Mortgage valuation 0 after discovery of spray foam

fantasyvsreality

Hi All, I found out yesterday that I can't go forward with my purchase after spray foam was found in the loft. The mortgage company won't lend (fair enough) but have said that if the spray foam is removed by the vendor, subject to new checks, building regs etc. they may reconsider. 

I guess I am just interested in peoples thoughts or experience around this stuff. I could wait for the vendor to remove it, I'm not sure what the time frame would be. There are solar panels on the roof so would this make the job bigger? Or is it all done from inside the loft space? Would their be any on going risk from the residue of removing this stuff?

I'm reeling a bit as I have had a fair bit of bad luck trying to secure a property over the last couple of years. I am fortunate that where I am currently living their is no pressure for me to leave, therefore I could pull out of the sale and continue searching. 

thanks!

Tucosalamanca

Roofer here.
I avoid these jobs like the plague.
To do properly, the roof needs to be stripped and refitted, with membrane and batten replaced at the very minimum.
It's messy and time consuming to cut out the foam, and expensive to dispose of (due to the volume of material).
Solar just adds to the complexity. There's also the possibility that the foam is hiding or has caused other faults that will need to be made good.

The roof needs to be inspected and costed by some competent trades, expect high quotations.

MWT

fantasyvsreality said:

Would their be any on going risk from the residue of removing this stuff?

It is not the potential residue that is the concern, it is the condition of the roof behind the foam, and as above, the solar panels just make the whole process potentially a lot more expensive.

This is not a small or cheap job for your vendor, but if they need a sale they may have to get the work done or they will be limited to cash buyers who are willing to take the risk... 

sully1311

Urrghh. I'm seeing adverts for this spray foam insulation on social media regularly and I dread to think how many people are getting it without knowing the ramifications. 

Tucosalamanca

sully1311 said:

Urrghh. I'm seeing adverts for this spray foam insulation on social media regularly and I dread to think how many people are getting it without knowing the ramifications. 

In my experience it's generally elderly who have been cold called.
Sales person arrives at house, bullies resident into signing up, takes deposit.
Team arrives next day, sprays the loft, then the firm expects immediate payment, often for thousands of pounds.

The 'lucky' ones have friends or relatives to step in and refuse payment, or stop works before they happen.

I meet the unlucky ones months or years later when problems develop.
Probably one of the worst aspects of the job for me. There's rarely a simple solution and if I try to repair, I'm at least partly implicated from that point on.
Other solution is rip it all out and re-roof. How do you tell an elderly person that they need to spend thousands, after they've already spent thousands. It's horrible....

fantasyvsreality

Thanks All. The EA is sending a roofer around tomorrow to cut away a piece and give an idea of timescales for removal. I must admit I feel very anxious about whether to proceed. My mortgage company want a full report of the condition of the roof and costings for removal, in line with building regs. @Tucosalamanca what does it mean, in line with building regs? out of curiosity? Presumably they can't offer a report of the condition of the roof till the stuff is removed. I am just nervous the job won't be done properly. 

EnterUserName

Reading this as a casual observer, I would be backing out at this point... Sorry guv, I can't get a mortgage...

fantasyvsreality

@EnterUserName Yes, I hear you. I have struggled for two years to find a property I can afford and in the area I want to be. I managed to secure a good interest rate for the mortgage (4% for 5 years) but have been told by my mortgage advisor I will lose that rate if I pull out and find a new property. I think I am struggling to accept that I'm back to square one. Even if they do remove the insulation properly and the mortgage offer is given, I have a loft without insulation. I then still need my surveyor to go in and look at the other areas of concern, one being evidence of damp (black mould) at the base of rooms with outside walls. My Surveyor suggested this could be from the cavity wall insulation. I know in my head what I need to do........

EnterUserName

fantasyvsreality said:

@EnterUserName Yes, I hear you. I have struggled for two years to find a property I can afford and in the area I want to be. I managed to secure a good interest rate for the mortgage (4% for 5 years) but have been told by my mortgage advisor I will lose that rate if I pull out and find a new property. I think I am struggling to accept that I'm back to square one. Even if they do remove the insulation properly and the mortgage offer is given, I have a loft without insulation. I then still need my surveyor to go in and look at the other areas of concern, one being evidence of damp (black mould) at the base of rooms with outside walls. My Surveyor suggested this could be from the cavity wall insulation. I know in my head what I need to do........

Imagine your friend telling you this story, what advice would you give them?

I'm sorry it's gone wrong for you but it doesn't sound good to me!

xzibit

Don’t inherit the headache. It could cost far more than an extra percentage to put right. If a bank won’t lend against it, it can’t be good news. 

Tucosalamanca

fantasyvsreality said:

Thanks All. The EA is sending a roofer around tomorrow to cut away a piece and give an idea of timescales for removal. I must admit I feel very anxious about whether to proceed. My mortgage company want a full report of the condition of the roof and costings for removal, in line with building regs. @Tucosalamanca what does it mean, in line with building regs? out of curiosity? Presumably they can't offer a report of the condition of the roof till the stuff is removed. I am just nervous the job won't be done properly. 

I can't see how it can be sufficiently removed from the inside.
If the roof has a modern breathable membrane (unlikely imo), some foam residue will remain and I would expect some damage to the membrane, which will need to be fixed from outside.
It's more likely that the roof will have older bitumen felt (1F felt). This is very likely to disintegrate when the foam is removed, again leading to substantial works being required.

'in line with building regs' this is to ensure that works are done to an acceptable standard.
Roofers should generally follow BS5334 BS 5534 - The code of practice for slating and tiling (marley.co.uk)

Larger projects might require Building Control approval, although firms who are 'competent roofers' can self-certify works.
Building Regulations: Work to an existing roof - Roof - Planning Portal

The mortgage company need to know that it's not a cowboy firm doing substandard work.

Insulating a loft isn't difficult, many options these days. 270mm loose lay is very quick and not expensive.

Realistically, the roof is going to need significant work, it sounds like a five figure job, I'm sure today's visit will confirm.
I know nothing about the property but from the information provided, it's not one I'd consider.