Home buyer report - Roof concern

[Kaelsin]

Morning all,

I'm currently in the process of buying a house, the home buyers survey was completed yesterday.

One concern was raised on the report (As a 2, out of 3 with 3 being worst) and that was the following:

"The roof is pitched and covered with plain clay tiles. The roof is lined internally with sarking felt. A few tiles are cracked and missing. The bedding mortar under the hip tiles is missing in places."

I'm currently attempting to do some research on the possible costs of getting the above fixed and would appreciate anybody's thoughts on the approximate cost and any further concerns they would have.

Thanks!

 

[john_s]

Not really a concern... It's a maintenance issue that will always come up with that kind of roof.

Can't imagine it being a huge cost to fix.

(Grammar pedant... how does the surveyor know if the tiles are cracked if they are missing??? The assumption has to be that he must have stolen them... ask him for them back! )

 

[dbmzk1]

As said it doesn't sound like much. Just get a quote from a local company or two. If it's much then you can negotiate with the seller, but it's probably only a few hundred quid and would be classed as general routine maintenance.

 

[vanandjuanunited]

First house I bought the surveyor stated that it needed additional bracing. I got two builders/roofers to come out and quote for the work and both told me they could do it bit that didn't need done. No bracing was done to the roof and no mention was made by the next surveyor when the house was sold.
More often than not they try to cover themselves

 

[Maccapacca]

Sounds like a days work and a bucket of mortar for a roofer.

 

[Participant]

"A few tiles are cracked and missing. The bedding mortar under the hip tiles is missing in places."

Are you sure you're ready for home ownership?

 

[FinglisHobbit]

Pretty much the same as what they said on the house we are buying.

Got a roofer round and he said the surveyor was just covering his own backside and that most of the things mentioned were non-issues. The missing mortar in the hip tiles is pretty standard. The hip tiles are bedded down with a lot more cement than what is visible on the edges.

A few individual broken tiles is nothing of concern, they are overlapped so much by surrounding tiles there is almost no chance of leakage unless you have a cluster of tiles broken together.

Just arrange to get a roofer to inspect. If he finds any problems you can use them in your negotiations.

On the "3"s we got on our survey, only one thing needs doing at the cost of around £200. Nothing major.

 

[dbmzk1]

Are you sure you're ready for home ownership?

Everyone has to start somewhere and if you don't know you don't know. Having just purchased my first property myself it is all a little overwhelming and some of the stuff in things like Hom******s report read like it's about to fall down when really there's nothing actually wrong at all other than needing some basic maintenance that could wait another 5 years.

EDIT: LOL at the censorship

 

[Kaelsin]

Are you sure you're ready for home ownership?

This is indeed my first home, reading the report I presumed it would likely be the case that it's just a few tiles and mortar that need replacing. But having said that, I also wanted to make sure I wasn't just being naive and that it could have been a bigger job - so I thought it best to reach out for some advice.

Thanks for the replies everyone, I've looked into a few quotes and it looks likely to be a few hundred quid hopefully - will obviously know more when I get some one out to inspect it.