Incomplete party wall loft 1910 semi

Mistermeaner

Hi

Looking at a 1910 semi; house is generally in good Nick , a few cracks in the plaster etc but nothing major or unexpected at its age. Some nice original features too

However the party wall in the loft doesn't look great , brjckwork a bit ropey and some large gaps, almost as if it wasnt finished

The roof joists and cross beams look fine but where they the whole width of the shared roof there is big gaps in the brick work, not enough to climb through but probably not fire compliant

Where it needs to be it properly built up (is chimney breasts up to apex) and its only small (2 bed) so don't think its going fall down any time soon

Externally the slate roof has been checked over and is fine (buyt not under felted) and the chimney is well pointed

Reckon it would be an expensive fiux... Would prob need take roof off from outside , full scaffold and all the party wall stuff to deal with

Won't be storing anything up there as its insdukated but not boarded

Would this bother you?

Or is this just a typical quirk of older houses and nothing to worry about

Rest of house is lovely well decorated and maintained

moneyistooshorttomention

Taking the roof off sounds a bit drastic as a method to deal with it.

Have you checked that that really is the appropriate way to deal with it? I'd be feeling more than a little sceptical of anyone telling me that personally.

Assuming whoever said that got it wrong and it was as relatively straightforward as I would have thought - then it wouldnt put me off if the rest of the house was okay. I would feel the need to deal with it - both from the fire hazard pov and because insurance companies might not be happy about it. But - once dealt with (ie by an easier/cheaper method than roof coming off) then I would see no reason to be against the house.

xylophone

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1492675

As anyone who's read the first book in the Chronicles of Narnia series will know.

I thought exactly the same when I read your post!

How this took me back to the joy and delight of reading The Magician's Nephew when I was a child.

xylophone

http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/property/2253579-Just-discovered-access-to-next-doors-loft

https://www.mybuilder.com/questions/v/2222/need-to-build-a-dividing-wall-between-the-loft-space-of-a-semi-detached-housewhat-method-would-be-the-most-pratical-and-cost-effective-

Check with Building Control?

Davesnave

I think this situation is quite common with houses from other eras too.

Certainly, on my last house (1937) the brickies had become rather slap-dash by the time they did the top of the party wall. I remember being able to look through to next door's loft in a few places. We were friends, so no problem.

There's an easy enough fix if most of the wall is there, either by just building up in thermal blocks, which can be shaped to size with a saw, or maybe using something like Marley Eternit board for fire resistance.

G_M

Very common back in the day. Everyone kept the backdoord unlocked and was in and out of each others houses - why bother with dividing walls up the the roofspace?

If worried about security, pay a chap for half a day to fill the biggest gaps with breezeblocks and bricks so the neighbours can't crawl throught.

If worried about fire, get the chap to put in a fire-resistance panelling.

Neither will cost much.

Or you could remove the roof, and for good measure dig down and check the foundations conform to Building Regulations depth!

Cakeguts

You just need to get a fire wall built. It stops fires from spreading along the roof void. It is quite common for older houses to need fire walls in the loft.

davidmcn

Similar with my last house - party wall in the loft was mostly complete but a few gaps. Not something I viewed as a problem, obviously neither had anybody else living in either house in the preceding 80-ish years.

daveyjp

Definately have it fire boarded and on both sides.

There have been tragic fires where just one brick has been missing in a roof space party wall.

moneyistooshorttomention

daveyjp wrote: »

Definately have it fire boarded and on both sides.

There have been tragic fires where just one brick has been missing in a roof space party wall.

I hadn't been aware of that:eek:

I had just one brick missing from the party wall between myself and one of the adjoining neighbours in my last (Victorian) house. I did have that missing brick replaced (in case of neighbours having a fire - as somehow that particular house seemed to attract neighbours that werent very careful) - and it was "peanuts" to do.

Didnt think of fireboarding. It may be difficult to get neighbours to fireboard their side - but I don't suppose it's any big deal to fireboard one's own side (ie peanuts to do). You never know though re the neighbours. If an adjacent neighbour had asked me to do that/explained why clearly/offered to "go halves" with me on cost of total job - then chances are I would have agreed to fireboard my side. So there are some neighbours that would and you never know...

eddddy

A mortgage valuer noted gaps in the loft party wall in a property I bought. So I had to sign an undertaking with the mortgage co to deal with them within 6 months of completion.

We lined the wall with fireproof board.

Had the gaps been bigger, I guess we might have filled them with a bit of block work.