would you reduce offer now? and talk to neighbours?

[user1467297746]

we are buying a place for cash ( 175 K ) in the East Midlands - a nice looking 1930's semi - needs a bit of decoration- but has a lovely garden great for our twins. - we just returned to the UK after 22 years working away in Asia.

We had a survey done - and he saw some of the pointing between the bricks was cracked - and recommended a Drain Survey - ( Never ever use Happy Drains BTW - they were quite pathetic altho they did refund the cash after they messed it up twice )

So we still havent had a proper drains survey done - since there is a problem with an installation of a gully

I spoke to the surveyor on the phone and he seemed like he was just tryign to cover his arse - and didnt really think the house had subsidence.

I got a builder round to quote on getting some skylight windows ont he extention roof and he said the cracks in the wall weren't likely to be subsidence

anyways I went by the other day - and thats when I looked at the neighbouring half of the Semi- and its totally obvious that some of that side's walls are twisted and on the lean!

Not sure what to do? Should we go talk to the Neighbour and see what he has to say - he's been there for years according to the Vendor.

Had the searches done already - really need somewhere to live. the price is right - well as long as Brexit doesn make the market drop

would love to get some views from non family - since they all against this place as they want us to live 5 mins rather than 15 mins drive away

[Badgoushk]

Talk to the neighbour and find out what the deal is with his possible subsidence.

[bombayflambe]

Get the drain survey done.
Surveyor has covered his arse, so make sure you cover yours.

[user1467297746]

We got a quote from happy drains - but since they were so unprofessional - didnt have those key things u lift drains with.. and put the camera down a gully- didnt tell us it was a shared drain..

anyways the vendor's mate installed the toilet a few years back - and the gully for driveway - and stuck the pipe too far in...

Now he wants to get the same guy back, which we dont want really

Then the builder we had for a quote shot us in the foot by saying he didnt think there was a problem with either drains or subsidence.

So vendor cancelled his plumber mate, I didnt feel we had a leg to stand on becos the Happy drains just didnt seem to be professional and on it.

But we are a bit worried about it now - but getting pressure from mum to get her own house back to herself :(

oh and Brexit is making me jittery that prices might drop

[idontlikealdi]

Just get a drainage survey done?

[user1467297746]

sorry I guess I'm not 100% clear - they couldnt do the drains survey since some one stuck a pipe down too far and cant get the camera past it up the side of the house.

He's refused to fix that now - since my builder decided to tell me in front of him the drains didnt have a problem - and Happy drains hadnt spotted a 'rodding hole' - meaning their suggestion that it needed a man hole cover was redundant.

[idontlikealdi]

Ah I see. In that case they need to fix it or walk away - the state of the other house wouldn't make me want to buy it anyway!

[user1467297746]

sorry I am totally new to this buying house in UK

what would a drains survey tell me?

[PurpleCrazyHorse]

Walk away, one bodge job often is the start of uncovering many bodge jobs.

We walked away from a house owned by a builder who had recently done work in the house but no paperwork etc and seemed evasive. Not worth the headache.

Obviously if you have a huge budget or a family of tradesmen, then you might be okay.

[user1467297746]

I mean the builder has said its ok? and the surveyor said on the phone he didn think it was subsidence

I have just emailed the surveyor tho and asked him if the twisted wall on the house next door is relevant?

[user1467297746]

Not huge budget I wished! It would have been better if I hadnt changed into pounds before Brexit tho ☹

[Dogolphin]

I would walk away. You should be 100% sure you want to buy. There are other houses out there!

[wowfudge]

A drains survey will tell you whether the drains are damaged in any way. The major causes of subsidence are damaged drains which lead to the soil becoming saturated and the foundations moving or trees sucking all the moisture out of the soil making it shrink and causing the foundations to move. Clay soils are more susceptible to shrinkage.

[user1467297746]

the house is on "clay street"

heres the crack in the wall.

[user1467297746]

thats just under the kitchen window - the builder says it probably happened when they put double glazing in.

[PurpleWithRed]

It's probably all fine but nobody on here can tell you that for sure. If you want a (relatively) risk free purchase buy something new with a guarantee. If you're buying anything old - and 1930s is not far off 100 years old - there are going to be wobbles. A more experienced or relaxed buyer might take the risk, you might not want to.

[LizzieMacQueen]

Hmm, I can barely see a crack in the wall though having read your updates I would wonder whether your builder is giving impartial advice. Do you think he knows your vendors?

[user1467297746]

wow never considered that - it is possible I suppose.

the vendor is something to do with doing peoples gardens and the like

Its not entirely impossible - they didnt greet each other like they knew each other.

The builder said a few times if it less than 2mm or something its not structural... He even wrote me a letter saying it looked ok

Actually i looked at the survey again - and it says the house is a reasonable proposition for resale.

I am thinking we might knock thru that wall in the future and put a utility room there.

[kernowgal]

How far up does the crack go? It's not a large crack but I would still be concerned, especially if the next-door property was also showing signs of subsidence.

If I were you I would be tempted to rent locally for six months rather than have family putting pressure on you and you buying somewhere unsuitable. You'll also have a better idea of what's happening with the economy.

[CointreauVersial]

We have a couple of those zig-zag cracks in our house, also below windows. Our surveyor didn't seem bothered, just suggested we have them repointed to stop water getting in.

[JT05]

A specialist structural surveyor would probably tell you more about the crack. We had one like that for years under a window, didn't get any bigger and wasn't mentioned by the surveyor when we sold the house.

[GaryCSmith]

Have you considered other options? If I were in your shoes, I'd walk away.

[Spickle]

I thought hairline zig zag cracks were settlement but cracks that actually go through the middle of bricks are of much more concern, particularly if they are located on the corners of windows, but I'm no expert. We have a similar crack on our house, wasn't of concern (though it was mentioned) in our survey and the house is over 60 years old.

[OhTheRoses]

Run, run, as fast as you can. Next doors will put pressure on yours. If it's neglected all sorts could be seeping through: dry rot, wet rot, damp, woodworm to name but a few.

Rent for six months - my guess is that a market correction is on it's way.