Homebuyers Report Opinions

[RockLobster]

I've just received my Homebuyers survey for a house I'm purchasing. The biggest concern is the blown/crumbling bricks. This is a comment in the report: -

"We did observe that the brickwork to the plinth details is significantly weathered, brick faces are blown or crumbling and this may allude to an issue with these items. They are likely to continue crumbling and this may lead to future repair costs or the risk of damp.
Above this plinth level, the bricks were in fair condition and we cannot explain why the lower walls are in a poor condition."

Other issues were noted. Decking needs to be replaced. Soffit missing on side of the house. Just to give some context. The house was up as a guide price of 600k to 650k and we offered 650k. Do you think these issues warrant a lower offer?

Here are some pictures. As you can see it's affecting boundary walls too.

 

[Rroff]

The house was up as a guide price of 600k to 650k and we offered 650k. Do you think these issues warrant a lower offer?

Hard to say without seeing how it compares to other similar properties - the issues may have somewhat been priced in already - there is no harm making a reasonable lower offer and seeing what they come back though unless you are really worried about missing out.

 

[Quartz]

Above this plinth level, the bricks were in fair condition and we cannot explain why the lower walls are in a poor condition."

The top grey-black bricks are likely engineering bricks and the lower level red bricks ordinary bricks. Your surveyor should have been able to identify the issue. I had this at my home and the damage was due to frost and water.

Soffit missing on side of the house.

This could be very bad news. Check the roof space for birds and bats. Have this repaired before you hand over any money. You don't want bats moving in just before you do.

Do you think these issues warrant a lower offer?

I think you need to find someone who knows about bricks.

 

[RockLobster]

Hard to say without seeing how it compares to other similar properties - the issues may have somewhat been priced in already - there is no harm making a reasonable lower offer and seeing what they come back though unless you are really worried about missing out.

Looking at other houses in the same street it seems to be a common issue so I'm not sure whether there was a bad batch of bricks.

I spoke to the surveyor earlier and he said you wouldn't usually use items such as poor decking, fencing, etc to warrant a lower offer but all the items cumulatively could be ammunition to justify a lower offer. It is a difficult one as I feel in our area the market has slowed considerably. I'm not sure what is a reasonable offer would you say 10k off?

 

[RockLobster]

This could be very bad news. Check the roof space for birds and bats. Have this repaired before you hand over any money. You don't want bats moving in just before you do.

This is what he found. I assume the soffits are missing?

 

[Quartz]

This is what he found. I assume the soffits are missing?

I assumed he meant the bit at the corner. That has a tendency to rot on my house. But yes, that's a possible ingress for wildlife, particularly birds and bats, and ordinarily you really need that closed off before parting with any money. If it's a ventilation hole then the current owners need to fit something that will let air through but not wildlife.

 

[BUDFORCE]

I wouldn't be too bothered about any of that.

 

[Gav_r26]

The front wall should have a tile detail below the engineering brick (there' a name for it, but its 7am and I cant remember ) to stop the water running down the face and causing the bricks to blow.