Thoughts on damp in chimney breast found on survey

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Hello

I posted this last week so apologies for reposting but my OH is nervous about the damp found in the survey on the Victorian conversion we’re buying so I thought I’d ask again whether the below findings in the survey would make you rethink buying a property:

The property has two brick built chimneystacks. The flashings which could be seen are of metal type. Because of their location chimneystacks are particularly exposed.
A small amount of masonry has deteriorated due to frost or chemical action, commonly known as “spalling”. This appears progressive, unsightly and if allowed to continue will result in structural failure. Damage is presently slight and should be stabilised and protected by the application of a colourless water repellent.
A small amount of dampness was noted within the chimney breast in the living room. The unseen flaunchings and flashings should be inspected as it is likely that repairs are required.
The chimney stacks will need attention in the short to medium term.
There is also a wood burner in the fireplace and flues are believed to be in place.

I personally wouldn't be put off by something like that in an older property. We had similar repairs done to our chimney last year (our house is also Victorian) and it was a fairly minor job to fix. If it was me, i'd just get a trusted builder to check it out and tell you roughly what needs doing.

With regards to the damp, the way they've worded it in the survey wouldn't cause me to worry about it.

I’ve just had a damp specialist come to my flat on request of my nervous FTB after a Homebuyer’s Report gave a nebulous diagnosis of ‘damp’. I paid for the survey as I wanted to own it, and therefore gain a deeper understanding of what the survey findings actually meant. My damp specialist (independent and not affiliated to a damp proof company!) told me that there were damp readings all over the place in my Victorian flat, including the fireplace. He told me it is all absolutely nothing to worry about, totally typical for properties of this age, and that chimneys in particular are susceptible to high damp readings because of fossil fuels being absorbed over the decades and leaving damp residue, or because of occasional rainfall coming down the chimney and being absorbed in to the brickwork. Regarding your survey, if there was no immediate recommendation of work, then the property is probably in pretty good nick for a Victorian.

Buying a property nearly always comes with some risks. If your partner wants everything to be guaranteed perfect, you’d be better off buying a new build with a 10 year warranty to be honest. Those properties have never appealed to me, so I’ve always gone for period, and never had trouble. My buyer was also satisfied with the survey, and we are still proceeding.

May I ask, was it a specialist damp/structural survey, or a Homebuyer’s Report? If it was a HR, I wouldn’t wipe my arse on it personally, they’re written by people with a few weeks’ training and a few crude tools. The one my buyer got made us all panic with its vague references to ‘internal and external damp’ - made it sound like the place was rotten through!

Best of luck whatever you decide.

Apologies, just noticed about the spalling, sounds minor to me but to echo the PP, maybe just get a couple of quotes to put your mind at rest.

If you lurchass, you can replace bricks where they are damaged and the mortar. You need to ensure the damp isn’t allowed to continue. So renew all flashings and ensure no driving rain can get in.

Waterproof coating is useless. I cannot believe a professional has suggested this. It will never replace effective flashing and seals.

Get a quote for repairing the chimneys and flashings and ask for a bit of money off. It’s not entirely acceptable to have damp when the homeowner could have made an effort to stop it.

I agree with the previous comments.
Nothing serious to worry about, yes, get a quote to sort the flashing and ask for some money off.

I also wouldn't worry about this.

Spalling just means that the surface of some of the bricks on the chimney stack is damaged due to weather. This must be very slight if the surveyor thinks a coat of damp proofing will be enough to stabilise it.

Checking and repairing the flashings can be done by any roofer (and depending on how tall the property is you may be able to get one to pop up and check for you on spec in anticipating of getting the job). Usually the flashings are lead embedded into the bricks but sometimes you find they are edged into concrete and the concrete cracks with time. Shouldn't be a particularly big or expensive job to fix. I have always had old houses and most of them have needed this.

I'd recommend looking at the chimney cowl (some designs let in more water than others) and the mortar on the bricks in the chimney breast at the same time.

Agree with a PP that if this is a flat then these repairs would presumably be organised by the freeholder and the costs of these repairs would be shared between all the flats. Ask your solicitor to confirm.