"flooding" in cellar - wwyd?

[Kopparbergkate]

After sarching for 8 months, finding lovely houses and being messed about (see threads passim!) we've just had an offer accepted on a place that satisfies both heart and head. BUT when we looked around, we noticed that the floor of part of the cellar seemed damp and that there was a small pump installed in one corner (other room of cellar dry as a bone). Doing some subsequent searching I've discovered that the current owner complained about planning permission being granted for the house up the hill because he'd had "flooding" in his cellar already and was concerned about raising the water table further.

We were not planning on using the cellar for much more than shed type storage anyway so I'm thinking that as long as the surveyor is aware and carefully checks there's no damp/foundation problems affecting the actual living areas, we'll be fine. Also thinking we could investigate some sort of extra drainage in the garden - though i have no idea what kind of professional to contact...

What do you guys think? Are we mad to have not pulled out?

Has the owner been upfront about the water? If so, how bad does it get? I would be very wary about buying a house that had any water coming in - even if it doesn't affect the property structurally (which I'd be about if they have installed a pump) then it will make the house smell musty.

You can see if there is any way around it by speaking to a surveyor but, tbh, if it were me, I would probably walk unless someone could convince me that the problem could be eradicated.

No smell of mustiness anywhere apart from the one room of the cellar, the other cellar room smells and looks dry and the floor level is about half an inch different so I'm thnking that the water can't get deeper than that. The current owners didn't mention it when we looked round but we didn't ask (d'oh!). I'm going to get our solicitor to ask formal questions I think... I really love the house :-(

i would make sure your surveyor has a very good look and get his opinion. alsocheck all the damp proof coursing has guarantee in place.

Check your insurance too, we pulled out on house when we realised (very small!) risk of flooding meant we were stuck with the current insurer and they weren't obliged to provide insurance forever.

I know how hard it is to pull out of somewhere you love, but personally I'd be very conscious that flooding anywhere is likely to get worse if climate change predictions are accurate - might seem ok now but potential worries for you in future.

I would be worried and would check when the pump was put in and exactly why the vendors felt it necessary, also when the house further up the hill was built. It could be that the new-build has exacerbated an existing problem and it will only get worse. Not sure why you think that having half an inch in difference between the two cellar room floors means it can only flood to that level?

You need to feel very confident imo that it isn't going to be a problem.

You need a proper survey done. That would flag up anything like this.

Fwiw we have a cellar and it isn't too bad - a bit damp and things get musty if left for a while, but it's victorian and never been tanked or anything - there might be a solution in terms of sealing it off, inside, but I don't know much about it.

Surveyor is the first thing.

We have had damp probs with our (converted) basement since we moved in (seller was not honest/open).
It has taken me a year to get to the bottom of the problem (damaged rainwater pipe/gulley).
You coudl ask your solicitor to request details of the problem from the seller before going any further...