Pre-purchase survey high damp readings and laminate flooring - oh my!

Kaleosaurus

Sorting the bathroom out and checking electrics is the first thing on the list - definitely don't want washing machine in there and it also doesn't have a shower! There are 2 consumer units one with only 3 fuses so we're looking at fixing electrics and bathroom before we move in

lks2022

@Kaleosaurus would be keen to hear how this all turned out as in a similar situation right now buying a house with damp, spongy floors and laminate flooring so we cannot investigate beneath.

NameUnavailable

lks2022 said:

@Kaleosaurus would be keen to hear how this all turned out as in a similar situation right now buying a house with damp, spongy floors and laminate flooring so we cannot investigate beneath.

I was also looking at such a property but decided to pull out. I suspect a lot of the damp issues were due to use of modern materials used previously - the outside brickwork was painted and inside was a mix of artex and heavy wallpaper. Not much that could be done about the painted bricks (trapping moisture in).

GrannyKate

We had a leak in our airing cupboard (bungalow) which went undetected for some time and resulted in extensive collection of water under the wooden and laminate floors.  This resulted in high damp readings in the lower half of the walls and damage to the skirting boards.  There was no smell until you lifted the flooring.  Dried out over several weeks and skirting replaced along with floors.

ciderboy2009

That is an extremely cheap house for East Bristol.  It's also very unusual that the price hasn't increased at all in 4 years - my house (albeit in a more desirable part of East Bristol) has increased in value around 15% in that period.

Are you sure that £15k is going to be enough to get even the most urgent work done? 

You've already mentioned a leak under the bay, electrical work (which sounds like it might end up as a full rewire) and sorting the bathroom.  Unless you have friends who will do all of the work at "mates rates" then, knowing how expensive tradesmen can be in Bristol, I would estimate more than £15k just for those bits.

FreeBear

ciderboy2009 said:

That is an extremely cheap house for East Bristol.  It's also very unusual that the price hasn't increased at all in 4 years - my house (albeit in a more desirable part of East Bristol) has increased in value around 15% in that period.

Note - The original post was way back in 2020. Prices have gone up since then (for both properties and work).