Structural survey done - issues - what next??

babyblade41

If the damp is the major stumbling block for you then this is usually pretty easily solvable and not that expensive if your DIY skills are OK , but even if they are not then still not expensive .

Those damp meters are pesky devices  and as slithery states they only give accurate readings on wood 

lookstraightahead

Every time I see damp in a survey report for an old house it makes me want to shout out 'educate yourself about it' (not you op)

I've bought an old house and spent a huge amount of time educating myself about damp after the surveyor used a damp meter 😂 to give me advice.

before you do anything yourself, learn about damp and old houses.

felinefancy

lookstraightahead said:

Every time I see damp in a survey report for an old house it makes me want to shout out 'educate yourself about it' (not you op)

I've bought an old house and spent a huge amount of time educating myself about damp after the surveyor used a damp meter 😂 to give me advice.

before you do anything yourself, learn about damp and old houses.

Yes, I've just been reading about damp on the website recommended previously.  I can understand it myself but other people, my husband, my father, don't agree and are just saying 'don't touch the house with a barge pole'.  I have to pull out sadly.

Slithery

What do 'other people' and your father have to do with it? The only person you need to educate is your husband.

Also having nothing under the tiles on the roof isn't necessarily an issue either, there will be millions of older properties in the country in the same state.

If the tiles are intact what would anything under the roof be doing anyway? Keeping the water out is what tiles are for...

babyblade41

I think you will come across a lot of these problems especially in older properties 

I think it's part of the maintenance that every house needs over time .  Think of it like a human body, the older we get the more work needs to be done.

Maybe you need to look at new builds 

deeboy12

I sympathise with you as I understand first hand how complex and confusing damp can seem, but I'm sorry to say your surveyor knows nothing much about the subject, as shown by using damp meter 'readings' and talk of tanking.

If you do proceed with the house, please be sure to have a paid for, independent damp survey - and categorically not someone who believes in injecting chemicals into your walls or, in all likelihood, tanking. This may temporarily mask a problem, may well cause further damage, and will certainly not solve the damp problem.

sonub4ualt

felinefancy said:

lookstraightahead said:

Every time I see damp in a survey report for an old house it makes me want to shout out 'educate yourself about it' (not you op)

I've bought an old house and spent a huge amount of time educating myself about damp after the surveyor used a damp meter 😂 to give me advice.

before you do anything yourself, learn about damp and old houses.

Yes, I've just been reading about damp on the website recommended previously.  I can understand it myself but other people, my husband, my father, don't agree and are just saying 'don't touch the house with a barge pole'.  I have to pull out sadly.

We also pulled out from purchase of an old house when our survey report (64 pages) highlighted rising damp, complete roof replacement, and requested a specialist report for the issues and recommended to have immediate repairs done to be able to get the property in a good state of repair, as the insurance companies sometime invalidate claims.

felinefancy

I just don't know what to do and am getting so stressed.  I need to go back to the estate agent at some point today.  My husband has now said go back to them with the damp issues and ask to get a damp survey done.   I've, meantime, been looking at other houses online and my main concern is that with our limited finances, and just the one salary soon, we are not going to be able to afford anything that's currently coming on to the market and/or if there's anything in our price range, with so many buyers in our area, we're going to be outbid every single time (as we were when we saw a couple of other houses we liked last year and put offers on).  I've just seen a house in our price range, decent looking 3 bed semi, but, like so many houses - the only viewings EA is offering is 'open house'.  I know it would be a waste of time as we wouldn't have the £10k plus to match other bids as it would definitely come down to best offers.  I'm not saying we must therefore go ahead with the current house as it's all we can find as that would be very lame but also not to discount it off the bat.  

Talking aloud here, the roof is not a 'problem' - it's a high recommendation, but an expensive one that we didn't expect, but also not one, I think, needs doing immediately.    Getting the damp sorted is, and that would mean having a new kitchen which we didn't expect.   

And ref insurance, is there a list of work that should be done to validate insurance?   (I've never had a full structural survey before - always just a home buyers report and they were always fine and insurance never a problem.)

So, should I look at the report again to see what 'problems' should be mentioned to the estate agent, ask to have a damp survey carried out, and then see if we can negotiate off the price (reasonably)?

Thank you for ongoing advice and support, I really appreciate it.  

felinefancy

We've reviewed the report at length now and it's not as 'scary' as at first read.  We're currently in the process of having an independent specialist damp survey carried out.  He's put our mind to rest somewhat already - criticising the use of damp meters by building surveyors sticking them into walls when they are mainly used for timbers, and that damp in houses is quite often due to poor ventilation and usually easily solved.  We'll just await the report and his recommendations and costs.

deeboy12

felinefancy said:

We've reviewed the report at length now and it's not as 'scary' as at first read.  We're currently in the process of having an independent specialist damp survey carried out.  He's put our mind to rest somewhat already - criticising the use of damp meters by building surveyors sticking them into walls when they are mainly used for timbers, and that damp in houses is quite often due to poor ventilation and usually easily solved.  We'll just await the report and his recommendations and costs.

You've clearly got a good surveyor there who knows what he's talking about! Hope it works out well for you.