Me again! Like the house not so desirable area

[Rainbowhairdontcare]

We just viewed this house:
I found this property on the Rightmove Android app and wanted you to see it: www.rightmove.co.uk/s6p/64212273



Pros:
Lots of space, it's quirkiness of all bedrooms being accessed by their own staircases play in our favour. Decent condition and kitchen.

Cons :
No garden (although we barely use it). Decoration needs to be completely redone. TV and speakers are built into the wall so that needs to be replastered. Damp everywhere (although apparently that's normal in Cornwall). Location is not very desirable (although I don't mind it).

We're thinking of offering £190k to at at £195k.

[Rainbowhairdontcare]

@XXcstatic you're correct and that's why o struggle to understand the "it's a fire trap" scare.

Most likely that room would be for our 12yo boy.

[XXcstatic]

If you have an unconscious child in the front room you have to go downstairs, out the back door, around the back of the house and have a front door key to get to them

?? Don't you just walk down the stairs and out the door in the sitting room?

Some of the fire trap comments seem a bit OTT. It's only the first bedroom that is cut off from the rest of the house, isn't it? And it has its own staircase, and is only on the first floor anyway. It's also the furthest from the kitchen, where most domestic fires start, so would have the longest to get out if a fire started at night. I really can't see the problem, as long as you have decent smoke alarms.

[BrokenWing]

Maybe I'm naive, but how is it a fire trap if there are two doors?

If you have an unconscious child in the front room you have to go downstairs, out the back door, around the back of the house and have a front door key to get to them.

[Rainbowhairdontcare]

They said no to a £190k offer. I think it's worth £195k DH is more of the idea of £200k. we shall see

[Rachelover40]

Even with just you, husband and children you really need at least one other bath or shower room and toilet.

[Rainbowhairdontcare]

We barely have any visitors. Although my first house was like that, bathroom next to the kitchen. At that time I did have way more visitors and never thought of it as an inconvenience. Showering and having to go through the kitchen/living room did annoy the hell.out of me but that wouldn't be the case in this house.

[Jent13c]

I just keep thinking that if you have visitors they need to go through your kitchen and then use your family bathroom...that would stress me out needing to keep all that clean every time. I cant see a way to make it a better layout. I'm not a fan of walking straight into the lounge or stairs off the lounge but obviously that comes down to budget.

When I bought my first flat we made the mistake of trying to get the most square footage for our money rather than thinking of resale potential and it was a bit of a nightmare. We had beautiful big bedrooms and lounge but hated the area and the communal stairs were honestly a nightmare for the whole time we were there. We managed to sell for what we paid (think we got very very lucky) but I'm so glad I'm not stuck with it any more.

[Rainbowhairdontcare]

In summary dodgy building standards and lots and lots of rain!

Now that I think about all three places I lived in since moving to Cornwall have had some sort of damp or other.

[HeronLanyon]

storm
Damp sea air
Granite build with unusual or no foundations. I’ve seen cottages with bedrock as part of floor.
Damp ground - it often feels like a huge sponge !
Hilly so lots of run off from fields and moors.
Granite itself - I’ve found one small old nail can create damp patches through 2 foot walls and feet away from outside culprit - the seams in the stone carry water in odd ways.
Lashing gale force rain driving into walls.
Lots of rain.
Love Cornwall and it does have it sunny hot days but it is damp!

[StormcloakNord]

Why are houses in Cornwall usually damp?! I tried to google but couldn't find anything!

[Rainbowhairdontcare]

Maybe I'm naive, but how is it a fire trap if there are two doors?

Yes, that's the main drain but the damp it's coming from the ceilings, on that side so it could be.

[GreenTulips]

Is that the main drain off the front door? Could that be causing the damp? I’d ask for a drain survey to be done.

[GreenTulips]

Fire trap!!

Makes me go cold

I wouldn’t even look at it

[Rainbowhairdontcare]

Apparently from the potential damp issues, how hard would it be to sell in the future? Bear in mind we don't plant to stay in Cornwall so the house will definitely need to be sold eventually.

[Rainbowhairdontcare]

@SnappedandFartedagain yes that definitely needs to be confirmed before proceeding.

[BrokenWing]

Layout looks more hellish than quirky.

Front bedroom above living room will have no soundproofing from living room.

The maze you have to go through to get from the front bedroom to bathroom, or even worse back two bedrooms is ridiculously awkward. What if there was a fire downstairs in the kitchen area, how would you get to your children in the other bedrooms?

One bathroom in a 4 bed house isn't ideal. 3 sets of stairs to vacuum!

Big no from me, even before looking at gnomeislands concerns about the property.

[SnappedandFartedagain]

It wouldn't be for me due to the reasons other people have mentioned, plus it looks like the shared drive is an issue. The vendor "believes" there is right of way to the courtyard and garage?!

[Rainbowhairdontcare]

The vendors currently live in it, as far as I can tell they've been living there for 20+ years.

The courtyard is "communal" nothing explicit as to who owns what apart form the garages.

No idea about the renovations.

Boiler looks 5-10 years old. Ive had gas and oil, I still can't decide which one is cheaper.

All very good questions and I very much appreciate your input. My DH thinks that so much damp is normal (I'm not so sure myself) and I'm aware of potential money pits (like my first house was, they clearly just decorated it to hide all the ongoing issues).

[gnomeisland]

Don't get me wrong. I love old Cornish granite houses, but they need constant maintenance. I don't want to put you off, but I would like you to go into this with your eyes open.
Around the mining areas these houses were quite often built quickly with poor quality granite to fulfil the need for housing for the rapidly expanding communities.
I am currently wrestling with more damp in my kitchen which I thought we resolved years ago. Looks like we are going to have to dig out the side of the building and put a dutch drain in. It's pretty endless really.

[gnomeisland]

I can't comment on whether a mortgage company would lend on it at the current time. I know you are wanting to buy as you see it as cheaper than renting. If this property is in as poor state as it looks you will end up spending a fortune on it, which will not in any way be realised in any potential increase in value.
Who owns the property? Are they living there at the moment or is it rented out? When was the renovation done? Who did it?
It looks like the entire interior was ripped out and replaced. Were building regs required and obtained? Quite often doesn't happen around these parts....
Does the whole of the forecourt belong to the property or do you share it with next door?
Who has responsibility for the drain running along the property?
Do you know how old the boiler is? Any idea how much running a gas boiler costs? We've always installed oil fired boilers as found the price of gas can be extortionate - but that may be different now.

And finally, the cottage is called Springfield - just saying

[Rainbowhairdontcare]

Mmmm I'm genuinely behaving second thoughts.... Good thing broker is being slow with the MIP

[HeronLanyon]

How brilliant (not for the seller!) to have someone who’s had a survey in the very property you were interested in !! Or maybe still are interested in !

[SnappedandFartedagain]

It was up for £225k in July 2018 and January 2019

www.zoopla.co.uk/property-history/springfield-cottage/broad-lane/illogan/redruth/tr15-3hy/50336200

[Rainbowhairdontcare]

Thank you so much for your input @gnomeisland.

It's been five years since I last bought a house and my memory is a bit rusty. If I do a full structural survey, and it comes with all of the issues described above even the mortgage company wouldn't lend the money, is this correct?

I'm not a big fan of that damp, and I think it's in a lot of rooms, but now wondering if it's a much bigger issue.
That the EA didn't say anything about our low offer says they know they can't get much for it. IMO

[gnomeisland]

I would suggest you approach this house with a huge amount of caution.
There is an unusually large drain right by the front door, coupled with the slope of the land, would imply that there are potential issues with ground water and possibly flooding at times.
The drain runs underground along the length of the property. There will be no damp course in the property so suspect this may be a major source of the damp you can see.
It is August. If damp is evident now, after the driest, warmest part of the year, then it will be much, much worse in the winter.
There is also a high cement fillet running along the front of the property, which again indicates there is trouble with water ingress.
There is a downpipe discharging directly onto the forecourt.
Incidentally, the access to the neighbouring property appears to be across the forecourt, in front of the living room windows.
The property looks as though someone has done an extensive job of covering up the damp problems, rather than resolving them.
Each room looks as though it has been dry lined with plasterboard. And then a thick layer of cement render slapped over the granite exterior.
I would suspect under those plaster walls are damp, crumbling granite walls. It is not just a case of slapping some paint over. I suspect unless you get the extensive renovation work done, then the property will quickly deteriorate, and you will have trouble selling it.
I live locally and am very, very familiar with this type pf property, having renovated several over the years. It looks like an absolute money pit.
If you do intend to go ahead with it, I would make sure you get a full survey done.