Is squeaky floor a good reason to reduce offer price?

[youngadult109]

A house that we are interested in has squeaky carpeted floor on first and second floor when we walk on it. Happens on one part of the bedrooms on each floor. It still has four years NHCB warranty. Could we use this as a bargain power or can it be done by the developer?

If we are to do this ourselves, is it expensive? Any idea how much will it cost?

Thanks a lot!

Lift carpet, screw boards into joint. lay Carpet.

You could try reducing the offer but the vendor would think you were a difficult buyer bit of an arse and would remove all the sockets/carpets/lightbulbs/goodwill etc.

Yep, I'd do this face if you reduced an offer on that basis. But then, you know, you're buying a house, not looking for new pals so it's up to you whether you take a punt. It is easy enough to fix, DH has done it here.

I wouldn't accept a reduce offer for squeaky floors
I might accept a reduced offer anyway but if it was because of squeaky floors I would laugh and think you qwte trying it on

Thanks for the comments! Didn't know that it's easy to fix a squeaky floor and as we are first time buyer, we are a bit paranoid.

NHBC implies it is a newish house, so the floors are doubtless made of chipboard.

Pull them up, they will be very useful on November 5th, and replace with 18mm ply, or boards if you can afford then, screwed down (not nailed) and with noggins under all short joints.

You are totally right to be concerned by this, no one should have to start replacing floors on a six year old house. Ask the surveyor to check on it, they will estimate the cost of putting it right in their report. It is normal to reduce an offer for defects found, regardless of what sellers think.

PigletJohn thanks for the instructions and pardon my ignorance, what has this got to do with November 5th?

housepicturesqueclub this is a useful advice! Will ask our surveyor to do so.

Just to clarify a little, we haven't made the offer yet so we aren't trying to be a difficult buyer. Just thought if it's a good reason to justify our offer.

Bonfire night.

Oh, LOL! You got me there!

And I forgot to ask, I know it depends on the size and quality of the board but much does this usually cost? In hundred or thousand?

Thanks again!

Hundreds. A chippy can probably lay a new floor in a day (he will want to nail it, but ask for countersunk steel screws and you can tighten them down after a couple of weeks when they settle).

Flooring ply might cost in the region of £30 a board. It can be a bit rough and I like hardwood-faced which costs a bit more but can even be stained and varnished.

Noggins and tightened screws will prevent it creaking or squeaking.

If you want any wiring or plumbing, have it done before the new floor goes down. You can have a trap for a floorsafe if you want.

We bought a house just out of NHBC warranty. DH and DS have used about 300 screws in 2 rooms and still haven't stopped the squeaking - DH is not a novice at this, either! May suggest Piglet John's idea.

Dh has used many 100's of screws on our upstairs, he so far done only two of the bedrooms and non of the hallway, half the floorboards were laid down and not even nailed at all. He's just ordered more to do another room. Squeaky floors drive me mad.
Do you need to explain why you want a reduction? I'd just make an offer and leave it at that, don't say it's cause the floors squeak, they will think you're batty, unless it's the floors making them sell.