Got the survey through! YIKES!

[RoseFlowerFairy]

Level 1, level 2 stuff I can deal with, stuff like patio doors not safety glass, ceilings upstairs probably have to be removed by specialist company.

Now Level 3 - boiler and electrics, I take it this is arse covering or do I have to get these checked?

There is stuff to do in the roof and chimney stack, it is a semi detached, so what if next door won't agree to sort these things out? There is also an issue with their drains which are going to cause problems with mine, had cctv down the drains.

A structural engineer was out to check a crack, apparently non progressive and long standing, there is some work to do to this crack.

Damp, I have to get someone out to look at this damp.

I was not expecting this much work at all and missed the crack when I viewed.

The surveyor spoke to the EA who said the vendor won't give me any money off.

What do you do in these circumstances?

It looked like a well maintained house, newly blandly decorated ignoring embossed wallpaper on ceilings , ok kitchen and bathroom.

[Misty9]

Sounds VERY similar to our survey are we buying the same house? of a 1930s semi. We had exact same re patio doors and potential asbestos upstairs ceilings!

Utilities is arse covering yes, the surveyor isn't qualified to guarantee these so will advise further checking. We'll get a boiler service, but that's it given it was rewired and new boiler in 2008.

Did electrics look old in the house? Old boiler? Rewiring is v expensive, so may be worth getting second opinion if sockets/light switches looked old...

Damp - what exactly did the report say? Ours says no evidence of rising damp and existing damp in upstairs rooms may well be to do with guttering issues (easily fixed). They always recommend further assessment but IMO damp is to be expected in properties of this age, to a certain extent.

Chimney stack also mentioned in ours! Not too worried about that. The crack sounds a bit worrying - but what exact work was suggested? If long standing and non progressive then that's good.

Drains - just make sure your insurance covers these. Unless a specific problem has been highlighted?

What was the overall summary from the surveyor? Ours was that the property was a reasonable purchase for what we're paying and it was in reasonable condition for its age and type. Nothing too worrying in other words.

I think the main things you could renegotiate price on are evidence of subsidence/underpinning (can massively impact on insurance too), dry rot, severe damp issues, significant structural issues. Everything else is just part and parcel of owning a property and maintaining it IMO.

Fwiw, we aren't renegotiating the price for ours as much as we'd love to get it under the stamp duty threshold

[RoseFlowerFairy]

He said it was worth the agreed price if I am willing to undertake the work required, so I assume that means that I should suck up the cost of rewiring/damp, repairs etc?

There is also an issue with him wanting to check that the house is properly supported as a partial internal wall was removed.

There is no subsidence or underpinning, and I spoke to a neighbour who said the crack has been there years. The structural engineer will be giving me a final report I have the draft, so between the surveyor, SE and CCTV drain people's report I hope that should be ok? I have to get mortar scraped out and have a rod placed in and some cosmetic stuff done, which they estimate to be about £1,500 plus vat to deal with the crack.

Maybe it is the same house .

[RoseFlowerFairy]

I am a little confused about drains. I just had a chat with the man who sorted the cctv on the drains. He was going on about ownership and it was confusing, he said there was just a days worth of work that was urgent the rest is not urgent that the water company would take most of the costs on, I just own a small percentage of the drain.

[Misty9]

We're a bit confused about drains too. Our sol mentioned something about a new legislation meaning that anything within the curtilage of the property is your responsibility - but that also means that drains/pipes outside the property curtilage are the responsibility of the utility company, which is a good thing. He might mean that you'd have to cough up for the work needed to your bit of the drains?

Tbh, the amount of work needed for the crack sounds concerning...it can't be that innocuous if it needs that much spent on it asap! The removal of a wall sounds a bit scary too! was there an extension? if so, they should have certificates etc. In view of the crack, and the drains issue, and if it looks like it might need rewiring etc, I'd maybe renegotiate your offer. Is it a good price already? Or are you paying less due to condition etc? If the owner won't budge then really consider whether you think it's worth it or not...

Did you notice the damp when you looked round?

[RoseFlowerFairy]

I must have gone around with my eyes closed, as I didn't notice any of the issues. The vendor had recently decorated throughout, the smell of paint was in the air.