Sulphate attack?

speedypete2022

Homebuyers survey came back and it's all good except for an issue with the living room floor. Stated a potential sulphate attack because the living room floor crowns and seems to be uneven. Damp meter test indicated some slightly high moisture levels under the floor coverings. Having done some googling of this it seems to be a potentially very serious issue but I am aware that surveyors may point out the worst case scenario in order to cover themselves. EA states the house is mid 60s but the surveyor thinks it's late 70s as from my googling I understand that a sulphate attack would be much less likely on a newer property.

So far I have gone back to the vendor's EA with the findings and requested access for a structural engineer to run some tests as advised by the surveyor. At the time of writing I am waiting to hear back from the EA. 

I'm eager to speed the process along but given the not inconsiderable sum of money involved with such potential repairs, I am unsure if this might become an issue. 

kingstreet

Ask your conveyancer for the year of construction.

I've known of SO4 issues as late as 1974 here in Staffordshire so I'd want a sample analysis for peace of mind.

speedypete2022

Thank you. I have done. 

A lot of my googling mentioned Staffs although this house is in Worcestershire. As far as I am aware it's not a problem with the estate or the area but then I have only done superficial research so far. 

Cheers for the reply!

speedypete2022

Ask your conveyancer for the year of construction.

1980 

Couldn't work out how to edit my last post so apologies for the double posting

kingstreet

There should be no chance of such infill being used in 1980 as it was by then contrary to building regulations, or the use of a membrane made mandatory, I forget which.

The peace of mind thing still applies though.

stuart45

DPM's became part of the regs in 1965. These help a lot to prevent a sulphate attack. However they can break down in time and were often damaged on site. When heavy rain waterlogged them the labourers often pieced them to let the water out.

speedypete2022

Update - Vendor had the survey on Monday and pulled out of the sale on Tuesday citing "they have decided to stay"  I was never sent a copy of the engineers survey.

Maskface

Well that's a rather telling response. Maybe they realise they have a bit of a problem 😱

speedypete2022

Yes, that's what I am going with - They point blank denied that they had noticed for the 3 years they had owned the house and even after we showed the EA the vendor carried on with the "we have not noticed - please can you be more specific" - they even sent me a copy of their survey which just said "the floors are of solid construction" 

Also a home insurance quote (pretty average level of cover) came back at £30 a month. I live in a similarly sized house worth about £65k less in an objectively worse area and pay £145 a year for much better cover.  

There was also a leasehold element to the property - something to do with the driveway or path - never got to the bottom of it

All in all might be a bullet dodged here!!