Interpreting a Homebuyer's Report

n217970

ndf9876 wrote: »

The vendors have not looked after the property at all, we were well aware that decoratively at least, we had a lot of work on our hands - and this is reflected in the purchase price.

Are you expecting to put a new kitchen in? If so just do the gas hob then.

ndf9876

@n217970 - we're expecting to do every room in the house

Decoratively at least, it ranged from 1980s "worn" to just horrific.

Bathroom is first on the hit-list, unless the roof puts the kaibosh on everything. If I said "mermaid themed bathroom" that might give you an understanding as to why

sevenhills

ndf9876 wrote: »

Mention was also made that "there is a risk of asbestos is the ceilings" :shocked: Is this normal for houses built in the 70s?!

My house was built in the 60s and was recently tested for asbestos, all clear.
Worldwide demand for asbestos peaked around 1977, when five million tonnes were being mined. Asbestos can be found in any industrial or residential building built or refurbished before the year 2000. It is in many of the common materials used in the building trade that you may come across during your work.

n217970

ndf9876 wrote: »

@n217970 - we're expecting to do every room in the house

Decoratively at least, it ranged from 1980s "worn" to just horrific.

Bathroom is first on the hit-list, unless the roof puts the kaibosh on everything. If I said "mermaid themed bathroom" that might give you an understanding as to why

Sounds very much like my first house, not only had our sellers done nothing in the time they lived there but I don't think they had cleaned once. Honestly I would probably have prefered mermaid themed bathroom to "suspicious brown stain on skirting board" bathroom we did bathroom, 1 bedroom and living room before we moved in. Had to live with a horrible kitchen for 6 months until we could afford a new one but it was worth it in the end. Hope the roof thing gets sorted.

DumbMuscle

sevenhills wrote: »

My house was built in the 60s and was recently tested for asbestos, all clear.
Worldwide demand for asbestos peaked around 1977, when five million tonnes were being mined. Asbestos can be found in any industrial or residential building built or refurbished before the year 2000. It is in many of the common materials used in the building trade that you may come across during your work.

Also worth noting that asbestos is not a problem unless/until it is disturbed - so you will need to get it tested for before any building work, and potentially removed, but if you're not planning major renovations then it shouldn't be a problem.

Pupnik

ndf9876 wrote: »

@n217970 - we're expecting to do every room in the house

Decoratively at least, it ranged from 1980s "worn" to just horrific.

Bathroom is first on the hit-list, unless the roof puts the kaibosh on everything. If I said "mermaid themed bathroom" that might give you an understanding as to why

I know the feeling, I moved into a fairy-themed house! I still occasionally find fairies and goblins in the garden, and the glitter sometimes shows through on the walls when the paint starts wearing away!

ndf9876

Well, the ceilings all have this kind of naff swirl pattern in so they will, at some point, need attention. But with finite funds and a massive unwillingness to use credit to pay for any of this, it'll have to wait until we have completed our de-mermaiding of the bathroom ;-)

ndf9876

So, to put this one to bed : I contacted the surveyor and asked him whether the trusses had ever existed - i.e. were they removed, or never installed. We are buying about 50 metres from where we are currently renting, and are friendly with lots of the residents in the close - so were able to look in their lofts, which had all trusses intact.

Turns out the surveyor had done two surveys in the area that day, and transposed the sections regarding roofing. Someone else is going to get a mighty shock about their roof I think ;-)

n217970

ndf9876 wrote: »

Turns out the surveyor had done two surveys in the area that day, and transposed the sections regarding roofing.

Yet more evidence these homebuyers reports are not worth the electronic paper they are written on. Glad the problem is sorted for you though. Hope it all goes smoothly now.