Structural Survey Results - Roof Coverings

AlexR15

Hi all, my partner and I are looking at buying our first proper home together having lived in a flat for the past few years. We have had our structural survey report back and they have said that ‘E2 Roof Coverings’ is a Condition 3. The following has been written in the report, please could you give me your advice on this and is this a deal-breaker?:

The roof is covered with man-made fibre cement slates. You should be aware that depending on the era of the slates being manufactured it is possible that asbestos-containing materials may have been used within their construction, and therefore caution should be taken when carrying out general maintenance to the roof covering and immediate areas.

The hips were seen to be provided with triangular concrete tiles bed in mortar. The mortar bedding to the front elevation eave hip was seen to be deteriorated and there is no hip iron present which should be in place in order to prevent slipping of the hip tiles. Due to the deterioration noted it would be wise to have a reputable and skilled roofing contractor inspect the roof covering and advise on possible installation of a 'dry hip' system, which will forfeit the requirement for mortar bedding as this system and will use clips to secure the tiles to the structure as well as install a hip iron in order to prevent slipping of the eave hip tile which may cause serious harm or injury when falling from height.

I noted various slipped and broken slates, particularly on the front roof slope. There are a high degree of tingles present, which are metal fixings retrospectively installed to try and support slipped slates. This may be an indication that the covering is coming to the end of its useful life and it would be wise to consider its replacement in the short - medium term. The roof covering was showing no signs of dishing or deflection at the time of inspection.

On the front elevation there is a mono-pitch bay hip structure covered with concrete plain tiles. The roof covering was showing no signs of dishing or deflection. However, the hips were seen to be provided with mortar fillet seen to be in satisfactory condition, however this will naturally crack and deteriorate which will provide a route for rainwater ingress into the mono-pitch structure which can cause the rot and decay of the timber members below. There is no lead abutment flashing provided to the main wall in order to act as a secondary water barrier. It would be wise to have a skilled and reputable roofing contractor also advise on the installation of hip tiles to the mono-pitch structure as well as the installation of lead abutment flashing and soakers, which should be well pointed into the main wall and be laid at lengths no longer than 1.5m in order to prevent spitting under thermal movement.

Inspection to the rear elevation offshoot gable was restricted due to lack of vantage point within the rear garden. Partial visibility of rear slope showed further tingles present and slipped/broken slates, further indicating that the roof will require replacement in the short - medium term.

At the rear ground floor there is an offshoot mono-pitch structure over the bathroom. This was seen to be covered with natural slate roof covering. There was again a number of tingles present in order to secure slipped slates and the slates to the verge are not installed in accordance with best practice as these should be laid with a "slate-and-a-half" in order to prevent wind lifting the slates. That being said there was no sign of lifting slates. I noted a small number of cracked slates and slight degree of delamination to a number of slates indicating these are cheaper imported slates.

There was moss build-up noted to the roof covering which should be cleared as part of a routine maintenance programme. The moss was seen within the abutting conservatory gutter and should be cleared to prevent blockages and overflowing which can lead to damp ingress to the surrounding areas.

There is no lead lead flashing to main wall and roof covering abutment which as previously mentioned, can lead to wind driven rain and rain water run off entering the mono pitch structure which will cause the rot and decay of the concealed timber members. It is clear that this small mono pitch structure will also require replacement of the covering within the short - medium term and it would be wise to have a reputable roofing contractor renew the covering and installed lead flashing to this structure at the same stage as re-covering the main roof covering.

Thanks

Alex

Doozergirl

Why would it be a deal breaker? 

All houses need maintenance, so a 
maintenance free house is not what you're looking for.  A survey is a working document, it isn't something that gets a tick in the box and then filed in the bin.   

Sometimes houses need new roofs; it is a normal part of owning a house.

A lot of what the surveyor writes about is that the roof hasn't been fitted according to current regulations.  If you do replace the roof then that is the point at which to address most of all of that, but it isn't a major issue at the moment.  

But... a lot of tiles have already been replaced and so it is a real consideration that the current fitting isn't going to last forever.    If you want to renegotiate a bit based on that, it wouldn't be unreasonable.  If you don't want to replace it yet, fine, but it would be an idea to have the mortar redone at the front.  Not sure I'd be installing a dry ridge system if the roof was genuinely nearing the end of life - do that with a new roof.
 

Personally, I'd the see the opportunity for a refitted, well insulted roof in the near future as a plus point.  It isn't particularly disruptive
downstairs and it only takes a matter of days. 
 
Have a roofer look at it and give their opinion.  Surveyors do like to make sure that their own backsides are covered.  They've written a lot and it's a thorough report, so no complaints there.

i genuinely believe that a report that isn't that detailed isn't the sign of a good survey, it's the sign of a notsogood surveyor 😬.    I want to read the little details about the house, not be told it's all perfect, because it won't be.  
  


 

AdrianC

AlexR15 said:

Hi all, my partner and I are looking at buying our first proper home together having lived in a flat for the past few years. We have had our structural survey report back and they have said that ‘E2 Roof Coverings’ is a Condition 3. The following has been written in the report, please could you give me your advice on this and is this a deal-breaker?:

It certainly sounds like a fairly tired roof - get a roofer to give you a proper overview of it.
Yes, you'll need to pay him... but he should give you an independent view of what it's really like.

Did the survey include a valuation?

AlexR15

Hi Doozer and Adrian, thanks for your comments. I think I worded it poorly with regards to being a ‘deal breaker’ but moreover I wonder if we should be going back to our solicitors/EA/vendor trying to knock the price down a little if the above is going to be of significant cost. 

Adrian - the survey didn’t include a valuation to my knowledge. We have passed the survey results onto a builder who is a family friend to see what they think and to weigh up any costs that would immediately need to be taken into consideration. If you’d like to see a copy of the full survey I’d be happy to send this across but appreciate it is lengthy and your time is best spent doing something else! 😁

Doozergirl

I think that having a roofer look at it and then potentially renegotiating on the back of that conversation would be fair.  🙂

Tracet74

Condition Rating 3 means you should take action prior to concluding the purchase as, left untended, it can affect the fabric of the building.  I'd be getting a roofing contractor to inspect and advise how much the repairs/replacement are going to be and then you can use that as a point of negotiation.

AdrianC

AlexR15 said:

I think I worded it poorly with regards to being a ‘deal breaker’ but moreover I wonder if we should be going back to our solicitors/EA/vendor trying to knock the price down a little if the above is going to be of significant cost.

Unless it's already priced in...

Adrian - the survey didn’t include a valuation to my knowledge. We have passed the survey results onto a builder who is a family friend to see what they think and to weigh up any costs that would immediately need to be taken into consideration. If you’d like to see a copy of the full survey I’d be happy to send this across but appreciate it is lengthy and your time is best spent doing something else! 😁

If the roof is your big worry, then getting a roofer actually physically up there is your way forward.

I presume you're buying with a mortgage? If so, then is the lender using a different surveyor for their valuation? Or are they simply doing a desktop?

Have you asked the surveyor for a valuation, if it's not in the report?

AlexR15

Thanks all. Adrian - I have emailed the surveyor this morning asking for a valuation as this wasn't included in the report. We have also reached out to a number of roofers on Checkatrade as I think we will need an estimate on the cost of works before going back to the EA. Will keep you all posted!

Doozergirl

Checkatrade is a whole other thread.  Be careful!! 

AlexR15

Doozergirl said:

Checkatrade is a whole other thread.  Be careful!! 

haha oh good lord... 

AlexR15

By way of an update: we have arranged for a roofer to visit the property on Monday, having liaised with the EA and had this agreed. A separate contractor has spoken with me over the phone having viewed the survey and said this wouldn’t put him off with the purchase and said the issues are quite minor. We’ll see how Monday fares and will go from there. Thank you all for your help and assistance