Price reduction on house for damp

[allthecheese]

Hi,

I'm after some advice. We have had an offer accepted on a gorgeous little victorian terrace in London. It's our first house purchase, and we love the house.

The survey found damp (to be expected on old houses, I know). We had an independent damp survey done which quoted £2,500 to fix the problems causing the damp (i.e. a trench around the house, some drainage fixed etc.), plus another £2,500 to get damp proofing in. So £5k in total.

The vendors have come back with an offer of reducing the agreed price by £2,500. Does this sound reasonable? I think it's fair but would like a 2nd opinion.

Thanks.

I've lived in a house with damp. I wouldn't touch it with a bargepole.

Please don't say that. We need it to go through for various reasons, and there is no other option house-wise in our budjet.

There isn't any sign of damp, it doesn't smell at all.

*budget

I think their offer is fair.

I'd also check if all that work is really needed. Often they can damp treat and fix the issue for a good number of years and guarantee the work. They can also work round your kitchen if it's in there and not rip it out. You'd be surprised at what they can do and don't really admit to in first offer.

I'd also say it's fair and I've no idea what the first poster is on about, you don't need to live with damp, it can be treated and fixed very quickly.

Remember they can only test for damp on exposed walls , there might be damp behind fixed things like fitted cupboards , kitchens , bathrooms , stairs .
I buy property to refurbish but won't touch one with damp as its nigh on impossible to get rid of - treating its one thing but finding and removing / repairing the source is totally a different ball game , not only is it usually costly but sometimes impossible to get to the root of the real problem . Seriously it's better to avoid . ( sorry I know that's not what you wanted to be hearing)

We had damp in a Victorian terrace. We got people in to fix it and that was that. Never came back and had it, the work had a long guarantee anyway.

Just in terms of the offer they made, meeting half the cost seems alright.

You are being had price wise. We got an odd job man to dig the trench and fill with gravel for £250.The damp proof course was 2k plus we had to redecorate and put skirting boards in. We are in the South east so not a cheap area.

If I were selling to you, I wouldn't pay for the quote you had, I would want to get a few more quotes. Splitting the cost is usual I believe, so if they've offered half that's enough.

And it's ridiculous to say don't buy a house with damp! As long as it can be fixed it's fine.

In Cornwall no-one would even fix it,it's accepted.

you have to know what the cause of the damp is before you can cure it.

Damp is water. So it usually comes from leaks, such as pipes in the floor, broken drains or dripping gutters; or from rain getting to the wall because paving or flowerbeds have been put there to encourage water soaking in. very rarely you live at the bottom of a hill, on top of a spring, or in an old millpond where water comes out of the ground.

Apart from curing the source of water, "damp proofing" is usually chemical or plastering techniques intended to hide the damp. If you cure the source of water you won't need them.

Oh yes. I should've added that the companies that offer formal damp surveys pre purchase are the most expensive on my experience. Get more quotes when you're in.

Yep hoolio every house in Cornwall that I've lived in bar one has had damp. It's accepted here. My Dad is appalled, but it's just accepted.

And some so called damp, as measured by testing the surface of walls with a damp Meyer, is actually condensation, and will be sorted by tackling air moisture levels in the house.