HPI.

booksurr

is the rendering painted?

if yes then prevention of damp penetration is simply a case of repainting using masonry paint. If I was the vendor and you tried to get a discount on the basis it needs re-rendering you you be given short shrift

ST1991

nighttrain123 wrote: »

It was just a building survey and not a valuation. I don't need a mortgage if that explains why I didn't get a valuation? The price is roughly in keeping with the area and previous sales + HPI.

I thought usually a survey will do a valuation of the property too? That way you know you are paying the right price, or you can renegotiate if the valuation is lower than the purchase price.
That could be me getting confused!

SparksAlive

I'm an FTB as well and I had the same worry when my survey came back, talking about potential damp in the bathroom and no electrical gas test certificates present etc etc. Seeing that red number three can really get the heart going! It was only when I looked into it that I realised the traffic light system is a bit flawed - red sounds like 'oh god maybe reconsider your purchase' but they seem to use it for anything even slightly possibly maybe amiss.


For example in mine, they mentioned 'torn roof lining' and suggested it could need replacing. When I went round and had a look in the loft with a builder friend, it turned out it was two small squares that had been cut out to make room for pipework, and could be easily patched over.


The damp in the bathroom also turned out to be nothing - again, my friend looked at it as he's done a lot of bathroom work, and established that in fact due to the age of the suite, water was dripping down the side of the shower. A problem that will be fixed when I replace the suite, which I was planning to do anyway.


Obviously they've highlighted something they think it's worth looking into, but try not to worry too much until you've actually got an expert opinion! If you know a decent builder, go round with them and ask them what they think. The surveyors are just covering themselves for ANY potential issue

nighttrain123

Not sure. It's a sort of cream colour so I guess it is, unless it's some polymer?

G_M

If you were expecting, and want, a house needing zero work and with zero problems, buy a new build property.

Older properties need maintenance.

If you want minimal maintenance/cost, maybe find another building.

But frankly negotiating price on this is going to be hard. Yes, cracks in render would have been visible, and are a clear sign that water can get behind the render, get trapped there, and then penetrate the walls.

If the damp is that bad, it would alsohave been apparant internally.

Patching the cracks which the surveyor says can be done, will take a chap a day? £100 - £300 depending on location and extent? Then wait while the walls dry out. Sorted.

In a year or two you could consider removing and replacing all the render (or remove and just leave the brickwork) if you feel it is necessary.

fairy_lights

Little bit of damp that can be sorted out by repairing the render. Sounds pretty good to me, I mean he says right there that it's age related and nothing structural, you're always going to get wear and tear with old houses but in the scheme of things that's really minor.

nighttrain123

Thx that's good advice.

david1951

There doesn't appear to be much room for negotiating anything here. Not sure how you would given that you are unsure of the work that needs doing, including what it (whatever 'it' may be) will cost.

the most effective long term solution is to hack off all render to both elevations and replace it with new

That may be true, but doesn't meant that it is necessary at this point in time. The vendor will probably find any request to drop the price a bit bizarre and such a request would be quite risky...