A house from early 18s - what should we check?

ReadingTim

Ultimately it comes down to 2 things:

• Do you like it?
• Can you afford it?

Everything else is merely resolvable detail.  

lookstraightahead

Emily_Joy said:

lookstraightahead said:

It can be expensive so do your homework. We had a level three survey and also we had access to a structural engineers report.

Don't buy it because it looks nice. But it because you want to live in it.
ps - some back yards made excellent Mediterranean terraces.

Thanks - I am in the process of doing my homework. At which point have you got structural engineer report?
The back yard here indeed would make an excellent Medierranean terrace.

The previous owners had one done before they put it on the market. It's not always necessary but ours had had some new roof stuff done etc.

herebeme

Check the mortar work on the bricks. If it is lime mortar then make sure you use that for any repairs in future. It is more breathable, allows moisture to escape reducing damp, and is suitable for older houses. It does cost a bit more though. 

Emily_Joy

herebeme said:

Check the mortar work on the bricks. If it is lime mortar then make sure you use that for any repairs in future. It is more breathable, allows moisture to escape reducing damp, and is suitable for older houses. It does cost a bit more though. 

Thanks - yes, it is lime mortar.

propertyrental

100mm insulation? You'll want to double that. Not expensive if you DIY over a weekend, but messy. Wear a mask and gloves!

FreeBear

Emily_Joy said:

FreeBear said:

Any sign of an injected DPC ?

What works are being recommended by the surveyor ?

I confess I wouldn't recognize the signs of DPC. What are they?

Recommended work:
1. replace all slipped/damaged slates
2. render to the external elevations is hacked off and replaced
3. rebuilt right hand boundary wall

A typical sign of injected DPC...

On point #2 - Think carefully about the type of render you use. I suspect you will have solid brick walls - Ideally, you should use a lime render to allow the wall to "breath". Trouble is, many builders seem to think a sand/cement/lime mix is suitable (it isn't) or try and push stuff like K-Rend (still not breathable). And.... If you strip more than 25% of the render off, Building Regulations kick in, If you involve Building Control, they will probably want to see insulation added (cork or woodfibre with a pure lime render would be good). That is going to push the cost up considerably.

One thing to check - Is the property listed or in a conservation area ?

That will limit what you can do, especially to the exterior.

Emily_Joy

@FreeBear nope, the property is not listed and is not in conservation area.

Emily_Joy

Regarding DPC - one cannot see any signs of it outside because the external walls are plastered and painted. The report suggests that DPC was injected but only in a small part of the wall: ...There is evidence of a chemically injected damp-proof course having been installed to the front section of the elevation. We recommend enquiries are made with your Solicitors in order to obtain full details of these works, along with any relevant warranties and guarantees that may be present... The rest just talks about the render ...We note that the render continues at low level and as such breaching any damp-proof course that may be present and providing the potential for moisture ingress...
I understand all old houses will have some sort of damp issues. The house was empty for about a year now and obviously the heating was at low. We noticed there are small parts of internal walls that are wet to touch. Any thoughts whether we should investigate damp issues further, and how does one proceed, if yes?

ThisIsWeird

ReadingTim said:

Ultimately it comes down to 2 things:

• Do you like it?
• Can you afford it?

Can you continue to afford it...

Emily_Joy, any chance of a link to the listing? There's obviously a limit to what can be detected from just a series of photos, but some folk on here have a keen eye for detail...

GDB2222

Emily_Joy said:

FreeBear said:

Any sign of an injected DPC ?

What works are being recommended by the surveyor ?

I confess I wouldn't recognize the signs of DPC. What are they?

Recommended work:
1. replace all slipped/damaged slates
2. render to the external elevations is hacked off and replaced
3. rebuilt right hand boundary wall

All that for £8k? I strongly recommend you get a quote. I assume the render needs to be lime render?