Worried about issues raised in Building survey

littlesylar

Hi - I'm a first time buyer who has had an offer accepted on a 3 bed Victorian end Terrace for £162k. I had a Level 2 building survey completed and it's raised a number of concerning issues

Level 3 points noted below:

Main walls: The wall, over the original shop window, has bowed outwards very significantly, probably due to a failure of the previous wooden lintel over the window. The entrance has now been blocked up, but the bowing to the wall above remains an issue as there are further hairline cracks appearing since it was last painted (in November). You should ask a suitably qualified person to inspect and provide you with recommendations. Condition Rating 3. Further investigation required.

The doorway at the side, which has since been blocked up, has a similar issues, albeit to a lesser extent. You should ask a suitably qualified person to inspect and provide you with recommendations. Condition Rating 3. Further investigation required.

The filling in, for both these areas, has not been done to a high standard (for example there is a leaning back finish on one side and no evidence of any damp proof course added either. As the walls have bowed so much, my initial advice is that you have these two external walls rebuilt. Without these actions (and dependent on what the structural engineer says) it will always be problematic reselling the property as no one will be able to tell for sure what remedial works are required.

The DPC is too close to the ground level in places. There should be a gap of 150mm and  you will need to lower the path to this level to reduce the damp inside.

Parts of the external walls have been injected with a chemical DPC (damp proof course)  which is a sign the property has suffered from issues with damp. This is often an  inadequate management solution for damp and you may need to consider alternatives if the  problem persists.

Floors:

There is a significant spring to some of the floors. As the joists in the front living room sit in damp walls, some of the edges are rotting, allowing the floor above to move when the floors are walked on. You should ask a suitably qualified person to inspect and provide you with recommendations. Condition Rating 3. Further investigation required.

Many of the floors are sloping. This has been caused by longstanding building movement

Basement/ Other

The excessive humidity has also caused the steel beam to corrode, so that it is no longer structurally effective. You will need to have this replaced now.

There are signs of Serpula Lacrymans and the rhizomorphs and cords of mycelium growth that conduct nutrients and water back to the body of the dry rot. You need to find out whether the property was treated for dry rot and what guarantees were given at the time. I recommend that you have a timber specialist investigate and see if it is dry rot or not.

Good ventilation is required to reduce the levels of dampness and help prevent wood rot from developing. Water is dripping off some of the beams due to condensation. This basement has no ventilation and this should be provided now.

Basements are naturally damp areas with high moisture levels to the floors and walls and this property is no exception. It may even flood periodically.

The walls and floor have been painted and this will inhibit the naturally drying cycle of the area. It is also still wet, in places, due to the moisture.

Good ventilation is required to reduce the levels of mould, dampness and help prevent woodboring insects and rot from developing. Additional ventilation should be provided soon to the kitchen and bathroom with mechanical air extraction provided in both rooms.

Drainage

There is no inspection hatch to the drains. This is an issue as you need to be able to  access the drains if they block up. You should have an inspection hatch installed now and  have the drains checked.

The drains are not properly vented. There should be an external soil stack that vents the underground drain to prevent smells from entering the house. You should have one fitted  soon.

One section of pipework rises up and this cannot have a proper fall as a result.

Attic

The attic conversion does not meet Building Regulations. For example, there is no  interlinked fire detection on each floor, the doors do not have self closers allowing access  to a smoke free corridor in the event of a fire and there is no door to the attic. In addition  there is insufficient head height to the stairs.

My first instinct is to run away which is a shame as the house was ideal apart from these problems. Has anyone had more experience with a Victorian built house that can say if these problems are to be expected with an older house?

Does anyone know if the attic can be formally classed as a bedroom if it doesn't meet building regs? Looking on the planning portal the dormer window to the attic was put in in 1973 so would this be before building regs came into force?

When I spoke to the surveyor this morning he was suggesting the value is closer to £140K with the problems he has found so I'd have to negotiate a significant reduction to even consider it.

stuart45

It's quite a common problem for the timber beam (bressumer) over shop fronts to fail. Often the bearing ends have rotted causing it to drop. Sometimes the ends can be spliced, although usually a new beam and a brickwork rebuild is needed. You would really need further onsite advice.
edit
Sorry, didn't read about the lower being bricked up. In this case probably needs the upper brickwork rebuilding and removal of the beam.

lookstraightahead

I think you should get in a structural engineer to take a look? 

AnotherJoe

littlesylar said:

Hi - I'm a first time buyer who has had an offer accepted on a 3 bed Victorian end Terrace for £162k. I had a Level 2 building survey completed and it's raised a number of concerning issues

...extensive list of horrors snipped

My first instinct is to run away which is a shame as the house was ideal apart from these problems.

"Apart from that Mrs Lincoln, what did you think of the play?"

littlesylar said:

. Has anyone had more experience with a Victorian built house that can say if these problems are to be expected with an older house?

I lived in a Victorian house which was nowhere near as bad as that list... and my next house was a newbuild and that wasn't a coincidence !

IMO, leave it for a builder to buy.

princeofpounds

Also lived in a Victorian house, none of those issues.

Normally we get FTBs on this board fretting over issues in surveys that are really quite minor. This property appears to have proper structural problems in a number of respects.

I personally wouldn't spend my money on a structural survey and throw good after bad. I think you need to disclose the relevant parts of the survey to the vendors, say that you have unfortunately decided to move on, but if they get a structural survey commissioned then you will potentially reconsider in light of the conclusions.

littlesylar

Thanks everyone, glad to know I wasn't panicking over nothing. 

princeofpounds said:

I personally wouldn't spend my money on a structural survey and throw good after bad. I think you need to disclose the relevant parts of the survey to the vendors, say that you have unfortunately decided to move on, but if they get a structural survey commissioned then you will potentially reconsider in light of the conclusions.

That might not be a bad shout actually! I didn't want to spend additional money on surveys if the vendor wouldn't negotiate on the price but that would put the ball in their court.