House with 36" water main running under the garden

MovingForwards

Cut your losses with this one as it's clearly not the right one for you if you are already fretting.

Keep looking, keep increasing your deposit and give some thought to expanding the locations you will buy in.

Shambolic2020

Birmingham canal-
It's rare for our canals and towpaths to flood because we manage the water levels all year.

danlightbulb

AdrianC said:

The house has clearly been there for decades without having been destroyed by a tsunami...

Apt address, though.

https://goo.gl/maps/i3uDqZ5jxwCy6eMv6
This is from the opposite towpath looking to the back of the house. Even if the water main is going to rupture somewhere, why would it be underground in the garden, not in the exposed section where it crosses the canal? 

Paranoia, I think.

Youre right, it is extremely unlikely that section of pipe would burst. It does happen though from time to time and IF it did, the force of a burst on a main of that size would likely take out the house.

Plus the bigger issue is the restrictions on what you can do above it I guess.

I had a look at the flood risk assessment for the canal and its low, it looks like there is a flood run off area for the canal about a mile further down.

However the towpath being on the house side, and the canal bridge offering shelter, might mean you get kids hanging around there.

House great, location not. But very difficult to find good houses in my budget so something has to give. The area where Im searching is quite small but unfortunately that is unavoidable for me. 

AdrianC

danlightbulb said:
House great, location not. But very difficult to find good houses in my budget so something has to give. The area where Im searching is quite small but unfortunately that is unavoidable for me. 

It's all about compromises.

If you can't afford to tick EVERY box, then you have to prioritise them.

A quick look on RM finds plenty of alternatives, especially semis, within a mile or three.

danlightbulb

AdrianC said:

danlightbulb said:
House great, location not. But very difficult to find good houses in my budget so something has to give. The area where Im searching is quite small but unfortunately that is unavoidable for me. 

It's all about compromises.

If you can't afford to tick EVERY box, then you have to prioritise them.

A quick look on RM finds plenty of alternatives, especially semis, within a mile or three.

Unfortunately I am looking in a very small area for reasons most probably wouldnt agree with but which are important to me. And I am not willing to settle for a house with no driveway or garage again because of the importance of those things to me. That combination means very little exists to buy.

AdrianC

danlightbulb said:

AdrianC said:

danlightbulb said:
House great, location not. But very difficult to find good houses in my budget so something has to give. The area where Im searching is quite small but unfortunately that is unavoidable for me. 

It's all about compromises.

If you can't afford to tick EVERY box, then you have to prioritise them.

A quick look on RM finds plenty of alternatives, especially semis, within a mile or three.

Unfortunately I am looking in a very small area for reasons most probably wouldnt agree with but which are important to me. And I am not willing to settle for a house with no driveway or garage again because of the importance of those things to me. That combination means very little exists to buy.

Like I said... You have to prioritise. Your preferences, your priorities. But you can't wish places into existence, or expect your price range to accord with the market.

Can I ask how small an area you're talking about, because I'm seeing quite a few possibles within a mile?

danlightbulb

AdrianC said:

danlightbulb said:

AdrianC said:

danlightbulb said:
House great, location not. But very difficult to find good houses in my budget so something has to give. The area where Im searching is quite small but unfortunately that is unavoidable for me. 

It's all about compromises.

If you can't afford to tick EVERY box, then you have to prioritise them.

A quick look on RM finds plenty of alternatives, especially semis, within a mile or three.

Unfortunately I am looking in a very small area for reasons most probably wouldnt agree with but which are important to me. And I am not willing to settle for a house with no driveway or garage again because of the importance of those things to me. That combination means very little exists to buy.

Like I said... You have to prioritise. Your preferences, your priorities. But you can't wish places into existence, or expect your price range to accord with the market.

Can I ask how small an area you're talking about, because I'm seeing quite a few possibles within a mile?

Yes I do recognise I am limiting myself, but after what happened a few months ago when I withdrew from a purchase, I had a good think about what I really want and what I'm not not willing to compromise on. Hence why, when this house came up, it does fit what I want. It's whether its limitations are too much (the water main, the unadopted road, the position right next to the canal bridge - those are fairly substantial things not minor ones) - its hard to know what risks I should take and what I shouldn't.

If you put in simply DY4, 0 miles. That broadly covers where I am looking however as I know this area very well, there are several sub areas within that I would not choose.

AdrianC

danlightbulb said:

AdrianC said:

Can I ask how small an area you're talking about, because I'm seeing quite a few possibles within a mile?

Yes I do recognise I am limiting myself, but after what happened a few months ago when I withdrew from a purchase, I had a good think about what I really want and what I'm not not willing to compromise on. Hence why, when this house came up, it does fit what I want. It's whether its limitations are too much (the water main, the unadopted road, the position right next to the canal bridge - those are fairly substantial things not minor ones) - its hard to know what risks I should take and what I shouldn't.

If you put in simply DY4, 0 miles. That broadly covers where I am looking however as I know this area very well, there are several sub areas within that I would not choose.

Oh, OK. Quite a large area, then.

danlightbulb

Its not large really, especially when there are so many areas within it I would not choose. At least 50% of the area is out for that reason.

I can get much more choice if I go further afield even by just a couple of miles however I want to stay close to family and friends for personal reasons.

I realise I can't magic properties into existence, and I'm no longer trying to. I watch the area with several rightmove alerts and have viewed a couple of houses in the last few weeks. I posted about this particular one because of its unusual nature and I wasn't sure about these issues despite liking the house.

Tiglet2

Maybe look at a really cheap dilapidated property on a decent plot and consider knocking it down and putting something to your taste and requirements on it.