FTB - lack of building regs and investigations refused

TamsinC

if it ain't broke it don't need fixing.

Is there evidence of movement? Or the floor above sinking? Cracks in the walls? Or is this all just purely speculative there 'might' be a problem?

All older houses are going to have issues of some kind (especially as surveyors nowadays like to cover their !!!!!! with 'may' and 'might') - want something with full buildings regs etc, buy a new build.

plummie

bouicca21 wrote: »

When was it done? If decades ago and all still standing, then it's pretty well certain it's structurally ok.

Some 30 years ago a friend owned a Victorian house in south east London where the chimney breast had been taken out on the ground floor but not on the floor above. No one had any idea whether supports had been put in, or when the work had been done. House was ok then, and is still standing, so despite lack of plans, permissions etc, the work was obviously done to an adequate standard.

Unfortunately the property has changed hands a number of times and we have no idea when the works were carried out as the current owners have only been there for four years. They do not know what investigations were carried out on their purchase and told us to rely on our own investigations.

A_Nice_Englishman

plummie wrote: »

Unfortunately the property has changed hands a number of times and we have no idea when the works were carried out as the current owners have only been there for four years. They do not know what investigations were carried out on their purchase and told us to rely on our own investigations.

They've forgotten after just four years and thrown out their surveyor's report?

Doozergirl

I actually don't see why you'd pull out if they weren't done properly.

They'd just need sorting out. Cost around £4,000 for both *if* there is a problem.

Fact is, they are possibly not up to a calculated standard but if you can clearly see a beam shape above one opening then there is more than likely one there and it is more than likely perfectly adequate.

In the same position, I'd negotiate a discount based on the lack of certificate and buy an indemnity policiy. Investigate when you move in and do the work if it's needed. It's a day, maybe a day and half each, then repainting.

If the vendor had problems in their four years, it would be a simple fix, not a reason to redecorate over the cracks. Most people would be concerned about movement cracks! They too will have had a survey four years ago, they too will have spent a great deal of money on the house and they will have made a decision that things were okay.

You have to put these things into perspective. A Victorian London house is built on highly shrinkable clay and with little to no foundations. Your surveyor hasn't started requesting investigations because there were no building regulations in force so he knows there is no certificate to ask for and he knows that every Victorian house in london is defective and falls far, far short in most aspects to modern day regs.

That conservatory will be exempt from regulations anyway, so they've not done anything wrong there.

The fees you pay by pulling out and starting again aren't going to fall far short of sorting the problem which may not be a problem at all. I don't see the point. Find a compromise, buy the house. No house comes without some sort of question mark over it and these building regs questions come up more than once every single day, time and time again in the 13 years (:eek:) I've been on this forum and somehow people still think it's unusual.

Beenie

We've just had a structural engineer send someone to bore test holes in our garden and patio. This is to detrmine the soil/ground conditions before an extension goes ahead. He was here 12 hours, went down 15 metres but afterwards you wouldn't know he'd been investigating. The clear up was fantastic.

As for buying a house where previous owners have knocked down internal load-bearing walls or chimney breasts, I would be very wary. We viewed a house with a marvellous open-plan, overlooking beautiful gardens, all things bright and beautiful, as it were. We didn't buy, but subsequently discovered that the new people had to re-install the internal walls, thus making pokey little rooms, and no grand view of the garden. Why? Because the roof was slowly caving in due to lack of support.

Thrugelmir

A_Nice_Englishman wrote: »

They've forgotten after just four years and thrown out their surveyor's report?

Side stepping the questions it seems.

SG27

Thrugelmir wrote: »

Side stepping the questions it seems.

I dont know, we seem to have lost our survey report from 5 years ago. We hsve the valuation but not the report!

TamsinC

Beenie wrote: »

As for buying a house where previous owners have knocked down internal load-bearing walls or chimney breasts, I would be very wary. We viewed a house with a marvellous open-plan, overlooking beautiful gardens, all things bright and beautiful, as it were. We didn't buy, but subsequently discovered that the new people had to re-install the internal walls, thus making pokey little rooms, and no grand view of the garden. Why? Because the roof was slowly caving in due to lack of support.

Of course they could have put RSJs in instead and kept the open plan layout. Their choice to wall it all up again

Beenie

but can you completely RSJ a whole floor? (it was a bungalow)

TamsinC

Beenie wrote: »

but can you completely RSJ a whole floor? (it was a bungalow)

with posts as well, I believe you can - there is always a way - it might be a very expensive way - but it is always there.