Level 3 Survey has highlighted bulging gable wall - unsure what to do next!

Cloviechoc

Hi. I'm hoping to get some advice here to help me make a decision on what to do. I am selling my early Victorian semi-detached stone cottage, which has been rented out for the last 10 years. It definitely needs some love, and I have put it on the market at the lowest valuation I received to reflect that fact. It sold within 2 weeks in May. In August, the buyers decided to have a Level 3 survey done and this has come back saying that it requires further investigation by a structural engineer because of the bulging gable wall (plus quite a lot of other stuff, but this is the most serious). 

I haven't been given full details, just a summary of recommended works.
The buyers asked me to pay for a structural engineer to investigate the wall and I have refused to do this, but have said I will consider a cost reduction dependent on the outcome of the survey if they go ahead and get this organised.

Long story short, they haven't displayed much sense of urgency getting this done and just asked me to reduce the sale price by £13K.  I ended up putting the house back on the market last week (so far 2 x offers). I've said to the original buyers that they're welcome to proceed but I need evidence before I will consider a further reduction.

I have been to the house and stared and stared at the gable end wall and cannot see any bulge and am not sure what the surveyor is referring to. There are no internal cracks. There is one crack in one of the external stones which I noticed when I bought it (14 years ago) and has not got discernibly worse. Also the chimney is a bit wonky, but again it has been like that for as long as I have owned it. 
Obviously I am not a structural engineer but I'm assuming that a "bulging wall" should be visible in some way? Or maybe not!?

Anyway - I'm still waiting for the original buyers to pull their finger out and organise an engineer, and have 12 more viewings this week. What I am struggling to make up my mind about is should I go ahead myself and get a structural engineer inspection of the wall. On the one hand it may offer me (and prospective buyers) peace of mind but then on the other hand I am a bit nervous in case it comes back saying the house is literally about to fall down. I realise if I end up going with a different buyer, I may just end up in the same position again and obviously if there is something seriously wrong, then it's probably best to know about it - so kind of thinking it's best just to take the plunge. I guess the issue is I genuinely didn't see this coming and am not sure of the best course of action. 

Welcome any thoughts!



 

lincroft1710

I would organise your own structural survey. You will then know if there is anything to worry about.

SensibleSarah

This happened on the house I bought and now live in. It was cavity wall ties that needed replacing in my case. I couldn't see the wall bulging either! The mortgage survey raised the issue, I paid for a structural engineer to take a look and he discovered what it was. The seller tried to get me to pay half of the fee for the work to be done. I told them to jog on. I literally didn't have the money to do that anyway. If they'd have pushed it then I would have had to pull out. They would have come up against the same issue again with the next buyer in any case.
They paid for the work, I bought the house. All's well that ends well. 
Get your own surveyor to take a look so you know what you're dealing with IMO - if it's just that one issue you want them to look at then it shouldn't cost as much as a full structural survey. 

Cloviechoc

Thanks, this is definitely the course of action I am favouring... and interesting Sarah that you couldn't see the bulging either. I'm hoping that the current buyers will organise the survey, but not holding my breath so think I'll make some calls tomorrow. Thanks

stuart45

Have you got any photos of the wall?

kungfu_navs

I went through a similar experience when selling my last property, the buyers structural survey came back with huge amount of work needed and the buyer eventually pulled out. I did however commission my own report by an actual structural engineer and the issues where minor and required about £1500 of work.

As a seller I wouldn't go with a rics structural survey, you should opt for a structural engineers report of the whole house. i then showed this to buyers who put in an offer so they know what to expect early on. 

i never suggested that is report replaces the buyers doing their own surveys.

Cloviechoc

Thanks, that’s a good idea. I’ve contacted a structural engineer that’s been recommended by a friend, hopefully he can help.

No, no photos - but to the naked eye the wall looks absolutely straight so I don’t think photos would show anything anyway! 

lookstraightahead

I bought a house where they had a structural engineers report available.  The surveyor and us were given access to the report which was great. Answered most of the questions and put our minds at rest.

stuart45

Cloviechoc said:

Thanks, that’s a good idea. I’ve contacted a structural engineer that’s been recommended by a friend, hopefully he can help.

No, no photos - but to the naked eye the wall looks absolutely straight so I don’t think photos would show anything anyway! 

It needs a plumbline dropping from the top to bottom. Sometimes a wall can be straight, but out of p!umb. Most walls are a bit out of plumb, and as they  settle are even more out.

Section62

Cloviechoc said:

No, no photos - but to the naked eye the wall looks absolutely straight so I don’t think photos would show anything anyway! 

It can be very difficult to spot defects like these just by looking at the wall.

As stuart45 suggests, a plumbline top to bottom should help.  Alternatively a straightedge approx 1.8m long can be held against the wall vertically, horizontally, and diagonally.  If there is a bulge in any orientation the straightedge will 'rock' across the high spot, rather than sitting stable and flush.

It is fairly easy to improvise a straightedge, all you need to do is to check it is straight against something you know/expect to be straight. Then rotate 180 degrees and check again.

Cloviechoc

Just thought I would add an update to this as I have had the house assessed by a structural engineer - one who is highly experienced and who came recommended by a friend who is renovating a 400 year old farmhouse. The gable end wall is NOT bulging and the house is completely structurally sound. He was a little bemused at why he was being asked to look at it!

To say I am frustrated that a surveyor can seemingly highlight issues which are simply not there is an understatement - I'm waiting to find out whether the original buyers want to proceed. Luckily I have some other offers on the table if not, but obviously this will set me back to square one with searches etc, not to mention I have the added expense of paying for the structural engineers report - although probably money well spent if we do end back up at square one!