Don
Is that salt damage anything to be concerned about? I'm guessing it's by the sea or something?
Buying a House, Survey Results...
- Thread starter jcb33
- Start date
It can be salt drawn up from the ground or salt that was in the bricks/render
I am assuming it is in the bricks, he states that it has damp proofing, so just needs replacing, which could suggest it has just not been maintained well.... It is the living room and WC as I said, the rest of the house, kitchen, bedrooms etc are fine.
Jcb33.
Jcb33.
Soldato
Probably means salt leeching from the plaster/brickwork because of the damp problem.
Associate
The house you describe sounds a lot like the house that my parents are trying to sell. It's quite old and has dodgy wiring and no damp proof course, something that they make people aware of early on.
They've had 2 offers so far which they accepted but both pulled out right after having a survey done. The third offer they had was ridiculously low. That was a few months ago and nothing since.
They've had 2 offers so far which they accepted but both pulled out right after having a survey done. The third offer they had was ridiculously low. That was a few months ago and nothing since.
Then it doesn't sound like their house, because it does have a DPC and doesn't have dodgy wiring.
Associate
- Joined
- 21 Aug 2010
- Posts
- 754
There is not much work to do in you list. Just get a builder to quote and either get the current owner to do the work as part of the sale or get the price dropped....simples
Soldato
Well if it didn't come back good, then send it to the glue factory!
hoho!
hoho!
Well having read all your replies, and receiving some advice from the estate agent I think I may have been panicking a little bit!
The electrics is recommended for safety, but not a full rewire so I will no doubt get that sorted (Cant have it blow my PC stuff up after all!).
The damp is also not such a large problem, although it does require me to remove and re-plaster part of the walls, it does not need further damp proofing etc.
Things like replacing the kitchen sink, fixing the conservatory leak etc look like quite simple DIY jobs, that I will give a go at before calling anyone in.
I also spoke to the estate agent about the cost of getting these things done, and negotiated the price down a little with the seller, although it was already a good price, I have had a little bit more knocked off due to the defects.
So all in all it may take me a little while longer to actually move into the property, but it still seems like a good investment, especially considering its value, and the price I am paying for it.
If all goes to plan I should have the keys by the end of Sept/Start of October, then I can get started
Jcb33.
The electrics is recommended for safety, but not a full rewire so I will no doubt get that sorted (Cant have it blow my PC stuff up after all!).
The damp is also not such a large problem, although it does require me to remove and re-plaster part of the walls, it does not need further damp proofing etc.
Things like replacing the kitchen sink, fixing the conservatory leak etc look like quite simple DIY jobs, that I will give a go at before calling anyone in.
I also spoke to the estate agent about the cost of getting these things done, and negotiated the price down a little with the seller, although it was already a good price, I have had a little bit more knocked off due to the defects.
So all in all it may take me a little while longer to actually move into the property, but it still seems like a good investment, especially considering its value, and the price I am paying for it.
If all goes to plan I should have the keys by the end of Sept/Start of October, then I can get started
Jcb33.
Most surveys looks scary at first, their job is to warn you of possible problems after all. Both properties I've bought had a few things on the survey which seemed worrying, but a quick discussion with the surveryor to clarify the potential problems put them in context. As per OP it got me a bit off the asking price.
Pity on the survey for the last property they missed that the boiler was almost rusted through. Fun to have British Gas condemn it on the day we moved in.
Pity on the survey for the last property they missed that the boiler was almost rusted through. Fun to have British Gas condemn it on the day we moved in.
Soldato
LOL you would want 25K off for some damp and new circuit breakers and a new earth bond ? You don't even know the value of the house, it might be 100K and you've just reduced its value by 25% based on a works that will cost a fraction of your reduction. I take it you've never bought a house ?
Soldato
Please stop perpetuating this myth, you are allowed to do your own work (to an extent) so long as its outside of defined areas (kitchen / bathrooms) and even then maintenance and repair work are often not notifiable even within those zones.
Soldato
Does it not still have to be signed off by a qualified person, or is that only for kitchen/bathroom work?
Well having read all your replies, and receiving some advice from the estate agent I think I may have been panicking a little bit!
The electrics is recommended for safety, but not a full rewire so I will no doubt get that sorted (Cant have it blow my PC stuff up after all!).
The damp is also not such a large problem, although it does require me to remove and re-plaster part of the walls, it does not need further damp proofing etc.
Things like replacing the kitchen sink, fixing the conservatory leak etc look like quite simple DIY jobs, that I will give a go at before calling anyone in.
I also spoke to the estate agent about the cost of getting these things done, and negotiated the price down a little with the seller, although it was already a good price, I have had a little bit more knocked off due to the defects.
So all in all it may take me a little while longer to actually move into the property, but it still seems like a good investment, especially considering its value, and the price I am paying for it.
If all goes to plan I should have the keys by the end of Sept/Start of October, then I can get started
Jcb33.
Regarding the damp ,you need to fix the cause of it else it the chances are it'll reappear through the new plaster, it could be a simple thing like moist air condensing on it if it's liable to getting cold
Soldato
it entirely depends on what the work is. Face plates swaps and extensions to existing rings you don't need it signed off. Work on the consumer unit may need doing by a qualified person, but then why would anyone who didn't know what they were doing mess with a CU. I'm very competent with electrics and have done most if not all the work in the house but I would draw the line at big changes to the CU.
Its pretty much all listed here
Part P is free to DL here
http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/br/BR_PDF_ADP_2006.pdf
you mean the house that was on the market @ £130k march 2009 that i brought for £104k in july 2009?
Soldato
congrats, did you get it at that because it was over valued or because it was damp ?
Soldato
tbh I cant really talk, we knocked 25-30K of ours as well 