Buy mundic C house in Cornwall?

raram

We are looking at houses to buy in Cornwall and have found one which we are told is classed as 'mundic grade c'. Having read what is available in the net regarding this it doesn't sound good but what I can't understand is how the building is still standing.
It was apparently classed as 'mundic grade c' 25 years ago, so this would mean that the concrete block was starting to crumble then(?).
The property looks in very good condition - inside and out, no cracks visible, no dampness. We are cash buyers so getting a mortgage is no issue. We are wondering how sound these properties are or if the horror stories we've read are over the top. There doesn't seem to be much evidence of houses just crumbling and falling.
Anyone with experience on here?

[Deleted User]

The obvious answer would be to have a "full" survey done

glosoli

Just remember that if it was going to be an issue getting a mortgage on it, it would limit the people who would buy from you in future if looking to sell. Personally, even if buying with cash, I would not touch an unmortgageable property.

Davesnave

Obviously a structural engineer with relevant experience would need to look at it, and even then there would be an element of unpredictability.It was standing 25 years ago and it may still be fine in another 25 years.....and perhaps by then all that will be academic.

The risk to gain equation is as much about yourselves as it is for the house. If you are older, retired and unable to afford much in Cornwall, other than wrecks and mobile homes, maybe it would be a goer, if being in Cornwall is very important to you.

I believe it's the county with the worst income to house price ratio in the country.

Me? I'd go north in a monetarily constrained situation, but I'm not you!

moneyistooshorttomention

On the other hand - maybe we shouldnt assume OP is in a monetarily constrained situation?

Chances are that they are - but if they aren't then I guess that, in theory, it's possible to remove those outer walls and replace them with normal ones? (though it would be a lot of hassle and expense to do so obviously).

Davesnave

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

On the other hand - maybe we shouldnt assume OP is in a monetarily constrained situation?

I agree. I said 'If....'

There's the possibility that it's not top of budget and something like a great situation pulls the OP towards this, rather than something safe and conventional.

However, in that case, I would expect some clues from the OP. Replacing the walls is perfectly feasible, as is almost anything structural, if the money's there.

diamond_dave

Hi -living here in Cornwall there are dozens of Mundic houses AND bungalows. The blocks used in their construction were made from mine waste and when exposed to the damp and rain(it does get wet here!) the blocks start to crumble and go soft. Although I understand that it is classed from A-D -A being the most severe - I would be VERY wary about going ahead with this purchase without some serious structural surveys. Being classed as C may mean that say an extension has mundic but not the main house. Many of the houses close to here have been knocked down and rebuilt. Don't forget you'll have difficulty getting a mortgage and getting house insurance may be compromised. Proceed with caution. They do fall down -please look at properties on rightmove in Camborne and you will see some shockers!

loveka

A is not the most severe, it is C. However,that shouldn't necessarily put you off! Have you actually seen the mundic report? The estate agent should show it to you. Also, the mundic classifications have changed slightly in the last few years, so you might want to get a new one done.

We are in the process of buying a grade B mundic house. Our feeling is that it is sound. It has stood for 100 years. If it were grade C I probably would be more cautious though.

First stop is seeing what the report says.

Zeni

Davesnave wrote: »

I believe it's the county with the worst income to house price ratio in the country.

Ah we even have that on the sign as you enter!

There are a lot of Mundic properties around here (currently house hunting and these lovely houses keep popping up but sadly I need a mortgage!) and if it is something you can go with you can get a lot more house for your money. The only downside is that it is harder to resell so if its not a place your thinking of living in for a long time that may put you off.
Its not ridiculously expensive down here if you look in the right areas to live.. obviously if your planning on St Ives then you may need a small fortune but Camborne/Redruth areas etc are much more reasonable.

raram

venison wrote: »

The obvious answer would be to have a "full" survey done

Uh huh. We certainly will be getting a full survey. Just thought I'd come here for some feedback on people with experience of it. Ta.

raram

glosoli wrote: »

Just remember that if it was going to be an issue getting a mortgage on it, it would limit the people who would buy from you in future if looking to sell. Personally, even if buying with cash, I would not touch an unmortgageable property.

Thank you, yes. Not concerned about mortgages. This will be our forever home.