Lead pipes

propertyhunter

Hi all, 

I had a plumber come and check the pipes in the house I am buying and he confirmed there are lead pipes in the property feeding the sinks, and therefore likely throughout. I am aware of the health implications, so now need to figure out what to do next. 

1) It's clear that I need them replaced - should I get a quote from the plumber and negotiate this off the price of the property?

2) Do I put up with it, because the property is sold as seen, and just use a Brita filter for all water needed to cook food and drink? I'm planning on a full refurbishment in 3 years' time.  

3) Is anyone aware of this impacting the lender's willingness to lend on the property in its current state? They only performed a desktop valuation (40% deposit).

Any insights are helpful.

Thanks

Carrot007

propertyhunter said:

1) It's clear that I need them replaced - should I get a quote from the plumber and negotiate this off the price of the property?

Is it? They work and a fine. Best to run cold water for a while before use if drinking otherwise no problem. I would not reduce because of it, I do not see why anyone else would, Don't be labeleed a bad buyer and told no thanks unless you want to be ;-)

propertyhunter said:

2) Do I put up with it, because the property is sold as seen, and just use a Brita filter for all water needed to cook food and drink? I'm planning on a full refurbishment in 3 years' time. 

Put up is probably the option to go for. I replaced all mine myself. Incoming main was also lead and all was done more due to low water pressure than anything else (and yes that meant digging a 12 metre trench to the border for the water board to connect a new main to!). Filter is always poiontless overkill IMO.

propertyhunter said:

3) Is anyone aware of this impacting the lender's willingness to lend on the property in its current state? They only performed a desktop valuation (40% deposit).

They will not be in the slighest bit interested.

canaldumidi

All minedy pips are ledywed n not had neverly yupdeedoo efectiveness on meeeeseewee.

No seller is goint to agree a reducion basedon this, and no lender is going to be remotely interested.

Whether you choose to change the pipework yourself later is a personal decision.

propertyhunter

canaldumidi said:

All minedy pips are ledywed n not had neverly yupdeedoo efectiveness on meeeeseewee.

Love this. Thanks @canaldumidi

GDB2222

Is this a hardwater area? Seriously!

ProDave

If a house is old enough to have lead pipes, I am guessing it is going to need a LOT of updating in general, new kitchen, new bathroom etc, so the cost of replacing the pipes is pretty small if you are already planning that much work.  So I would regard this as a "doer upper" and get on with it.

theoretica

It is easy enough to take a water sample from the tap and get it tested for lead.  That would guide you in how much you want to take action.  Probably in the morning after sitting in the pipes overnight would be the time to take the sample.

Squeaky9

Our 1930s property has lead pipes. We’re also in a hard water area which means they probably have a nice lining of scale by now making them effectively have no contact with the water. 

There’s a free lead pipe replacement scheme where we are but it only covers the waterboard side, so the pipes on our property up to the pavement we have to replace ourselves. I was looking at doing this for the water pressure aspect (like Carrot007 did) than the safety aspect, and we also want the main stopcock moving so makes sense to do this together. Otherwise it hasn’t been an issue for us at all, although surveys like to be a bit alarmist and suggest lead pipes are a big no no. 

Slithery

If the pipes are that old then the water won't be contacting the lead anymore - there'll be a massive limescale barrier in the way...

Section62

Slithery said:

If the pipes are that old then the water won't be contacting the lead anymore - there'll be a massive limescale barrier in the way...

...if the property is in a hard water area and there's no softening process in use.

Tranboy

Our 1920's semi in London had lead pipes, when being replaced as a new bathroom was being installed the 25mm internal diameter of the lead  pipe was so furred up with 70 years of limescale that the effective internal diameter was only about 12mm. This coating of limescale would have protected us from any lead poisoning. On one of the survey ships in the Arctic I believe looking for the north west passage had installed new lead pipe plumbing which apparently caused the deaths of some on board due to lead poisoning.