Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Flip

Original poster

Surveyor said all was fine but we need a new roof.

21 replies

InBuffywetrust · 11/12/2023 13:07

Bought a great house and paid for a level 2 survey which came back clean. Turns out we need a new roof. We've had three quotes from roofers and each one has said what did the survey say. The surveyor gave the roof a green rating. We are absolutely gutted. Now I know surveyors aren't expected to walk about on the roof but of he had at least stuck his head out of the loft extension window he would have seen problems. I've called him and he wants to come and take a look this Thursday. I'm not sure if I can ask for a refund or what kind of legal footing we'll have.
Does anyone have any helpful hints or have you experienced anything similar?
It seems the seller was aware as they've used gloss paint to hide the damp.

OP posts:

Notyetthere · 11/12/2023 13:22

What is wrong with the roof? Would the surveyor have picked on the issues?

I remember clearly when we bought our current house that it was the L3 structural survey that guaranteed the surveyor would look into the loft space.

mynameiscalypso · 11/12/2023 13:24

We had the same. The surveyors report was caveated that he could get on the roof. We decided not to pay for a specialist roof survey and have ended up replacing the roof in the year since we bought it. Knowing we'd need to replace it wouldn't really have changed much about the process though as I don't think we would have negotiated anything off the agreed price and wouldn't have walked away.

ZoeyBartlett · 11/12/2023 13:55

Check to see if you have legal cover under your house insurance and contact them for advice.

furtivetussling · 11/12/2023 13:55

Hmm. If the surveyor should have noticed the issue by simply looking out of an easily accessible window, then there's something wrong somewhere.

Original poster

InBuffywetrust · 11/12/2023 14:42

Seems the sellers had the roof power washed, we assume to get rid off moss buts it's blasted the protective coating off the roof tiles and the cement in the gullys so metal is visible. The damage to the tiles is viewable from ground floor and the exposed gullys are visible from the loft conversion window. The flat roof at the back has no cover which he wouldn't have been able to see but the ensuite bathroom has a crack that runs around the whole room where the walls meet the ceiling.
We had a plumber and electrician go around during the buying process. Kicking myself that we didn't get a roofer round but he said on our report no problem. Quotes have ranged from 10-14k.
We sent the surveyor video footage and his assistant seemed shocked and now he's coming over Thursday, nor really sure what he'll say...

OP posts:

JustWimpy · 11/12/2023 16:01

Presumably the surveyor has professional insurance to cover situations where he's at fault?

Newhousecrying · 11/12/2023 17:16

This happened to us. We had the highest level survey. Surveyor said that the roof has been replaced and that the repairs required are minor. We stupidly took his word for it. Moved in, No roofer would touch it for repair because it was in such a bad state. I looked at suing but was unable to because the cost to entry is quite high (you have to pay new surveyors the same level survey to look at it and for them to say in writing that it’s obvious to a surveyor (not a roofer) what the condition of the roof is. The legal firm we spoke to said that the level for professional negligence is quite high. In the end we replaced it and swallowed the cost. I reread the survey and it’s full of caveats and we couldn’t afford to take the risk of more unknown costs if we’re unsuccessful. We’re still bitter about it

Startingagainandagain · 11/12/2023 17:27

Had similar with a useless surveyor who missed several issues but mine was the highest survey you can get...

I complained to the firm and the surveyor accepted no responsibility so I am now making a complaint to the surveyors regulatory body, RICS. They have a free complaint/mediation service.

BettyBakesCakes · 11/12/2023 17:36

Does a level 2 survey cover that?

Diyextension · 12/12/2023 14:21

What kind of roof tiles have a protective coating on them ?

Original poster

InBuffywetrust · 13/12/2023 08:06

Originally they would have been glazed red. The colour has been blasted off and they are a sandy colour. Can make them more absorbent apparently.

OP posts:

Original poster

InBuffywetrust · 13/12/2023 08:06

OP posts:

Diyextension · 13/12/2023 14:55

Im assuming they are concrete tiles ? When new they are all like that glazed/ coloured, if you flip one over you can see the true colour of them and they are unglazed. They all lose the finish on them over time to a rough concretey texture and the colour fades. This is just the way concrete is as a material but it doesn’t mean they need changing and are not doing their job.

I very much doubt that pressure washing a roof ( to clean it ) would damage the tiles. Ive seen companies doing this and seal the roof after ( colour) and it looks ok for a few years, then starts to come off.

babyproblems · 13/12/2023 14:59

Do you really need a whole new roof or just new tiles?? It doesn’t sound structural it just sounds like you need retiling and maybe a new membrane? it doesn’t sound like the roof timbers or framework is damaged. I do think that people underestimate the cost of upkeep on houses in the UK and the price of significant repairs like you’ve mentioned are worth it and only a fraction of the value of the average house. x

babyproblems · 13/12/2023 15:02

I was going to add that if it’s those concrete tiles that are common in the UK they have a lifespan of 50 years or so - many houses built in the 40s and 50s have them and they are coming to the end of their lifespan; a good time to be a roofer!! Half of my parents street have started to have new tiles in the last year; houses all built around 1940.

notmorezoom · 13/12/2023 15:03

Did you get a full structural survey? If so then you might have a legal case against your surveyor. If you didn't do a full structural survey, then this is why no-one should buy a house without one.............

PoppyCup · 13/12/2023 15:05

I think surveyors are not worth the money. They always say they couldn't get at the roof/couldn't test the electrics etc. Most of what they send is a pre-written standard text with the address filled in. They are good at scanning the outside of the building, identifying potential causes for obvious damp or settlement, but anything that isn't visible to us seems equally invisible to them.

When we downsize I won't get a survey as we will be mortgage free. I'll spend the money on asking actual builders to come and check the state of the place.

Taptap2 · 13/12/2023 15:06

This happened to us and we got a roofer to inspect the next house purchase and will do the same in the future. There are so many caveats even for a full survey that it is hard to prove that the surveyor was in the wrong.

notmorezoom · 13/12/2023 15:13

PoppyCup · 13/12/2023 15:05

When we downsize I won't get a survey as we will be mortgage free. I'll spend the money on asking actual builders to come and check the state of the place.

I think re-reading, the OP tried to save money by not getting a full structural survey (level 3). That's always unwise. Our structural survey did give us information about the roof.

Hangfail · 13/12/2023 16:02

I had a level 3 survey in July of this year. In September there was a leak in my bedroom - builder (who was working on the house at the time - but not the roof) had a look and patched it up for me but said I'd need a whole new roof sooner rather than later.

Got home yesterday to find rain coming through the kitchen ceiling ... So much for a full survey!

Hettar · 13/12/2023 18:02

Hi OP. The first thing you need to is engage with the surveyor that carried the survey, which you are. If you're not happy with the outcome you can have redress via the surveyors in house complaints procedure. Then, if you're still not happy, you ask the RICS to get involved. The surveyor will have PI insurance for this exact reason.

I believe level 2 reports are more broad brush than a full structural survey and I'm not sure whether they cover the roof. However, if the fault was easily visible at the time then he may have a case to answer. The general principle is whether a reasonable competent surveyor would have picked up on the defect even if wasnt part of the specific survey being carried.

I'm sorry I cant offer more help, but I'm not a residential surveyor.

I hope get it sorted OP.

Flip

Swipe left for the next trending thread