Buying a house - Survey done - Now how should we approach this?

babyblade41

if you can post some pictures of where the supposed damp area is ... we'd probably save you lots of money and point out what the problem is... in all likelihood a very easy fix and a days DIY

Lungboy

Smodlet wrote: »

So-called "damp/moisture" meters actually measure conductivity. If you held one against a copper wire, you would get a high "damp" reading. Sometimes I wonder if these surveyors have a clue what they are doing. Give me a (reputable) builder any day.

It could also be hygroscopic salts sucking in moisture and giving the high reading, which chemical tanking won't sort.

Doozergirl

babyblade41 wrote: »

if you can post some pictures of where the supposed damp area is ... we'd probably save you lots of money and point out what the problem is... in all likelihood a very easy fix and a days DIY

This is my view

Let's find some damp, then we can think about how it gets sorted.

There may not be any, but I'd like to see photos of these walls, inside and out.

Doozergirl

FreeBear wrote: »

- Very few surveyors would have one, the majority wouldn't know what one was even if it hit them across the back of the head.

I'd try to make sure of it!

BohemianRhapsody

Thanks. We are leaning towards just proceeding and after the move, try to find out what's going on, i.e. is there any damp, if so, what's the cause and then remedy it in a way which in line with the age of the building.

Would there be a requirement from our mortgage lender for us to sort out any potential work flagged in the report prior to exchange?

Slithery

BohemianRhapsody wrote: »

Would there be a requirement from our mortgage lender for us to sort out any potential work flagged in the report prior to exchange?

That depends...

Was your building survey an add-on to your lenders valuation or something that you commissioned yourself? If the former then possibly, if the later then your lender has no knowledge of your survey unless you tell them about it

BohemianRhapsody

I commissioned it myself but shared with my solicitor as there are issues flagged up specifically for the solicitor. The lender did mortgage valuation which went without any issues.

Doozergirl

BohemianRhapsody wrote: »

I commissioned it myself but shared with my solicitor as there are issues flagged up specifically for the solicitor. The lender did mortgage valuation which went without any issues.

Then your lender isn't concerned. Your solicitor won't mention any of that to them.

mollycat

"How should I proceed?"

A victorian house that (maybe), has a bit of damp and older electrics...not the biggest shock ever.

I don't see anything in the OP that would make me worry.

Old houses need money spent and what you do to remedy the "damp" (for example) is the type of ongoing maintenance you would have probably addressed at some point anyway.

"The vendor is old and in poor health and we negotiated hard and agreed we feel a fair price."

Sounds like you have a good house you like, possibly even a bargain.

Hope you enjoy living there.

Owain_Moneysaver

BohemianRhapsody wrote: »

Boiler/heating system - Boiler is old and nearing the end of its life cycle. Also it's only a combi which is inadequate for the size of the house, Surveyor wasn't sure if the heating works properly. He surveyor recommends to change the boiler and instal Mega flow system.

How does the surveyor know the boiler is inadequate for the size of the house? Has he carried out heat loss calculations? And why "only a combi"? How many bathrooms are there as combis are usually sized according to hot water demand. A small system boiler might only be 15kW output but a combi won't be less than 20kW to rads.

The surveyor should not be recommending an unvented hot water system unless he's tested the incoming cold pressure and flow. It may be completely unsuitable for mains pressure water.