Buyers trying to renegotiate based on new roof for £15000

FuffyCat

Hi All,

I've already had a buyer pull out from a sale who offered a massive £13,000 over the asking price of £200,000. However they had a building survey with some problems arising. They then got a building in who quoted £9000 to fix some damp with in the downstairs rooms and re-rending of some of the walls outside. This consisted of a small living room and dining room and the re-rending was a small maybe 9 meter square area. My dad has been a builder for 50 years and is now retired, he told me this was over priced, but the buyers had already pulled out. I had had 8 offers on the day of the open house and had a lot of interest, but a lot of the original buyers found new places ect.

This also meant that the estate agent was then legally obligated to tell other buyers of these problems. A previous buyer that had offered £206,000 during the open house gave a new quote of £202,500 which I accepted. They have since got another building survey and new problems arose, this time the survey suggested that the house needed an entire new roof. So since then, they've had two builders to come in and give their opinions. One builder told them they shouldn't worry too much about the surveys findings as its usually just to cover their backs, which the stance I usually take when I got my original one. The most recent, told them they needed to completely redo the roof and quoted £15,000 which includes new guttering. Now the roof is just and up and over terrace house (see picture for example) with a small velex window at the back. Is this too high? My dad and everyone I've spoken to (granted not in the trade) have also said this is too high.

The buyers are now offering £195,000 which is 50% of the quoted building workings.

Does anyone have any experience with negotiating and or roofing prices?

Thanks in advance

FuffyCat

I just want to add that there is a new build development a few streets away with 3-bedroom houses of the same size going for £299,000.

Tiglet2

Could you obtain a couple of quotes yourself for the work?  Not suggesting a new roof is needed, but repairing works to the roof and the damp/rendering issues.  Does the property actually need new guttering?  If not, don't replace them.  Sounds like this builder that the buyers sent round is touting for work.  Make sure you get three quotes from builders (not roofing/damp proofing companies).  Then take the average of all three quotes and either reduce the price of the property, give an allowance on completion for the buyer to do the work, or do the work yourself with no price reduction.  You will have to send the quotes to your solicitor, who can then put your proposals to the buyer's solicitor.

Your house is obviously not new so surely the buyers need to take into account the age of the property and expect that some maintenance work will be needed and will be ongoing.