Help me interpret this survey!

[Freddiesmother]

So it's a Victorian house and I don't know if these very sparse comments are anything to worry about or get investigated or if they are just what you would expect when buying an old house any help greatly appreciated!

1. Aspects of the plumbing give cause for concern (no more detail)

1. There is evidence of dampness to ground floor walls and timbers in contact may be defective. You should instruct a damp and timber treatment contractor to investigate the full extent and carry out necessary repair.

Doesn't seem too bad to me and mortgage has been approved?

Has to be reported because if you find these things out later then survey people will be in trouble.

At least now when you move in you know where to focus

I would definitely investigate cause and extent of damp in the property but otherwise, as surveys go, it's not too bad.

Get the damp checked out.

Plumbing could be something like old pipes or looks like a DIY job. Can you get a known plumber to have a look or ask the vendors about any work they've had done?

Get an independent surveyor to check out the damp, IMHO often damp companies diagnose rising damp and a dpc which is often not actually needed.

I would phone the surveyor and ask for more detail. The comment about the plumbing is inane, and the comment about damp is pretty vague too.

Is this a full structural survey, or just a basic mortgage valuation survey? Personally with a victorian property I would go for the full structural unless I knew it was a wreck!

Yes, the surveyor should talk through these points with you and help you understand how urgent or serious the defects are. Give him a call.

That's a good idea thank you I will call the surveyor tommorow. It was just a basic homebuyers survey so I knew it would be basic but it does seem a little sparse!

That's a good idea thank you I will call the surveyor tommorow. It was just a basic homebuyers survey so I knew it would be basic but it does seem a little sparse!

Those comments are meaningless really. I'd be pretty surprised if you could get a victorian house surveyed without comment on the plumbing and timber. Did they not mention the electrics or the roof?

An independent timber/damp survey is a very good idea.

The statement about the damp is pretty standard as far as I'm aware - simply covering his back. In our old house, we'd lived in it happily for 2 years with no damp problems. When it came to selling, our buyers got a surveyor in - was very chatty with us and at the time said there were no problems, yet when it came to his report that familiar 'there may be damp better get someone else to check it out for you' statement was there. If you must get a 2nd opinion then make sure they're truly independent as soverylucky suggests. Same for the plumbing - it's an old house and probably has aged and not up to modern standards plumbing. Doesn't necessarily mean there's anything wrong with it - just possibly that it wouldn't pass today's controls.

Hands up - I'm a chartered surveyor ..... Homebuyers are a total waste of money!

The surveyor is caveating an issue he/she found. They are basically saying you need a DPC and maybe new floor timber, plus you'll be spending a bit if money on the plumbing. Yiu've obviously got enough equity in the property (ie loan to value ratio) that the mortgagor is not concerned - besides they'll have had their own valuation anyway.

If you're buying a house not NHBC covered always pick a building or structural survey - homebuyers are a total waste of money!!

I wouldn't buy a Victorian house without having a full stuctural survey

No harm in asking for more details.

A victorian property without some plumbing or damp issues would be unusual!