Help with the report on the roof from Home Buyers Report.

daymouse

Hi I hope someone can advise decipher our homebuyers report mainly the roof as we just don’t know what it means limited life expectancy! Is that 5 years or 25 years!

The house is approx 90 year old semi detached and this is what it says in the report

[FONT=&quot]The roof covering requires an overhaul to loose and slipped slates.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The ridge tiles require re-bedding in mortar.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Inside the roof void there is no secondary protection barrier against driving rain[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]penetration. The original back pointing which is commensurate with age is[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]weathering. The slate fixing nails are also corroding, which can result in loosening/[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]slippage of the roof slates. Whilst there was no excessive daylight the roof will[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]continue to deteriorate until renewal. The back pointing dust would need to be[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]considered for potential damage to any storage in the roof void.[/FONT]


[FONT=&quot]Condition Rating 3.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The original roof is reaching the end of the normal expected life; although the roof[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]is presently capable of repair the roof has a limited life expectancy. The initial[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]occupation budget cost allowances should consider and anticipate for regular[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]inspection and maintenance of the roof covering. The costs for the stripping and[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]renewal of the original roof would need to be anticipated and an indication of costs[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]is suggested to be obtained before legal commitment to purchase from a[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]competent roofing contractor.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Any thoughts or advice will be much appreciated. [/FONT]

shortcrust

Pretty standard wording for old houses with their original roof from what I can gather. Mine said almost exactly the same. It didn't put me off and I'll not be touching it until it causes problems.

jbainbridge

Most importantly does the survey value the house at the price you have offered? If it is less you could ask the vendor for a reduction.

I would ring the surveyor and have a chat about it. Get them to explain it to you.

hazyjo

Average pitched roof will last 50-150 years. It can be rather vague! Lots of Victorian houses still have their original roofs. A flat roof will last much less.


You might want to get some quotes for an overhaul/replacement. I had the same report on a house and just re-roofed. There wasn't a huge between the two prices I don't think, and I had a new roof at the end of it.


Jx

daymouse

jbainbridge wrote: »

Most importantly does the survey value the house at the price you have offered? If it is less you could ask the vendor for a reduction.

I would ring the surveyor and have a chat about it. Get them to explain it to you.

Yeah its been valued at what were paying and then the current reinstament cost is valued at 25k more which i assume means if the work is carried out thats what it would be worth?

So would you not be concerened about the roof for now?

daymouse

hazyjo wrote: »

Average pitched roof will last 50-150 years. It can be rather vague! Lots of Victorian houses still have their original roofs. A flat roof will last much less.


You might want to get some quotes for an overhaul/replacement. I had the same report on a house and just re-roofed. There wasn't a huge between the two prices I don't think, and I had a new roof at the end of it.


Jx

Thanks for that so at this stage it would be ok and just do some repair work like fixing broken tiles and repointing etc?

Would you be going back to renegotiate ?

ToasterScheme

daymouse wrote: »

Yeah its been valued at what were paying and then the current reinstament cost is valued at 25k more which i assume means if the work is carried out thats what it would be worth?

So would you not be concerened about the roof for now?

No, not that. The reinstatement cost is how much it would cost to re-build from scratch if the whole place burned down - i.e. how much insurance you need. Unless it specifically says so the reinstatement figure has nothing to do with any recommended works at all.

daymouse

ToasterScheme wrote: »

No, not that. The reinstatement cost is how much it would cost to re-build from scratch if the whole place burned down - i.e. how much insurance you need. Unless it specifically says so the reinstatement figure has nothing to do with any recommended works at all.

Ah ok thanks

So whats the reason to ask if the valued it at what we offered?

Doozergirl

If a surveyor classes a roof as category 3 and says you need to budget for a new covering, then that is what you should be doing.

Whilst tiles can last over a century, the components fitting it all togather cannot be relied upon in the same way.

This is your opportunity to renegotiate. Repairs can be carried out but if it needs replacing, then you're practising false economy. You do need a bit spending on it now as the mortar falling out of the ridges is a lliability for leaks, as is missing and slipped tiles with no felt behind as a secondary barrier. You will just continue to suffer slipping tiles until such time that you replace.

I would much rather have the enjoyment of a new roof now than endless call outs to a roofer and potential rot problems to the structure.

The reason for asking if the house is valued the same as your offer is a clear guage of whether to renegotiate. That said, if work is not obvious to a layperson when making an offer, I think it is perfectly acceptable to negotiate a reduction on something that imminently needs money spending on it.

I absolutely disagree that a report like that is parr for the course and not a problem.

MyOnlyPost

daymouse wrote: »

Ah ok thanks

So whats the reason to ask if the valued it at what we offered?

The valuer will value "as is" so the sale price has already taken this into consideration. If the valuer comes back with a lower valuation it can cause problems for the mortgae but gives you some leverage to negotiate

You shouldn't buy this house unless you have the money to fix the roof, even if you don't do it immediately.

AlexMac

While not necessarily a reason to walk away, they key phrase is:

daymouse wrote: »

...costs for stripping and renewal of the original roof would need to be... obtained ...from a roofing contractor...before legal commitment to purchase.. .

We sold a 95 year old house with an original slate roof which was like the one you are considering. Damp was coming down the chimney breasts from deterioration in the pointing and flashing, the slates and nails were off the end of their life-expectancy and there had never been felt under the slates as was common in Victorian houses. Several neighbours had newer roofs

We priced it accordingly (about £15k off one in good condition; it was a big, tall house) and sold to someone planning a loft conversion/roof re-modellin.
g
If you get a roofer to quote for patch repairs and/or replacement as suggested, it's perfectly reasonable to renegotiate on price and maybe meet in the middle; after all, you, not the vendor, will benefit from a nice new roof, and the insualtion which you'll want to stick in when its done?

Or plough on and assume you'll do the repairs when it starts to actually leak; I assume there are no existing signs of internal damp in ceilings, upper walls, corners or chimneys breasts?