vendor; DIY

pollyannaL · 20 April 2017 at 11:12PM

Hi,
Would you be happy buying a property from a keen DIYer vendor?
The property is now vacant as tenants left 2 months ago; vendor has completed plastering in 2 rooms out of a possible 4 & hallway. It looks as if they have taken some skirting boards off and lazily left them off/ on in places. Really bizarre. Property needs complete plastering / stripping throughout. Estate agent was very vague when i asked why, and said she is not aware of damp issues.

Also, on my 2nd viewing, when looking at the exterior of house from the garden, below bathroom window there is a chunk of plaster (1 foot x 1 foot) missing and a silver shiny lining exposed - assuming this is insulation?! haven't a clue really. Property is apprx 80 years old. Does this sound serious?? Wondering if a full structural survey would tell me the exact cause??

I am a scared FTB and want to put an offer in, but pre-empting problems. Is it reasonable to offer £25k less due to all this work needed? A renovated, extended house sold on same street in Jan 2017 for only £35k more?

Advice needed!

Cakeguts · 20 April 2017 at 11:45PM

The only thing I can tell you about buying a house from someone who had done a lot of DIY was a house that we had to have completely rewired because the vendor had rewired it without know anything about electrics and what he had done was really dangerous.

G_M · 21 April 2017 at 12:03AM

Impossible to say.

A DIYer could suggest bodge jobs, lack of Building Regs where required, corner cutting etc

Or it could suggest someone who cares about the property, maintains it, takes care what they are doing, and knows their limitations to bring in professionals where needed.

I fall into the latter camp (I think!).

If/when I sell hope that the fact that I've painted walls, put up wallpaper, fixed bits of plumbing/installed washing/machine pipework etc would not put buyers off.

It's the quality of the work that matters, not who did it (there are enough 'professionals' out there who are cowboys!)

Is the vendor planning to sell as/is, or to complete the renovations ie plaster the other rooms, replace skirting boards etc?

The price seems to reflect that work is required.

Davesnave · 21 April 2017 at 7:51AM

pollyannaL wrote: »

I am a scared FTB and want to put an offer in, but pre-empting problems. Is it reasonable to offer £25k less due to all this work needed? A renovated, extended house sold on same street in Jan 2017 for only £35k more?

Advice needed!

It wouldn't be reasonable to deduct £25k solely for remedial plastering/rendering and woodwork in a few places, but a house that's presented poorly will attract lower offers because such shortcomings often hint at other matters that might need addressing. Also, many people just don't want the hassle.

You've not mentioned the bathroom or kitchen, which are both places where renewal can lead to major expense.'

The vendor may not be keen on DIY; they may simply have run out of time and/or money and decided to sell up.

Only you can decide what you want to pay for the house. An original house 80 years old will have shot plaster in places and electrics not up to modern demands, but you'd use a surveyor and electrician to check those things for you.

If you are a scared FTB it would repay your time to spend a week or two learning the basics about property construction, which isn't complicated.

Something like this might get you started:

http://www.which.co.uk/documents/pdf/rics-house-diagram-download-438515.pdf

Which goes with this:

http://www.fridaysmove.com/nsb/homebuyer-report-typical-house-diagram-interactive/20757

And don't let this scare you too much! :

http://www.bradleyssurveyors.co.uk/buildings_common_problems.html

PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

vendor; DIY

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