Building survey - renegotiate?

virginblue4

Hi everyone,

Today I received back they building report survey for a property that I am purchasing. There are a few small areas that the surveyor has classed as urgent and should be fixed as soon as possible after moving into the property. I’m just after some advise and whether I should try to renegotiate or are these small enough that I shouldn’t bother renegotiating and just cover the cost myself? The house is a semi-detached property. Width of the property is approximately 8m and depth is approximately 6.5m. Thank you!

Chimney stack - prior to exchange if contracts, we recommend quotations are obtained from a reputable contractor for the provision of access scaffolding to the chimney stack to enable replacement of individual weather damaged bricks, as well as raking out and repointing of your half of the chimney stack with an appropriate mortar mix. By acting before exchange if contracts, you will be able to establish the costs which can then be factored into final negotiations between you and the vendor.

Main walls - we identified a number of frost damaged bricks to the front elevation, in particular concealed behind the dense plant growth to to southern side of the main entrance door, and a with a smaller number of damaged bricks incentivise on the flank elevation of the return to the bay. We would recommend that you obtain competitive quotations from reputable contractors for the cutting out and replacement of all frost damaged bricks to the front of the property. The cost of this would should be established at pre-contract stage and, where relevant, factored into final negotiations between you and the vendor.

middleclassbutpoor

what value has been placed on the property?

virginblue4

The property was listed for £270,000, offer accepted for £265,000. The building report did not include a valuation so I’m not sure.

middleclassbutpoor

So have you had a valuation carried out for the purposes of a mortgage, or are you a cash buyer?

Usually if a valuer has recommended further work to be looked at they will still provide a value based on the current condition then it's hard to justify the renegotiation.

If the work that needs doing has given a down value then the surveyor will normally recommend an amount of money held back until proof of the work required has been completed can be provided.

If you have not had a valuation in this sense then you will have to talk to the vendor but it will come down to whether the vendor feels that the agreed price accounted for the property being in the condition it was.

AlexMac

If that's all the surveyor found to caution you about, the house must be a really sound one.

You could take quotes quickly from a builder, then chance your arm to get a bit off, but ...

...both chimney stack and lower brickwork jobs sound trivial, and costs would only be a couple of hundred quid, plus (the possibly greater ) cost of scaffolding to access the upper areas.

Have you asked the surveyor (or looked yourself with binoculars if necessary ) to see if we're talking about a couple of spalled bricks of the stack, or all of them?

And is there actually any evidence of penetrating damp into the brickwork, with damp areas at the upper chimney breasts inside or on the weathered wall? If the fireplaces are open and/or the chimney is in use, or even if the internal chimney breasts are sealed and ventilated internally, and/or capped (and ventilated) at the top, it's quite likely that there will be no damp even with some "spalled" bricks or worn pointing; houses "breathe"!

Whereas even a perfect stack can have damp and condensation problems if unused, sealed and unventilated?

But if your vendor is desparate to sell.... and you feel lucky...


Not sure I'd bother

virginblue4

middleclassbutpoor wrote: »

So have you had a valuation carried out for the purposes of a mortgage, or are you a cash buyer?

Usually if a valuer has recommended further work to be looked at they will still provide a value based on the current condition then it's hard to justify the renegotiation.

If the work that needs doing has given a down value then the surveyor will normally recommend an amount of money held back until proof of the work required has been completed can be provided.

If you have not had a valuation in this sense then you will have to talk to the vendor but it will come down to whether the vendor feels that the agreed price accounted for the property being in the condition it was.

We had a valuation carried out by nationwide but this was dealt with with my mortgage advisor. We received the mortgage offer so everything was fine, but I don’t know what it was actually valued at and the building survey doesn’t include any form of valuation.

virginblue4

AlexMac wrote: »

If that's all the surveyor found to caution you about, the house must be a really sound one.

You could take quotes quickly from a builder, then chance your arm to get a bit off, but ...

...both chimney stack and lower brickwork jobs sound trivial, and costs would only be a couple of hundred quid, plus (the possibly greater ) cost of scaffolding to access the upper areas.

Have you asked the surveyor (or looked yourself with binoculars if necessary ) to see if we're talking about a couple of spalled bricks of the stack, or all of them?

And is there actually any evidence of penetrating damp into the brickwork, with damp areas at the upper chimney breasts inside or on the weathered wall? If the fireplaces are open and/or the chimney is in use, or even if the internal chimney breasts are sealed and ventilated internally, and/or capped (and ventilated) at the top, it's quite likely that there will be no damp even with some "spalled" bricks or worn pointing; houses "breathe"!

Whereas even a perfect stack can have damp and condensation problems if unused, sealed and unventilated?

But if your vendor is desparate to sell.... and you feel lucky...


Not sure I'd bother

There were a few other small bits but nothing in the short term. For example windows and doors, but I work for a double glazing company so can get this sorted myself.

In terms of damp the report says ‘random probes with a moisture meter have been taken at regular intervals throughout the property and in particular the following locations, furniture and floor coverings permitting:

- at ground floor skirting level
- around window and door openings
- across chimney breasts
- to solid ground floors
- to ceilings fixed below sanitary filaments, water producing appliances and flat roofs.

We are pleased to report that no evidence or rising or penetrating dampness were recorded in these parts of the property at the time our our inspection. Externally we can also advise that the damp proof course where visible has not been bridged. Furthermore, no sign of any significant deterioration was noted to the main wall elevations.

YoungBlueEyes

I just spat red wine all over my laptop!

A survey that says there's no damp?! And no 4rse-covering caveat either?!!

middleclassbutpoor

If you got a mortgage offer, the valued thinks the property is good security for the amount being lent- may get lucky with trying to renegotiate but there is nothing to support these issues lessening the value of the property

middleclassbutpoor

Valuer sorry - can’t edit on phone

G_M

The brickwork is really not a big deal, and unlikely to be that urgent. The house is not going to fall down and there's no damp!


Scaffolding can be expensive but if you can find someone willing to go up on a ladder, the actual job is unlikely to be costly (though check if it's 2-3 bricks or the entire chimney).


If the chimney is that bad, and scaffolding is required, ir would be sensible to share the cost with the neighbour and do the entire chimney - not just your half. Of course that depends on the neighbour agreeing, but I assume you've already made contact to see what they're like, so must know if they are likely to ne amenable......