Survey Help!

[SammyS19]

Hi all, I've been a long time lurker but this is my first post. Sorry it is a bit long! Any help would be appreciated.

We have just had the survey done on our first home we want to buy and we don't really know how serious the problems are. If you have any experience with this please let us know what you think. The house is a 1950's semi.

ESSENTIAL REPAIRS

Chimneystacks: Make good to the top rendered flaunchings and apply water repellent coating to the top and sides of the stack. Add appropriate waterproof top protection to the chimneypots to prevent damp ingress decay. Install new code 4 lead flashings and carry out masonry and pointing repair and ensure that the stack and surrounds are made watertight. Install flue ventilation provision (air-brick/grille) to the rear severed stack to mitigate the risk of consequential condensation decay.

Roof: Remove the excess moss growth (transmits damp through the tiled covering) and repair/replace any defective tiles. Carry out pointing repair to the ridge and verge tiles and ensure the roof covering is watertight. Install roof tile vents in accordance with manufacturer’s recommendations to reduce the potential for high humidity and condensation related defects within the roof space void. Renew the flat roof covering and make good to any timbers affected by rot. Abutment upstands are to be sealed with code 4 lead flashings and the roof covering is to be suitably laid-to-falls, insulated, and vented if required. All works to be carried out in accordance with current regulatory requirements (BS-6229). A building notice is to be served to the local building control dept.

Sub-floor Ventilation: Install additional sub-floor ventilation provisions (air-bricks/grilles) to the timber sub-floor voids and ensure the space between the units does not exceed 2 metres and clear all obstructions/debris to the current in-situprovisions.

Roof Construction: In the interests of long-term stability a competent carpenter is to reinforce the roof frame (add collars at 2 metre centres). Apply timber treatments to the timber roof frame (eliminate the woodworm decay and protect against fungal attack/spread). Overhaul/repair/patch etc. the underfelt and ensure it provides full secondary protection against damp ingress. Upgrade the insulation to accord with current energy saving standards. Spotlight fittings in contact with flammable materials fibreglass etc.) and/or those at risk from moisture penetration must have fire-rated/moisture cap protection provided in accordance with BS-7671. Make good to the masonry party wall (fill any voids) and ensure it provides full firebreak compartmentation.

Fireplaces, Flues & Chimneybreasts: Provident adequate (regulatory) support to the rear remaining chimneybreast construction. Serve a building notice to the local authority building control dept. and party wall notice to the neighbouring owner. Install fresh ventilation provision (air-brick/grille) to the sealed flues to mitigate the risk of consequential condensation decay.

Thanks for any help! The worry is stressing me out!

Hi, I can only give you advise re: sub floor ventilation. This is so important! Our first house flagged this up and we didn’t think it was a big issue, WRONG! Where there was no floor ventilation, the room was so filled with condensation and moisture it smelt funny and Mould grew on the walls behind our bed. You can get a decent vent for really cheap so this would defiantly be something to consider making sure it’s fully ventilated :) don’t be put off! It’s a easy thing to sort

I’ve just had another read though and it sounds like there could be a lot of vent/moisture problems that would need sorting. You’d be best off taking this to a builder asking what they think and how much repairs etc would cost. Good luck

I'm probably taking an extreme stance here, but your survey could be a cut and paste of any worthless survey I've ever had on any property I've ever bought. I'd be surprised if you cold find an older property that didn't have pretty much identical comments.

Did you have a building society homebuyer survey per chance?

The reports provided looks like general preventative maintenance advise to me rather than genuinely 'essential repairs' - although you will need to make a judgement call on each point. A few thoughts:

Many older houses have inadequate sub-floor ventilation vs. the current building regs so surveyors often pick up on this. It's always a good idea to improve the sub-floor ventilation, but if there are no problems after 60 years, there is unlikely to be some sudden failure. Definitely worth checking any external airbricks have not been covered up with something though and also just check that any patio's, driveways etc that have been installed since the house was built haven't bridged the damp proof course or blocked any air bricks.

Whenever a fireplace is blocked up or a chimney breast is partially removed, people often forget (or choose not to) install some form of vent. Theoretically, this can cause condensation and damp in the chimney breast. If the chimneys have been like this for a long time and there are no obvsious signs of damp, you could probably just do nothing. If you wanted to prevent a future buyer of the house picking up on this, it should be relatively straight forward to install a vent in any remaining part of the chimney breast.

Another common problem is where people remove part of a chimney breast and then support the remaining bit using a wooden lintel or other method that isn't secured to modern building regs. Will this ever cause a problem? Certainly not day 1. Installing proper 'gallows' brackets or similar if it worries you should be an inexpensive job.

External chimney stacks always need maintenance. How often and how much depends on your appetite for preventative vs. reactive maintenance. I doubt there's any chimney breast over 30 years old that wouldn't benefit from new flaunchings, a repoint or re-render. It's worth keeping the stacks in good order though as if they get very bad they can become a health and safety issue. You'll need to make a judgement call on how pressing the problem is. An independent surveyor will give you an honest opinion. A building society surveyor will likely always tell you something needs to be done now. Unfortunately, chimney breast maintenance is often costly since scaffolding is usually needed. You could get a couple of quotes from a local roofer or general builder and negotiate a discount on the purchase price if it worries you.

Roof construction. Has the surveyor said whether there is any evidence of woodworm, or just that you should proactively treat the timbers? IMHO this is nonsense if there is no evidence of woodworm. Roof insulation is a sensible and cheap way to improve the energy efficiency of a house. If you don't do it, it;'ll just cost you more to heat.

With regards to the timber strengthening, is there any noticable 'bow' in the roof? Again, older properties were often constructed in a way that doesn't meet modern regulations. Assuming the previous owners haven't done anything silly by removing supports or adding heavier tiles than original, you probably won't need to do anything if the roof looks good to your eye.

Flat roofs always need more maintenance than pitched roofs. Depending on the material used, they often have a relatively limited lifespan (newer flat roof coverings are much better). If there is no evidence of damp, then you'll need to make a call on how much life you think there is left in the flat roof. Is there evidence of water pooling / staining somewhere that doesn't look right? Are there any holes, tears or defects in the roof covering that you think water might be able to get in through?

I'm not a roofing expert but I remember my cousin who is telling me that they normally last about 50 years.
That aside, you now have a bargaining tool to renegotiate the price of the property.

Whilst a roof does have a finite lifespan, there is no magic age at which a roof must be replaced. A well installed and maintained roof can last many many years. Our house built in 1890 still has it's original clay tile roof and I am not expecting to replace it any time soon. We do have to replace the odd slipped tile periodically however.

www.bre.co.uk/page.jsp?id=3266

The problem with this survey is everything is good advice but why does he want the flaunchings and flashing replaced? Is there a leak in the roof? Is there damp around the chimney? Are the timbers showing evidence of rot?

You need to see what the actual problems are before spending about £7-£8k by my guess on these works (and could be a LOT more)

I agree with hidden - surveyor hasn’t highlighted any actual problems, just told you things which in an ideal world everyone would do to their property. Probably best to have a conversation with him/her and ask how essential are these things to fix? What would be the consequence if you didn’t do them within 5 or 10 years? What problems did they currently see in the property which need sorting ASAP? How much immediate expenditure do they think is necessary?

I can't comment on which of these is really an issue but I remember getting similar comments in the survey for our first house and panicking (also a 50s semi). We actually negotiated £5k off the asking price because of them and do you know what? Several years later we are moving again and haven't addressed any of them!

I guess what I am saying is these surveys always sound scary but often it's just standard advice and nothing to worry about. Can you call the surveyor directly and ask them about the report? That is usually part of the service and they may be able to put your mind at rest.

Hi everyone,
Thanks SO much for all of your comments and suggestions! Lots of really helpful advice here that will help me sleep easier tonight.

Just to reply to a few specific questions:

• parkview094 - "Did you have a building society homebuyer survey per chance?" - no this was a full independent survey

• parkview094 - "Has the surveyor said whether there is any evidence of woodworm" - "There was some distortion to the roof frame, though there was no evidence of any significant defect at the time of the inspection. Some flight-holes were noted to the roof timbers which is indicative of woodworm attack. The underfelt is defective in places and has been poorly lapped and require remedial repair to ensure fully secondary protection against damp ingress, moreover the felt is ageing (UV degradation evident) and you are advised to budget for the high cost of future replacement (necessary to remove the roof tiles)."

I think the next step will be to phone the surveyor as people have recommended.

Thanks again!

If its a full survey its going to of checked out the ins & outs of a ducks arse, so no wonder its uncovered everything possible. This is what you pay for! You now have the power to renegotiate the price!

Judging by the wording, it's all generic cut and paste. But the quote you added later sounds more like the section that tells you the actual problems. Paste the section that says the actual problems rather than the one that tells you what to do.
Park view is spot on though. Sub floor ventilation is t do with keeping the timbers under the floor dry and rot free, if you're getting mould in your room on the walls, that's due to insufficient room trickle ventilation. The sub floor and inside the room are separate areas.

Thanks johnd2. I've pasted below the actual descriptive bits that seem to have issues. As always highly appreciative of any opinions! I'm going to have a call with the surveyor this week so if anything stands out please say and I'll ask them about it in detail.

Thanks again!

CHIMNEYSTACKS
Masonry chimneystack with chimneypots (the pots are decayed and are subject to future eplacement). The stack was built without damp proof trays and penetrative damp ingress is inevitable.

ROOF COVERINGS

The tiled roof coverings etc. require a remedial overhaul and upgrade to ensure long-term integrity. There is a bulge to the party wall intersection which occurs due to general and roof frame settlement. Notwithstanding, it seldom represents a significant defect.

The flat roof covering comprises mineral felt which has a short life span and can fail at any time and is at the end of its serviceable life.

Remove the excess moss growth (transmits damp through tiled covering) and repair/replace any defective tiles. Carry out pointing repair to the ridge and verge tiles and ensure the roof covering is watertight. Install roof tile vents in accordance with manufacturer’s recommendations to reduce the potential for high humidity and condensation related defects within the roof space void.

Renew the flat roof covering and make good to any timbers affected by rot. Abutment upstands are to be sealed with code 4 lead flashings and the roof covering is to be suitably laid-to-falls, insulated, and vented if required. All works to be carried out in accordance with current regulatory requirements (BS-6229). A building notice is to be served to the local building control dept.

ROOF CONSTRUCTION

There was some distortion to the roof frame, though there was no evidence of any significant defect at the time of the inspection. Some flight-holes were noted to the roof timbers which is indicative of woodworm attack. The underfelt is defective in places and has been poorly lapped and requires remedial repair to ensure fully secondary protection against damp ingress, moreover the felt is ageing (UV degradation evident) and you are advised to budget for the high cost of future replacement (necessary to remove the roof tiles).

There was evidence of damp decay to the masonry party wall and chimneybreast and some minor fungal decay to the adjacent/abutting roof timbers. Moreover, some missing brickwork was noted to the wall and remedial waterproofing, application of timber treatments and general making good etc. is required.

In the interests of long-term stability a competent carpenter is to reinforce the roof frame (add collars at 2 metre centres). Apply timber treatments to the timber roof frame (eliminate the woodworm decay and protect against fungal attack/spread). Overhaul/repair/patch etc. the underfelt and ensure it provides full secondary protection against damp ingress. Upgrade the insulation to accord with current energy saving standards. Spotlight fittings in contact with flammable materials (fibreglass etc.) and/or those at risk from moisture penetration must have fire-rated/moisture cap protection provided in accordance with BS-7671. Make good to the masonry party wall (fill any voids) and ensure it provides full firebreak compartmentation.

MAIN WALLS

The property comprises traditional uninsulated cavity load-bearing masonry walls. The wall coverings may disguise defects that would otherwise be evident, therefore the risk must be accepted. Cavity walls are formed by two separate masonry skins with a gap (cavity) between them. They are held together by metal wall ties that provide structural strength and stability. The ties normally comprise steel with, or without, a sacrificial galvanized zinc coating. The structural stability of the building is very dependent on the condition of the wall ties. Due to the age of the property and potential risk of metal wall tie decay a further investigation is advised.

In view of the age of the building it cannot be assumed that window and door openings are provided with adequate lintels to support the masonry above. Consequently, the need to provide these in the future cannot be ruled out, particularly when renewing door or window frames. There was some slight opening head settlement, though there was no evidence of any significant defect, and the settlement was within acceptable tolerances at the time of the inspection.

The masonry behind the rendered wall coverings (risk of defects to concealed areas) may comprise calcium silica brickwork and it is subject to excess expansion and contraction and consequential cracking (budget for periodic maintenance – crack fitting/render repairs).

The foundations are likely to be shallower than current regulations require and are more at risk from subsidence defects. Moreover, during the period under which the property was originally built, it was fairly common to construct load-bearing walls without suitable lateral restraint to floors and roofs. Notwithstanding, there was no evidence of any significant defect to the property and it appeared sound at the time of the inspection. Several wall cracks were noted, particularly to and around the openings, to the rear extension intersection with the rear severed chimneystack and to general rendered wall areas – possible sulphate attack accentuating wall render cracks). The movement/cracks, however, were within acceptable tolerances at the time of the inspection and no remedial work, other than filling of cracks to prevent water penetration and frost deterioration, is currently necessary. There is some evidence of mortar pointing failure and you are advised to budget for the high cost of full wall repointing. Some defective/de-bonded wall render was noted, and it was evident that the original door opening to the side of the extension has not been fully filled (half width only) and this should be completed.

SUB-FLOOR VENTILATION

Voids beneath timber ground floors require adequate ventilation to minimize dampness, which can cause timber rot and decay (including fungal attack) and a remedial upgrade is advised (current sub-floor ventilation provisions are insufficient).

Essential repair Install additional sub-floor ventilation provisions (air-bricks/grilles) to the timber sub-floor voids and ensure the space between the units does not excess 2 metres and clear all obstructions/debris to the current in-situ provisions.

FIREPLACES, FLUES AND CHIMNEY BREASTS

The chimneybreast construction has been largely retained, except for the removed chimneybreast in the dining room. Whilst there was no evidence of any significant structural defect at the time of the inspection, we suspect the remaining chimneybreast (no support bulkhead enclosure) has not been supported in accordance with regulatory requirements, and a remedial upgrade is advised to ensure long-term stability.