Victorian terrace survey

stuart45

The surveyor is saying that he can't see any evidence of defects due to the work done, but it's up to you to find out if the correctly sized steel has been used.
You sometimes come to a stalemate in situations like this. An SE will need the bearing ends exposed to be able to tell.

user1977

If you want further advice on how to interpret the survey, it's often simplest just to phone the surveyor.

YoungBlueEyes

I agree with ring the surveyor. In my experience they'll tell you things on the phone that they'd not put down on paper.

I remember once asking a surveyor (after his written report that said 'it's basically all fine but I'm not a plumber, gas man, sparky, window man, roof man, builder, boiler man etc...... so those should be checked by a qualified expert..). He was very knowledgeable and chatty, so I asked him "if I was your daughter, and this house would cost all my money, would you let me buy it?" and he said no. You've not enough experience or spare cash to tackle it frankly, this is more for an experienced buyer. Or words to that effect. But he'd never have written that down! So ring him/her

Alexandra2022

Alexandra2022 said:

I've had this back from a survey on a Victorian terrace I am looking to buy:
"There appears to be an original door way from the entrance hallway blocked up and a dividing wall removed between both reception rooms to enlarge this room. I noted no evidence of any distress around the opening, but your Legal Adviser should check that Building Regulation Approval was granted for the removal of the wall"
I don't think there is any record from building control. If that is the case, what course of action would others recommend I take?

If no building regs are found for the wall removal and I don't get a Structural Engineer to double check before exchange of contracts, does any one have experience of how insurers would view this?
i.e. would there be a problem for me getting buildings insurance?

user1977

Alexandra2022 said:

Alexandra2022 said:

I've had this back from a survey on a Victorian terrace I am looking to buy:
"There appears to be an original door way from the entrance hallway blocked up and a dividing wall removed between both reception rooms to enlarge this room. I noted no evidence of any distress around the opening, but your Legal Adviser should check that Building Regulation Approval was granted for the removal of the wall"
I don't think there is any record from building control. If that is the case, what course of action would others recommend I take?

If no building regs are found for the wall removal and I don't get a Structural Engineer to double check before exchange of contracts, does any one have experience of how insurers would view this?
i.e. would there be a problem for me getting buildings insurance?

No, it won't even come up. You can try going through the questions on the insurers' sites (or comparison sites) - which you probably want to anyway just for budgeting purposes and to have something ready when you come to exchange - and it's not going to be something you're asked about. You don't need to chat to them about things they don't ask about.

Though bear in mind that buildings insurance only covers specified risks, and isn't necessarily going to help if any repairs were needed in the future.