Survey Advice...

[Mark182]

I have just had an offer on my dream house accepted. Just had an extended property survey. My partner and I have knocked off around 12k off the asking price and were pretty pleased. The survey has just come back and been quoted 2k for the jobs but that’s the standard price if everything is straight forward. I have a feeling it won’t be as the things that have failed are :-

• Front of the house will need re rendering (the survey says it COULD be patched up but won’t know till they start knocking it back)

 

 

• 90% of the windows need re sealing with one needing replacing

 

• Two of the out buildings need minor renovation work (not in the quote)

 

• Main living room wall has elevated readings for moisture (due to cracks in the rendering front wall)

 

• Vents blocked allowing damp

 

• The chimney stack rises through the center of the room and is plastered on all sides. There is evidence of water ingress at roof level with damage to the decoration and the plaster clearly apparent around the stack.

 

There other odd bits and bobs I don’t mind and can easily resolve. The conclusion says ‘The property has a number of general maintenance issues that should be rectified as soon as possible’

 

WORKS REQUIRED (Copied from survey)

 

Carry out general maintenance of the gutters and rainwater pipes.

 

Replace the failed glazed unit.

 

Replace the sealant around all windows and doors and adjust the back door to prevent water ingress.

 

Take out the existing vents to the front elevation and install four new vents to improve the sub-floor conditions.

 

Hack off the rendering to the front elevation where blown and re-render these areas. (The intention would be to match as closely as possible the existing finish but some difference may be inevitable).

 

 

The reason I post the above is just wanted to know how YOU would play the above situation. I know when buying a house it’s not going to be as new. I am thinking of E-mailing them saying if they get the ‘‘The property has a number of general maintenance issues that should be rectified as soon as possible’’ issues resolved then I don’t mind paying the agreed price. I know the homeowner has just had a new boiler fitted as this was happening on the day of the survey. If they cannot or won’t then I would like to knock another 5k off. I pick the figure because when the work starts on ‘‘The property has a number of general maintenance issues that should be rectified as soon as possible’’ work they’ll find more work that needs doing.

 

Any advice welcome, I’ve asked friends and family but people usually give very good advice on here – Cheers.

[Steve21]

If it's your dream home I wouldn't bother fussing over a few thousand. You already have 12k off (think of that as 7k and repairs).

 

Are you willing to potentially lose it for a few repairs?

 

Steve

[Mark182]

If it's your dream home I wouldn't bother fussing over a few thousand. You already have 12k off (think of that as 7k and repairs).

 

Are you willing to potentially lose it for a few repairs?

 

Steve

 

I see what you are saying but with all the associated costs of buying a house ect I only have a certain budget

[Steve21]

I understand that, but some of the repairs aren't "rushes" etc. Like the outbuildings, clearing pipes.

 

When I got mine it needed some work doing, but I personally decided it was such a nice house (fits my location/price/space etc) that it was worth spending the bit extra to get it and not lose it over something silly. It's a sellers market currently.

 

Would you still have bought it if you only got £7k off the asking price? If so that £5k is "spare" if you know what I mean

 

Steve

[elsiegee40]

How much money do you have? Years ago we were told to get estimates then double it and add on some for good luck.

 

You don't say how detailed this survey was? Did you get a full structural survey? Is it likely that everything's been checked properly (eg the roof)

 

I would be concerned given the absence of ventilation that there will be problems with the floors. Were these tested for damp?

 

How old is the property? That gives some idea of how rot resistant it's likely to be.

 

Having not seen the property I cannot judge, but it seems there's enough there for it to be a money pit. Equally you may have got it for a knock down price and the money you pay out would be quickly recouped.

[Mark182]

I've around 2/3k in the pot after all fee's ect. I am keen to get all the 'major' work done that's been highlighted, its around 80 years old I believe. Structurally it's fine. I am thinking of asking them to get the rendering, vents and why water is leaking in at roof level at the chimney done and we'll do the rest.

[Roberto]

This is the trouble with "dream houses"... you get emotionally invested in imagining yourself living there then things like this come up.

 

I'm not saying its easy but I'd try and be businesslike about it. You have a budget. If you can't fit house plus repairs into the budget, walk away before your dream house becomes a nightmare.

[sippo]

We were in the same boat recently after a survey.

 

The survey said there was a possible chance of word worm. The owner couldn't believe it.

 

Survey's are a lot of covering the surveryors back. We glad we did it, but were shocked at the stuff that came out. The windows were less than 10 years old, good job done, but the survey said they needed replacing because they weren't child safe. Seriously, is any window really child safe?!

 

I would take a lot of it with a pinch of salt.

[Achandler]

I look at houses quite practically,

 

Are its walls structurally good?

Is the roof good?

 

If both are fine then you can buy it and do everything else later. In your case you have a few issues with the wall, so get a builder to come and take a look and get a proper price for the work, get a roofer to look at the roof if you want too. Sellers don't mind you getting someone to look at the work that might need doing because it shows your intent to actually buy the house as well.

 

If you just go to a seller and say we want 5k more off with no facts except a surveyor syaing it "might" cost this much then you are only going to annoy them.

[CyberNerd]

By the time you will get it it will be summer.

 

The main thing is to stop the water/damp getting in so prioritize:

Fix the flashing on the chimney (really isn't going to be expensive if you can climb a ladder/scaffold)

Clean the gutters

Fix the blocked vents, seal the doors and windows.

 

None of this is going to break the bank. I say go for it.

[Mark182]

Thanks for all the advise!

[Duranis]

Honestly to me what you posted doesn't seem to bad. Unclogging vents and resealing the windows you could do yourself. "Adjusting" the door that is leaking probably a 10 minute job with a screwdriver. Even removing old vents and placing new ones isn't too big of a job to do yourself.

 

The only things I would personally consider needing to get someone in to look at is the chimney flashing (I wouldn't want to be working on a roof) and the rendering (which I don't know enough enough about to do it myself).

 

If it was me I would get a couple of quotes for the roof & rendering and then also ask them how much to do the vent work as well. If it comes in budget then great if not I would walk away or discuss it with the seller.

[Mark182]

Honestly to me what you posted doesn't seem to bad. Unclogging vents and resealing the windows you could do yourself. "Adjusting" the door that is leaking probably a 10 minute job with a screwdriver. Even removing old vents and placing new ones isn't too big of a job to do yourself.

 

The only things I would personally consider needing to get someone in to look at is the chimney flashing (I wouldn't want to be working on a roof) and the rendering (which I don't know enough enough about to do it myself).

 

If it was me I would get a couple of quotes for the roof & rendering and then also ask them how much to do the vent work as well. If it comes in budget then great if not I would walk away or discuss it with the seller.

 

 

To be honest that's what I am going to do.

[Mark182]

Just realised I forgot to update this thread. We went for it in the end and moved in end of May! Kids absolutely love it.