New build flat, the roof is sagging

lincroft1710

snowqueen555 said:

lincroft1710 said:

user1977 said:

lincroft1710 said:

snowqueen555 said:

Doozergirl said:

If that is newly converted then your mortgage lender will expect to see a 10 year structural warranty on it.   

Your developer is going to get a bit of a shock if they're not offering one! 

It's under a professional consultant certificate, which is for 6 years but isn't a warranty. Most banks lend on it and the mortgage  is pretty much agreed on at this point. PCC seem pretty shady to me from research. I had assumed the qualified architect/engineer needs to be independent but the info I've just received yesterday is that the architect signing off the work is the company that's actually doing the development. Surely there is a conflict of interest there.

NameUnavailable said:

The builder (freeholder?) is probably aware of their mistake in not reinforcing the roof properly. They may well be thinking we'll leave it for now and then when all flats have been sold, tell the leaseholders that roof repairs are needed - and they (YOU!) will be responsible for the cost.

Walk, no, run!!

I think so as well. It's not imminently dangerous but an issue that will need to be fixed in the future. But I'm also wondering if once I get the paperwork can I not contact building control to query this roof. I am still hoping that I can either wangle a roof warranty, get a discount on the flat, or walk away.

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I think I'm most likely going to walk away but it's a real frustration to waste time and money, I've been looking for so long.

As there is a flat above yours, it is doubtful the roof will belong to you, it will form the external walls of the loft flat above. So forget "roof warranty", discount and contacting building control, just walk away.

Although academic if the OP is walking away anyway, the fact the roof wouldn't belong to them doesn't mean they couldn't benefit from a warranty against costs being incurred.

I don't disagree, but in view of OP's subsequent comment. I think the freeholder (or management company) would have to ask for a warranty. Having seen many of these sagging roofs, it is unlikely to fail in the short term, so I doubt any warranty offered would be really suitable

it's typical to have a 10 year warranty on new builds, but surprise surprise, this development has a pcc instead, the big difference is as has been stated not a warranty so no claims can be made, other than negligence on the architects liability insurance. Basically it's impossible to make a claim. So the warranty would've been ideal.

Since the NHBC 10 year Buildmark Warranty covers conversions (which this development is) as well as new builds, you have to wonder why the developer isn't offering one.

ThisIsWeird

snowqueen555 said:

The roof sag has occurred after the new roof was installed (I looked on google streetview history), and notice it is only one of the roofs and not the other two which were all done together. I have posted this on some diy forums, the consensus is that the loft conversions was done shoddily or calculations are not correct. Either way a new roof shouldn't be sagging. The structure wasn't completely replaced, but reinforced and certain beams were replaced
I could pay for a roof survey to be done, the issue with that is I have never found a new build developer who would allow surveyors in before sale.

I have to say, I was going along with the roof having always been that shape, and the new roofer made the judgement that straightening it just wasn't needed - it was strong enough, and it's 'character' to boot.

But, if this has occurred since the new recovering, then alarm bells  

You should have a roof survey, imo. The roof should not have moved like that after the new covering - there can be no question about this.

Either the roof is 'fine' - in which case it hasn't changed shape after the new recovering - or the roof ain't fine, if it's since changed shape.

The sellers need to confirm which is the case.

Perhaps an indemnity policy to guard against any future issues? You'd expect a new roof to come with a warranty of some sort, so in the absence of that, a secure policy. Or a hefty discount.

Grumpy_chap

I could say more, but these two words seem to suffice:

WALK AWAY

NameUnavailable

If you were looking at buying a house with a sagging roof you'd get a roof survey and negotiate on price if necessary. Then you would have the work done when you were ready to do so.

You're buying a lease, so no part of the actual building belongs to you and you have no realy say in what is done or when or by whom (yes there are 'formalities' for freeholders to seek input on major works but they aren't legally obliged to follow them.

You'd be buying a lease for a building with an obvious issue which YOU and the other leaseholders will have to pay to rectify at some point - when the freeholder chooses to do so.

horsewithnoname

Run away, never mind walk!