Homebuyers Survey - HELP !!!

Burns1702

Just had my homebuyers survey through and quite a few defects, I've listed below, should we proceed ? any help would be appreciated

The roof is pitched and covered with plain clay tiles on a timber frame.
There are loose and laminated tiles evident to all roof slopes.
The roof covering is in poor condition. It is probably beyond economic repair and
should now be stripped and renewed. The roof frame may need to be
strengthened and these works will require Building Regulation approval.
Inside the roof void there is no secondary protection barrier against driving rain
penetration. The original back pointing which is commensurate with age is
weathering and loosening. The tile hanging knibs are also eroding, which can
result in loosening/ slippage of the roof tiles.
Condition Rating 3.

The walls are of cavity masonry construction.
Cracking was noted to the masonry over the window openings. This may be due to
inadequate lintel support and repair or replacement is necessary.
Packing and support over the front living room window is also required.
The kitchen window lintel is damaged and requires repair.
There are signs that the building is affected by wall tie failure, which can be
serious. Specialist investigation and remedial work is now required.
The property has been affected by past structural movement, evidenced by
distortion in brickwork below the kitchen window. From a single inspection the
movement appears to be long-standing and does not appear to be progressive.
However there is normally a drainage gully in this area where the sun room meets
the rear wall. The protection and capping of this drain requires further
consideration.
The brickwork and mortar pointing are considered functional for age and
workmanship standards when the property was constructed. Localised erosion in
some joints is not unusual. Pointing maintenance can be undertaken by raking out
the mortar joints to a sufficient depth to allow the mortar to be adequately bonded
in the joint.
There are cracks in mortar joints following previous alterations to openings and
service pipes. These disturbances are not unusual or excessive for age. Minor
localised filling can be considered as part of normal maintenance to reduce the
risk of damp penetration.

The windows are double glazed PVCu casements.
The windows require general overhauling. From a random sample, some windows
were difficult to operate and are in need of easing or adjusting. The repair and
replacement of locks and hinges etc., can prove difficult and expensive.
The seals to some of the double glazed units appear to have failed causing misting
on the glass. It is recommended that the units are checked and replaced as
necessary.
The waterproof sealant around the windows has failed and should be renewed to
prevent water penetration.
There is no proper fire escape from the windows to the upper floor. We recommend
that you carry out improvements, which may involve replacing some of the
windows. See Section J3.
Condition Rating 3.

Rear Sun Room
The attached single sun room has a bitumen felt flat roof. The roof is aged and the
flashing to the rear wall is loose. The roof requires renewal.
There are failed double glazed units to the PVCu double glazed casement frames.
There are double opening doors to the side.
The walls are timber frame with cladding. The framework cannot be seen and
would need to be protected from the effects of dampness.
The floor is solid construction. There is a slight undulation in the floor and levelling
will be required. Please refer to section F4 below regarding lack of sub floor
ventilation.
Comprehensive overhaul/ renewal of this structure is required with indications of
costs obtained before legal commitment to purchase.

The ceiling joists are not connected to the base of the rafters to the side roof slope.
This is not unusual in a home of this age and style of construction. However the
roof pushes outwards termed eaves spread, which occurred on initial loading. As
the roof is re-covered access will become available to install additional restraint
ties to prevent further eaves spread. The installation of metal (vertical twist) lateral
restraint straps between the base of the rafter feet and the ceilings joists to every
other rafter is suggested through a competent building contractor.
The roof is a traditional timber construction with purlins acting as support beams to
the rafters, which form the roof slopes. The purlins are supported off the party wall.
The purlins connect to the hip rafters forming the angles to the sloping sides. This
forms a 'compression ring' where the weight of the roof pushes against the other
timbers. There are no direct support posts. This is a traditional method of
construction. There are indications where exposed of old splits and shakes with
bedding down on initial loading but this is neither excessive nor unusual in a home
of this age.
There are some openings in the party firebreak walls and these should be closed
for safety and security.
Insufficient insulation is provided within the roof void. You should ensure that
insulation is provided here to current standards and does not interfere with
ventilation.

TamsinC

post this in the homes buying and selling section rather than mortgages for better responses

AnotherJoe

should we proceed?

Q. Are you a builder?
A: Yes , then at the right price.
A: No, then go to Sports Direct, buy trainers, lace up tight and run away quickly.

minimike2

I don't get this post.

You have a report detailing a large number of very serious and costly defects to a property. I am guessing you are looking at paying many hundreds of thousands of pounds for it.

Does it look like it is worth the money you have offered for it with the work that needs doing? Are you willing to do that work and pay for it?

It seems like common sense to me.... run a mile unless the answers to the above are yes.