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Original poster

Victorian terrace - structural wall missing!!!

49 replies

Yamsin · 13/10/2020 09:33

We have just had survey back and found the reason for sagging floors upstairs is due to the only supporting wall between living and dining room being removed donkeys back. Only a probable timber support. So all floors need replacing therefore all walls. Should we walk away??? Gahhhhh

OP posts:
Thesuzle · 13/10/2020 09:34

Yes. That’s costly. Or really drive down the selling price

Gingerkittykat · 13/10/2020 09:40

Yes, walk away. That would be a huge job to fix, as well as the structural costs you would obviously need to redecorate everything and replace all flooring and face a lot of disruption while the work is going on.

Seeingadistance · 13/10/2020 09:51

Yeah, I’d run from that.

I’d tell the vendors first just in case they aren’t aware for some reason, and don’t realise that their house could fall down on them.

Saz12 · 13/10/2020 10:01

That hugely changes wha you’re buying! I’d not even consider it.

Purplewithred · 13/10/2020 10:05

Yup, tell the owners and pull out unless you can negotiate a massive price drop and run your own building company. You'd probably struggle to get a mortgage anyway.

steppemum · 13/10/2020 10:12

The only way I would continue is with a builder's quote, get that amount of the cost of the house at least, then someoneelse to live while works are done. (which will be months realistically)
That would also assume you can get the mortgage, and have the cash to deal with it.

The advantages would be if it is otherwise a house you love, eg had a brilliant unusual extra large garden, or in a spot you love, and of course you could do some redesigning of spaces and redecorating in with the building work.

CatsAndEyeliner · 13/10/2020 10:14

Depends what you’re up for and how much you love it.

If you’re not afraid of some substantial building works and you can get the price to reflect that then there’s no need to walk away surely?

If that’s not for you though then there’s absolutely nothing wrong in walking away.

TroublesomeTownHouse · 13/10/2020 10:33

I'm all for a bit of a project but you'd essentially have to gut the interior if new floors and walls are needed. That's some hardcore work.

Also presumably building society would be reluctant to lend until its sorted?

CaraDuneRedux · 13/10/2020 10:40

Don't walk away, run away.

This is many tens of thousands of work to put right, plus the massive upheaval. Plus Victorian houses aren't exactly rare beasts - there must be others you could buy.

sunshinesupermum · 13/10/2020 10:43

Walk away.

LeaveMyDamnJam · 13/10/2020 10:45

Unless you are planning to completely refurb - not just decorate - and even then I would demand a v big reduction. I’m not sure it would even be mortgageable.

Bluntness100 · 13/10/2020 10:46

Reverse? Because I can’t see how this is even a question. Of course you run away.

Original poster
Yamsin · 13/10/2020 10:51

So we are up for a project, just had to completely rewire, replumb, change layout then completely redecorate current house. However we could live here while it was done and didn't have a one year old underfoot. Took a year while I was pregnant and cost £32k.

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Original poster
Yamsin · 13/10/2020 10:52

@steppemum

The only way I would continue is with a builder's quote, get that amount of the cost of the house at least, then someoneelse to live while works are done. (which will be months realistically) That would also assume you can get the mortgage, and have the cash to deal with it.

The advantages would be if it is otherwise a house you love, eg had a brilliant unusual extra large garden, or in a spot you love, and of course you could do some redesigning of spaces and redecorating in with the building work.

The location for new house is amazing and we won't get anything like it come up in our budget really in zone 1/2 london. We always planned on a complete renovation and kitchen and attic extension so not so bad.

But the moving out for best part of a year to do it all scares me a bit as we hadn't planned for it. Just a shock.

Practically speaking, we would need to remortgage for building works in 3 years then move out i guess while its being done.

OP posts:
Original poster
Yamsin · 13/10/2020 10:54

@LeaveMyDamnJam

Unless you are planning to completely refurb - not just decorate - and even then I would demand a v big reduction. I’m not sure it would even be mortgageable.
So just spoke to surveyor and he recommended asking for money off for structural work, but its fine to leave the work for a couple of years so atleast not immediate. Just not sure how to go about renegotiation Confused
OP posts:
Original poster
Yamsin · 13/10/2020 10:57

Mortgage has been approved, not sure we need to tell them results of our private survey though?

I think I'm going grey overnight here Blush

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bravotango · 13/10/2020 10:58

I would put that piece of work on the 'address straight away' list over a new bathroom or something, and then do the maybe more cosmetic things with the remortgage in a couple of years (e.g. kitchen/bathroom/posh flooring throughout).

CaraDuneRedux · 13/10/2020 10:58

The location for new house is amazing and we won't get anything like it come up in our budget really in zone 1/2 london. We always planned on a complete renovation and kitchen and attic extension so not so bad.

So in fact the reason it's within budget is that it's structurally unsound.

Cost it realistically - the work needed (plus half as much again for when things go wrong) plus the cost of living somewhere else for a year. I'd be surprised if you got change out of a hundred grand.

Also check whether your Building Society will actually lend on this. Again, I'd be very surprised if they would, because until the work is completed the house presents a huge financial risk to them

BasiliskStare · 13/10/2020 11:10

@Yasmin - as @Steppemum & others other have said I think you should get a quote to fix it but I would also as well as builders quote structural engineer to advise on spec of steel joists etc to fix. But essentially I agree with Steppemum if the house is otherwise fantastic and you are prepared for the disruption then it could still be a goer. I would prepare for , however , that unless the vendors have had this crop up before ( or they have and chosen to ignore it) they may be unwilling to accept the amount of money it will take to fix & just chance someone else will buy without the discount. I would talk to the building society though. I recall some years ago we had an amount of the mortgage withheld until the house was rewired on the basis of the survey but this is old - so I would definitely talk to your mortgage lender.

BasiliskStare · 13/10/2020 11:11

oops cross posted with CaraDuneRedux

Original poster
Yamsin · 13/10/2020 11:21

Thanks so much everyone 🙏🙏🙏

We had a builder go round with us for our second viewing and he already said £20k+ to put new structural beam then floors in. So I think we are looking at an unexpected £40k cost. Let's just see if current owner will consider price given shes already part way through her onward house sale...just need to stay calm....

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Original poster
Yamsin · 13/10/2020 11:22

Will speak to broker later to see what he suggests about mortgage...

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SlopesOff · 13/10/2020 11:31

Would it affect the attached houses if the work wasn't done in a certain time frame? If one house in a terrace collapses it seems likely that the neighbouring ones might go too.

Also many Victorian terraces were built without foundations (just on mud/clay) and can slip.

I don't think I would buy it.

Grobagsforever · 13/10/2020 11:35

Good luck OP, you're a braver woman than me!

raddledoldmisanthropist · 13/10/2020 11:37

its fine to leave the work for a couple of years so atleast not immediate.

I'm astounded at that for a missing supporting wall with the floor already sagging. To me that would need jacking up immediately.