Buyers Survey - Roof Advice

Andybooth23

Hi all,

We are currently selling our end of terrace house from around the 1930/40's.. The asking price was £135,000 and we settled on £130,000. We have also secured our onward purchase. 

The buyers have had a RICS Level 2 Homebuyers survey completed and informed our solicitors the survey advises that roof works are required and also ask if we willing to complete these before completion. They did not state the issue, and upon prompting have supplied this (without the full survey documentation):

The property has a pitched roof which is covered with slates and clay ridge and hip tiles bedded on with mortar.

The roof covering is the same age as the property. Mortar has been pointed onto the underside of the slates and laths to provide a secondary defence against the weather. This is know as torching. Over time, this perishes and drops off into the roof space.

As there is a lack of modern underlining to the underside of the roof covering, there is a possibility of rainwater penetrating the roof finish damaging the internal fabric. In addition, any breakdown in the integrity of the slates will allow rainwater to penetrate, which again may cause damage to the fabric. As such the costs of replacing the roof covering should be considered prior to purchase.

We noted the mortar pointing to the hip tiles was missing in places. This should be re-pointed and maintained regularly. Although the roof covering can be repaired and maintained in the short term, due to the age of the roof covering you may find it to be more economical to replace the roof covering now.

All roofs should be given a full external and internal annual inspection as a matter of routine and where problems are observed, immediate remedy undertaken.

Our external inspection of roof slopes was made from ground level only and was restricted by the confines of the site boundaries and by the configuration of the roofing slopes. Accordingly, you must accept the risk of hidden defects.

Condition Rating 3

They are FTB (and we are first time sellers) and aware survey reports can seem quite scary. We have stored stuff in our loft on a regular basis since moving in 3 years ago and there is no leaking up there. My understanding from the above is that they're merely stating that the roof is the original, has no modern underlying due to it being the original roof (as are all the others on the street) but may require attention in the longer-term.

Would my understanding be correct that the above shouldn't be a major concern? They have also asked if the works would be completed before completion, when to my mind, if it's decided it's sufficient for works to take place then this would talk part as a re-negotiation of price and not for us to stump up and do right now. We are obviously not keen on doing the works as it doesn't seem urgent and we are already under 5k of the asking price, but would be interested in peoples thoughts and expertise on the description given above?

Many thanks in advance

Albermarle

This issue commonly crops on here, as most roofs on oIder houses ideally need some attention, and may need replacing at some unknown point in the future.

However it is not leaking and the surveyor has not mentioned any serious issues, like damp timbers, rot etc.

I would just reply that the roof is in good condition considering its age, and there are no serious problems highlighted in the survey. So no price reduction and no work will be carried out prior to sale.

FreeBear

A slate roof should go for 100-125 years before it needs any major work doing to it. As long as it is not suffering from nail rot (as evidenced by slipping slates), then just routine repointing of the hips & ridges should be all that is needed.

To strip a roof, fit a membrane, and recover with the original slates is likely to cost £5-10K. If you replace the slates, add another £10K - Just don't use cheap Spanish as they are likely to last 10-25 years. Cumbrian or Welsh slate is best, but very expensive. Unlikely you would get anyone to take on the work for at least six months, but if you do, it will probably be a bodge job. Decent roofers & builders are fully booked for months at a time.

As you have already taken a £5K hit on asking price, I'd go back to the buyer and say the property is priced to reflect the condition. The £5K they have saved can be put towards roof repairs should the work be needed. If you were to effect any repairs, they would not benefit from any warranty, and the quality of work would not be of concern to you.

propertyrental

Unless the slates and/or lack of underlining are actually letting in water and causing damp problems in the attic, then this report is simply highlighting that at some indeternate time in the future the roof may need replacing.

Which is true of every roof.

The missing mortar is a minor repair issue - just routine maintenance to be expected.

Some buyers, esp FTBs, over-worry when they read survey reports and either pull out or ask for repairs/price reduction.

Other buyers, the experienced ones, use the report to try to renegotiate price with a desperate seller....

I would respond as per the two posts above.

NameUnavailable

If you were selling the property with a brand new roof I would expect the price would increase to reflect that! As said above, if the surveyor said the roof was leaking and or that there was damp/rot etc., then fair enough, work would be required urgently but it's not.

As they're FTB don't be surprised if they pull out.

Andybooth23

Brilliant, thanks very much all. Incredibly helpful