Prosperous & Creative Soul & MFW Year 3

jwil

That sounds really positive about the survey.

KajiKita

Yaay for the survey, phew for the hospital and just two more days to go!! 😊❤️🤩🎉🥳

Kk

MovingForwards

Great news about the survey and a weight off your shoulders!

savingholmes

Thanks Lucielle, Beanie, Dancing, MF, Jwil and KK

I hope the mortgage company don't throw any unexpected curve balls and that the owner produces certain things he promised like signed off electrics etc and indemnities re his plumbing work. He also promised to service the boiler. Really hoping I get a firm mortgage offer by the end of the week. The solicitors are not meeting their SLA - I have meetings in the morning tomorrow but then need to chase hard as I need them to put pressure on around his certifications.

I'll need recommendations for tradies and will need to plan work in asap (guttering, sofits and fascias and replacement patio doors). The surveyor advised me to resolve some amateurish plumbing which is mainly shorten a pipe in the lounge and get a soil pipe boxed in. Some tiling is missing behind the bath. He was bemused at the lack of manholes on the property - which makes me think the original extension covered one over. He said the flat roof type areas were in reasonable nick. I also want to put electrics back into the garage - I assume it wasn't done just because it was crammed with so much stuff. I'll need to resolve the missing sections of flooring in the hallway and the lounge but I'd want it to match the kitchen dining area and it doesn't currently so I'd plan to do that anyway. He commented the garden was small but the extension compensated for it. He mentioned there were lots of downlighters in the property which if they didn't use the right type of insulation board could be a fire risk. Very hard to check further into that though.

Even with all that I'm still significantly better off money wise than the original property I offered on - as that required some of the same work plus a new kitchen, new lintel for the garage and therefore some replastering etc too, retaining structures in the garden and had some damp and other issues so I'm trying to stay relaxed about spend on this one. Over the Xmas break I need to get updated home insurance quotes sorted. From what he said - it's unlikely that the neighbouring property would be valued high enough level to justify their current for sale price - so although I was gutted at the time (Aug/Sept) when sis and BIL pointed out loads of issues with it - I had a lucky escape as even after reductions it's on for £20K more than the one I've gone for and needed more work doing. 

Longer term I might convert the garage properly and make it a proper art studio and may improve the driveway. It has at least one step which I'd prefer to be a ramp - and some cracking / mismatched areas. Will see if anything more comes to light when I get the proper report but the main thing was he felt it valued okay.

skint_spice

Lots of exciting plans SH. I hope it all goes through quickly.

CCW007

The survey sounds like it provided lots of useful information without unnecessarily worrying you. Seems like you are in a good position, hope you get the mortgage offer soon.

It's funny what people think their house is worth compared to what the market does.  Our house is quite unique so it's difficult to compare it to other houses locally for valuation purposes. It was on the market for 18 months before we bought it and they had to keep reducing the price - when we viewed it was £175,000 less than when it first went on the market and then we ended up negotiating another £15,000 off after the survey so they got £190,000 less than they thought it was worth originally.

TallGirl

That is a relief about the survey do not rush too much it is more important to get the right trades you can trust. Neighbours are usually a good place to ask or if they have a very local Facebook group. 

girlatplay

That sounds positive about the survey. I'm glad the hospital appointment went okay.
It's good that you can see the positives in this house and spending less to buy it but knowing you have that bit of leeway to make any necessary fixes.

FlacosFloozie

Glad the appointment went okay and it sounds like a fairly positive survey. I'm excited for you

jwil

You sound so positive about this place, it's great to see.