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Conflicting surveys

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GeorginaB
GeorginaB Posts: 7 Forumite
in House buying, renting & selling
Please heko me before i lose my mind 😣

So we had a full structural survey done, in which the surveyor said that 'relatively high' damp readings were obtained throughout the groundfloor of the property. This survey also stated that the properties external render on the extension was in good condition.

Our lender then requested we get a damp and timber survey done. This survey has now come back to say that thr current DPC is working effectively, all reads obtained were low, but this survey says 'at high levels the render has probably come to the end of its working life' they've then gone one to quote 4500 to re-render.

I dont know which is right, and will they still give us the mortgage before the work is done?

Any help would really be appreciated!!

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  • Mutton_Geoff
    Mutton_Geoff Posts: 3,819 Forumite
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    GeorginaB wrote: »
    Please heko me before i lose my mind 😣

    So we had a full structural survey done, in which the surveyor said that 'relatively high' damp readings were obtained throughout the groundfloor of the property. This survey also stated that the properties external render on the extension was in good condition.

    Our lender then requested we get a damp and timber survey done. This survey has now come back to say that thr current DPC is working effectively, all reads obtained were low, but this survey says 'at high levels the render has probably come to the end of its working life' they've then gone one to quote 4500 to re-render.

    I dont know which is right, and will they still give us the mortgage before the work is done?

    Any help would really be appreciated!!



    Sounds like your second "survey" wasn't a survey but a sales pitch by a damp company?


    I'd pay to get a proper second opinion to forward to your lender or choose another lender that can interpret a full structural survey if indeed this is what you had done in the first place as this should be sufficient for their needs.
    Signature on holiday for two weeks
  • G_M
    G_M Posts: 51,977 Forumite
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    GeorginaB wrote: »
    .......

    Our lender then requested we get a damp and timber survey done. This survey has now come back to say that thr current DPC is working effectively, all reads obtained were low, but this survey says 'at high levels the render has probably come to the end of its working life' they've then gone one to quote 4500 to re-render.
    Was this a proper paid-for survey by an independant damp specialist with no connection to a company that does damp prood work?


    Or was it a free[STRIKE] survey[/STRIKE] sales pitch done by a [STRIKE]surveyor[/STRIKE] salesman working for a damp proofing company?
  • Davesnave
    Davesnave Posts: 34,741 Forumite
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    GeorginaB wrote: »
    they've then gone one to quote 4500 to re-render.
    Paid-for, independent timber and damp surveyors do not quote you for repairs, because they don't do them.

    Companies which offer free or cheap surveys do that.

    Guess why they're free!
  • GeorginaB
    GeorginaB Posts: 7 Forumite
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    Thanks all, this was a paid for damp and timber survey. I paid £180 for the pleasure of being told the render needed doing despite this never having come up in the original survey. My main concern is whether this will now result in them not offering us the mortgage?
  • Davesnave
    Davesnave Posts: 34,741 Forumite
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    I'm still confused, because the firm you used gave you a quote, not even an estimate, so they must have had an interest in finding work to do.


    There is still nothing stopping you from employing a truly independent specialist surveyor in the hope of saving that £4500.
  • G_M
    G_M Posts: 51,977 Forumite
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    GeorginaB wrote: »
    Thanks all, this was a paid for damp and timber survey. I paid £180 for the pleasure of being told
    Was this a proper paid-for survey by an independant damp specialist with no connection to a company that does damp prood work?
    Paid-for, independent timber and damp surveyors do not quote you for repairs, because they don't do them.
    Was the survey done by a company that undertakes remedial work (which they charge for)?


    If yes, they have a conflict of interest. Their 'surveyor' probably gets a commission for any work agreed.
  • GeorginaB
    GeorginaB Posts: 7 Forumite
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    While i would have loved to have a survey completed by a company that completed damp and timber surveys but doesnt offer famp proofing work, after spending in excess of an hour looking, i couldnt find one in south wales. If anyone knows a specialist damp surveyor who does not also provide quotations for work, please send me the details!
  • martinthebandit
    martinthebandit Posts: 4,422 Forumite
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    GeorginaB wrote: »
    While i would have loved to have a survey completed by a company that completed damp and timber surveys but doesnt offer famp proofing work, after spending in excess of an hour looking, i couldnt find one in south wales. If anyone knows a specialist damp surveyor who does not also provide quotations for work, please send me the details!


    You were looking for the wrong thing

    https://www.yell.com/s/structural+engineers-south+wales.html
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