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!