Fairly terrible structural survey - what to do?

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We have just been slightly blindsided by a structural survey on a house we are in the process of buying.

Some of the issues the surveyor raised were: the rear ground extension is very poor/old and should be replaced within a few years (~£40k; additionally there is a drain below it that should have been moved when the extension was done), the family bathroom needs replacing (he said he wouldn't use it personally: age,cleanliness,etc), the loft is good but the roof of the loft is felt and will need to be replaced in a few years, the wiring is very old and needs replacing almost immediately (~£3k), there is a crack in the arch above the entrance (should be checked by an engineer as the lintel may be broken) and a crack in the bay (not as much of a concern, but should be checked with the arch is). Separately, he said because the outbuilding has been built to the fence line, it will be difficult to remove leaves and debris at the edge - more a pain factor than anything, but as hard to maintain leads to build up and other problems.

We thought the house was in good condition and had budgeted to do some gradual gentle cosmetic work (paint,carpet) but not much else. We only managed to get £10k off the (fairly steep) asking price when we made our offer as the owners were clear they could not drop lower. We are now worried that if we try to knock off what we would need to in order to carry out all the work (which just glancing at it would be at least £60k) they will refuse, and if we walk away we may lose our buyer. We think we should get an engineer etc to have a more detailed look but are also wary of spending more money if we aren’t going to proceed.

Any thoughts/war stories greatly welcome!

I'd be tempted to cut and run. It doesn't sound like the house has been well maintained and I'd worry that there will be a whole host of other, currently hidden, issues that come out once you're living there - leaks, cracks, damp etc.

If you're still dead set on buying it I'd negotiate enough off the price to cover all the work.

Watch the film ‘The Money Pit’. 😉

I wouldnt buy it. Sounds like a headache.

The bathroom - it’s old and dirty or actually faulty (is it leaking? Damp? Just needs a new suite? Tiling?) is not a worry unless leaking.
Extension - is it structurally unsound? Just saying it’s old doesn’t mean anything (my house is 150 years old) but if it’s a structural problem that needs sorting. The drain move is a pain but I’ve had drains moved but not sure how you do it with a building over it.
Rewiring is essential and might cost more than £3k.
Outbuildings - so what it’s at boundary that’s non issue.
Not that worried about roof if it’s good for ‘a few years’ - you could say the same for most and it’s just something you need to budget for the future.
Definitely go back and say (if it’s true) that the extension is structurally unsound and wiring needs doing. See what happens.
But as for your own sale I’d go thru with it bank the money and rent if you don’t end up buying this particular house which puts you in a better position.

Well if you thought that the bathroom was fine but the surveyor ‘wouldn’t use it’ (what professional puts that in a report anyway ) maybe a lot of it is a difference of opinion?

Do you know how old the electrics actually is?

Unless this house is for some reason a once in a life time opportunity, I would offer less and be prepared to walk away.

Any buyer who does a survey will find these issues so the vendor would be silly not to give a reduction if the current price is based on a house in good condition.

There will be another house for you.

That is the most wishy washy surveyor report I have ever heard.

the rear ground extension is very poor/old and should be replaced within a few years (~£40k; additionally there is a drain below it that should have been moved when the extension was done)

You don't have to move drains, they could have got a build over agreement or left an access hatch.

Is the extension actually in poor condition? What is wrong with it?

the family bathroom needs replacing (he said he wouldn't use it personally: age,cleanliness,etc)

Surely you were aware that the bathroom was old as you have eyes (and dirty WTF is the surveyor commenting on that?). Is anything actually leaking? Not working?

the loft is good but the roof of the loft is felt and will need to be replaced in a few years

Doesn't sound like a job for now.

the wiring is very old and needs replacing almost immediately (~£3k)

Get a proper electrical survey - and I would expect a rewire to be more like £5k. However there is a difference between 'needs a total rewire to be safe' and 'haven't updated the consumer unit for 20 years' - which will cost more like £600. How old is the wiring?

There is a crack in the arch above the entrance (should be checked by an engineer as the lintel may be broken) and a crack in the bay (not as much of a concern, but should be checked with the arch is).

Ok check that

Separately, he said because the outbuilding has been built to the fence line, it will be difficult to remove leaves and debris at the edge

Non issue. Just get up on the outbuilding roof and clear it every year! Or ask the neighbors nicely if they will let you use a ladder from their side.

I would pull out.

None of those things sound particularly bad to me. Lots of things that aren't perfect but nothing immediate, unsafe or a huge money pit.

A survey telling me he "wouldn't use the bathroom" because of age/cleanliness would get a serious from me.

Based on the findings about the extension and drain.

It’s a buyers market.

Nobody can give you a full structural survey without tearing the house down. It’s a guesstimate made from experience and clues followed up by expensive uncovering work that the seller would not allow.

You would have to be unhinged to proceed on the basis of what you say here.

Most of the other real problems will only become known with time.

What you have been told is the tip if the iceberg.

Thanks all - lots of helpful advice here! We haven’t seen the actual report yet, the above comments were taken from a call the surveyor had with DH earlier. Sorry, I should have clarified that in the OP, I think I was (am!) still in a bit of shock.

The extension is apparently a timber frame sitting on a concrete slab and just generally poorly constructed.

DH has just remembered that the ceilings are Artex and may contain asbestos so we would need to get that tested too...

I think your husband has went too far on paraphrasing. Does he not like the house then? I mean cmon, what sort of surveyor says they wouldn't use the bathroom as it was old and not clean enough.

Seriously. I think the issue is your husband doesn't want the house.

I just double checked the bathroom point with DH - It doesn’t sound as though any structural issues were raised so maybe just a weird comment from the surveyor. Will definitely check the report. I think the bathroom is probably the least of our concerns though!

Bluntness - DH has been even more excited about the house than me! Although I can’t vouch for his paraphrasing skills so I’m not 100% sure what the surveyor actually said (but as long as the bathroom is working ok I don’t care about cleanliness etc, that’s easily sorted).

The main appeal of this house is that it is 5 mins walk away from the primary school DS will be starting at in Sept, and 5 mins walk away from DD’s new nursery. Very few houses come up for sale on this street. Argh.

Just sounds like a project but one you could live in without doing anything urgently 🤷‍♀️ Are you up for a Project? Can you afford to do work to the house over the next few years?
Lols at the bathroom comments. Our house is a project and we are are surviving despite the bathroom being pretty unpleasant (deep cleaned, just 1970s and in poor repair).

I would regard being so close to a school as a disadvantage! You already have your school place, so no need to be closer in catchment for the school.

After buying the house would you have tens of thousands of savings, eg to replace the extension? If not, factor your potential ability and costs of increasing your mortgage or borrowing later on.

Proximity to nursery shouldn’t be a consideration IMO, those years pass really fast!

Loopy - absolutely re location and I do take your point, it’s more that as DH and I both work FT we are instantly drawn to anything that saves time in the mornings/afternoons! Obviously there are loads of other things we liked about the house/location, the proximity to school was the icing on the cake 🍰

We definitely wouldn’t have tens of thousands left in savings so would need to knock tens of thousands off the asking price (and hope that our lender is still happy to lend...)

Artex ceilings don't need to be tested for asbestos unless you're planning on pulling them down/damaging them. Otherwise you can just crack on or plaster over the top of them. They're very common.

Thank you Quilliam - that’s good to know!

I am a chartered surveyor. Surveyors should not make personal comments about the property. Whilst I have not seen the survey, a cracked arch does not mean the lintel has failed. Other comments may seem a little too precautionary. Get a builder to tell you if you need to rebuild the extension with a proper quote.

I think the only thing that would put me off is the extension. Did you offer thinking it was a proper brick built extension which formed part of the house? Or is it a dodgy looking lean to conservatory? If it’s meant to be part of the house and you offered on that basis, then I think that could be a deal breaker if they won’t reduce the price.

Though also, re the electrics. We’re having a house we just bought rewire and the actual cost is more than just the rewire. We couldn’t have lived there while it was done, so there’s that cost. And they’ll need to make holes in walls which you’ll need a plasterer to fix. So unless you enjoy living with bare plaster patches in every room you’ll have to redecorate quickly too.

I’d get a full electrical survey done and, if it’s a house you thought you were buying ready to move into, I’d knock twice the price of a full rewire off your offer.

Honestly, don’t bother buying.