Level 2 Survey advice needed

Enchilada1

Hi

We are FTB who have recently had a survey done on an Edwardian mid terrace. 

There have been quite a lot of issues raised in the survey. The surveyor has ultimately valued the property at our offer price, but has said that this would be subject to a further structural survey. I spoke to the surveyor who was not particularly forthcoming and mainly said I should refer to the report.

The survey was mostly 3s, a good few 2s and just a couple of 1s.

We still like the property but obviously don’t want to go ahead if there are substantial issues. We are expecting to have some money left over after the purchase but not enough for anything more than a few £0000s additional work.

The property appealed to us as it looked to be in a decent but basic condition (we have viewed a lot of other terraces which seemed to be in worse condition than this one). It’s empty at the moment and it has been a rental for a good while so it’s very basic decor but that was something we expected to deal with.

Our main concerns are the structural question marks, and issues raised with damp and timber, including the possibility of some rot in the joists/floorboards (all floors currently carpeted so we haven’t been able to view this properly) and possible signs of woodworm.

We’re planning to go back to the EA/vendor to raise these issues and to look at getting a structural engineer and damp and timber survey. We may then need to look at negotiating on price as we can’t afford to do major works at this point in time. 

Does anyone have any advice for this situation?

‘Chimney stacks 3

We noted that the cement pointing is worn/missing in places and localised repointing is required to prevent damp penetration from occurring.

The chimney pots are not fitted with cowls which is allowing rainwater to enter the chimney stack. Suitable cowls should be fitted as soon as possible to prevent damp penetration from occurring internally.

We noted areas of cracked/defective flaunching to the top of the rear stack and these areas should be repaired to prevent water ingress.

The offshot chimney stack has been capped off. We noted that the mortar is slightly cracked in places and this should be repaired to prevent water ingress.

We noted penetrating damp to the rear chimney breast in the surrounding wall/ceiling in the second floor bedroom. We also noted damp to the ceiling/wall in the front right corner of the second floor bedroom and it is thought likely that this is due to penetrating damp from the chimney breast which we assume is located in the front eaves. You should instruct a Property Care Association (PCA) contractor to report to on these areas of damp and any recommendations made should be undertaken.

Roof 2

The extension has a flat roof which is covered with felt. There were no signs of any water penetration to the underside of the roof covering within the kitchen. However, the roof covering is blistered and split in places and repairs are required to prevent damp penetration from occurring internally. You should also be aware that flat roofs do have a limited lifespan and can be prone to sudden failure. You should anticipate the need for ongoing repair and periodic renewal.

Main and offshot roof covering 2

The roofs are pitched and covered with composite tiles which have an appearance of slate. These are replacement roof coverings. Building Regulation approval should have been obtained for this work and your legal adviser should obtain certification. See Section H1.

We noted some missing sections of pointing to the offshot roofing verge and these areas should be repaired to prevent water ingress.

The lead flashing between the main rear wall and the offshot roof covering has lifted slightly in places and these areas should be sealed to prevent water ingress.

Otherwise, the roof coverings were inspected from ground level with the aid of binoculars and were found to be in adequate condition for their age with no significant defects noted. There were no missing or defective tiles.

Guttering 2

The rainwater goods are of uPVC construction.

Signs of leaks were noted, particularly staining at the junctions of the rainwater pipes and gutters. The rainwater goods should be repaired as required to ensure that they are watertight.

Main walls 3

The walls appear to be of solid brick construction, with the exception of the front wall which appears to be of solid stone construction.

There are signs that the property is affected by structural movement as evidenced by a stepped crack to the front of the passage wall. In engineering terms, the size of the crack is relatively slight and it is not currently affecting the structural integrity of the property. However, corresponding cracking was also noted to the other side of the wall within the living room. This wall has obviously been redecorated in recent years and the cracking has occurred since so the movement cannot be classed as longstanding and non-progressive and as a result, further investigation is warranted. You should instruct a Structural Engineer to report on this movement. This should include ascertaining the cause and advising as to whether any remedial works are required.

The property has also been affected by past structural movement as evidenced by the following:-

1. Slight deflection of brickwork to the rear part of the original left-hand offshot wall where it joins the extension.

2. Deflection of brickwork to the right-hand side of the rear wall to the extension. 3. Deflection of brickwork to the main rear wall in places.

However, from a single inspection, these areas of movement appear to be of longstanding and do not appear to be progressive but obviously no long term guarantee can be given. We therefore recommend that these areas are reported on by the Structural Engineer referred to above whilst at the property as a precautionary measure.

We noted a slight crack above the lintel to the rear door. This is considered to be within an acceptable limit and should not cause undue concern. However, we recommend that this is monitored and the need for repair to the lintel in the near future may be required.

There is a hole around the soil pipe on the main rear wall. We did note some damp staining to the other side of the wall within the living room and whilst this was found to be dry at the time of our inspection, this could be related. This area should therefore be sealed as soon as possible to prevent damp penetration occurring internally.

We noted areas of defective pointing and repairs are required to prevent damp penetration from entering the property. If any scaffolding is required, this will add to the cost.

The rear wall to the offshot has been removed in the kitchen, presumably when the property was extended. The loads above should have been provided with some form of support, although this is now concealed within the fabric of the building and we are unable to confirm either its' adequacy or existence. Whilst we saw no signs of distress during the inspection, your legal adviser should confirm the presence of such support as building regulations approval would have been required. See Section H1.

Damp Proof Course 

Damp proof courses (DPC's) are built into properties to prevent the movement of ground moisture through the wall and prevent deterioration of internal fixtures and fittings and also to prevent high levels of moisture leading to wood rotting fungi.

The horizontal DPC to the base of the main walls appears to be made of engineering bricks. The horizontal DPC to the base of the extension walls appears to be made of plastic.

We noted that the external ground levels to the passage wall and the main rear wall are too high in relation to the DPC. There should be a minimum gap of at least 150mm between the external ground levels and the DPC. We therefore recommend that this is reported on by the PCA contractor referred to in Section E3 - Walls and Partitions below and any recommendations made should be undertaken.

Internal walls 3

The internal walls and partitions are a mixture of solid and timber stud construction.

Damp meter readings were taken at selected intervals on internal wall surfaces and to the internal face of external walls and were found to be outside of acceptable tolerances in places and further specialist investigation by a Property Care Association (PCA) registered contractor to the whole property is required prior to exchange of contracts. Timbers which are in contact with damp walls may be affected by rot and we consider it would be prudent to obtain further specialist advice. This will necessitate lifting floor coverings and floorboards to allow access to the sub-floor voids and removing underdrawing to the cellar ceiling.

Minor cracking was noted to some walls. This is not considered to be of structural significance and the cracks should be filled as part of future redecoration cycles.

We noted hollow plaster to a number of areas. This is common within plasterwork of this type and age and further deterioration will occur. Patch plastering/re-plastering of the internal wall surfaces will be inevitable although it is not possible to be specific as to timing.

There are signs that the property has been affected by past structural movement as evidenced by the presence of some out of square door frames. This is not uncommon in a property of this type and age and should not cause undue concern. Also, from a single inspection, the movement appears to be of long standing and does not appear to be progressive.

Condition Rating 3

We would caution that removing any wallpaper and wall tiles is likely to damage the plaster behind. If it is your intention to redecorate, you should plan for additional repairs.

Floors 3

The floors are mainly of suspended timber construction, with the exception of the kitchen floor which is of solid construction.

Some very slight unevenness was noted to the kitchen floor but this is considered to be within an acceptable level considering the age and type of property. This is usually due to consolidation of the fill material beneath the slab.

No confirmation can be given as to the presence of a damp proof membrane within the solid floor.

Suspended timber ground floors require ventilation to prevent an accumulation of moisture within the floor voids. This is achieved by vents built into the base of the main walls. There are an inadequate number of vents of sufficient size to provide adequate ventilation under the floors and they are now at risk from rot and decay. Suitable ventilation inlets should be installed as soon as possible.

We noted dampness to some of the ground floor walls. Timbers in contact with damp walls are at risk of rot and you should see our comments in section E3: Walls and Partitions in this regard.

From our inspection of the cellar, we noted that some of the floor timbers are in contact with damp masonry and are at risk from rot. These timbers should now be physically separated from the surrounding masonry and ventilation to the area improved.

We noted signs of rot to one of the joists and some of the floorboards as viewed from the cellar. Also, the bathroom floor feels very weak underfoot near the toilet and this is mostly likely rotten. We also noted signs of a possible wood-boring beetle infestation to one of the joists within the cellar. Wood- boring beetle and rot can cause long term damage to a property and these defects needs to be treated/repaired as soon as possible. A report should now be obtained from a Property Care Association (PCA) contractor for the work required. The report should cover the whole property.

Chimney breasts 1

There are three chimney breasts in the property. However, the offshot chimney breast has been removed in the kitchen. Since we were unable to access the offshot roof space, we cannot confirm whether it has been removed in the roof space also. Either the remaining part of the chimney breast or the chimney stack should have been provided with some form of support, although this is now concealed within offshot roof space and we are unable to confirm either its' adequacy or existence. Whilst we saw no signs of distress during the inspection, your legal adviser should confirm the presence of such support as building regulations approval would have been required. See Section H1.

We refer to our comments about penetrating damp in Section D1 - Chimney Stacks above.

We refer to our comments about the gas fires to the living room and dining room chimney breasts in Section F4 - Heating below.

Condition Rating 1

Suitable ventilation inlets should be provided to any disused flues to prevent the build-up of condensation.

If you propose to use the chimney breasts, we recommend that the flues are swept before use. It is also likely that any original flue linings in a building of this age have deteriorated and may need to be renewed. You should obtain further advice from a HETAS registered contractor.

Smoke alarms 3

There are no mains powered carbon monoxide alarms within the property and there are lack of mains powered smoke alarms at ground floor level. The lack of these poses a health and safety risk. Mains powered smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms should be fitted by an appropriately qualified person as soon as possible. See Section I3.

There are mains powered smoke alarms in the second floor landing and first floor landing. However, these were not tested as part of our inspection so no comment can be made on their working order. You should satisfy yourself whether the alarms are in working order.

We noted condensation in places, particularly in the bathroom with black spot mould growth visible. In order to minimise the issue of condensation, it is essential to achieve a suitable balance between heating, ventilation and insulation.

Cellar 

There is a cellar beneath the living room and the inner hall.

There was no standing water in the cellar at the time of our inspection but the walls and floor were tested with a damp meter and found to be damp. This is quite common in properties of this age and type and should not cause undue concern. However, consideration should be given to the dampness if you wish to use the cellar for storage purposes.

Water 3

Mains water is connected to the property with the internal stopcock being located in the cellar.

Our inspection revealed that parts of the system incorporate lead pipework which is considered to be a health risk. We recommend that estimates are obtained from a suitably qualified plumber and all lead pipework should be completely removed. This should be undertaken prior to use. See section I3.

Otherwise, we noted that the pipework, where visible, is generally in adequate condition with no leakage or other serious defects noted. However, much of the pipework is concealed and it is therefore possible that defects could exist in unseen areas

Heating 3

The property has a conventional gas fired central heating system with a boiler which feeds a series of 3 radiators in the various rooms. Leaks and areas of corrosion were noted to the pipework at the underside of the boiler. You should now arrange for a Gas Safe engineer to check and test the

system prior to exchange of contracts as a matter of safety and any recommendations made should

be undertaken.

Supplementary Heating

The chimney breasts in the living room and dining room are fitted with gas fires. It is not possible to indicate the condition of flues or the presence of flue liners. The fires are both dated and there is actually a safety tag to the fire in the dining room which indicates that it is unsafe and should not be used. You should therefore instruct a registered Gas Safe engineer to provide a report on both of the gas fires and the flues and any recommendations made should be undertaken. The engineer should also confirm that adequate ventilation has been provided to these appliances.’

jonnydeppiwish!

Op, might be worth taking out half of the gumph as people can’t be bothered to read it all.

As for the survey, a lot of this would have be obvious when you offered - the chimney, guttering etc. as for damp, pay a proper specialist to check, rather than a someone who comes along for free.

Van_Girl

Do not get a Property Care Association contractor/surveyor in. They are highly likely to try to sell you inappropriate tanking/injection DPC etc. Not suitable for an Edwardian property, very rarely deal with the actual causes of damp. 

I haven't read it all as there's too much, but there's quite a lot of monies worth of work in there between repointing chimney stacks, possible flaunching repairs, rot to suspended timber floors, renewal of flat roof etc

A Structural Engineer should have a look at the suspected structural movement

You need to ask your Legal Advisor for all certificates related to - the extension, removal of the chimney breast etc

trakky14

For an edwardian property a level 3 would be essential. I think you'll have to pay whatever it costs to get a surveyor in again. Nobody will be able to say otherwise 

babyblade41

TLDR  Chimney stack repairs are fairly cheap if you know a man with a ladder , we had all ours re-pointed, repaired , cowling for approx 600.00 for 2 chimneys ... took a couple of dry weekends .

If this is an old property that needs updating as it sounds then your contingency fund should be set at a reasonable amount but a lot of the work could be done in time  or when it fails (I presume this is a work in progress project) 

For the inexperienced eye it would be far better to get a more in-depth report/structural surveyor & informing him pre inspection of areas which are of a concern.

Getting a level 2 is an !!!!!! covering report which doesn't really tell you much.

A lot of '3's are usually because the surveyor is not an expert in this particular field & will require independent inspections form  sparky, gas engineer etc so will just state you need to get it checked... only caveat is whether the current owner will allow this .

Your solicitor will request all the necessary paperwork but you will have to liaise with buyer/agent if & when they allow independent trades to come & have a look