tony de wonderful

I've seen a terrace which ticks all my boxes. On the surface it needs a little TLC but has scope to be a nice place. Only two issues; one is I will need to gazump someone. The other is I notice a bit of damp in the cellar. I'm not too worried about gazumping someone but I don't think it's worth more than 10 k over the their bid. The damp issue however:

Initially I thought the damp might be trivial, but I walked past the property again and notice the front bay window is at a very slight - almost imperceptible - angle, like there has been some past movement, and in the brickwork above the window there is some random pointing which could be covering slight cracks through the cement, and it's on the side where the window has moved down. The damp is just below this bay window in the cellar below, so I'm worried there could have been a burst pipe once or some ongoing leaking? I dunno. These terraces are over 100 years old, could have moved decades ago?

Writing this now I think I should probably not bother, but is there anyway to find records of previous insurance claims or any work related to possible subsidence? The property was apparently being rented out but was repossessed. There has been some money spent on it the last few years with what looks like an 80% refurbishment, including the damp cellar, but it's like they gave up and it was repossessed, or ?? Perhaps I am being paranoid now?

Problem with these old houses is they are like old suburus which have been though numerous owners, with mods and repairs and sod all paperwork. You just hope they aren't hiding nasty secrets. I'm not getting much out of the estate agent when I mentioned the damp, they know what not to say!

SJ_Skyline

You should have both surveys and searches conducted. The survey should show any issues with the property, the search should show any concerns with the plot.

hodgy0_2

on balance (and subject to a basic survey) i would take a 100 year old property against a sh1te new build every day of the week

sounds like the fundementals are all there - subject to the location not being underneath the M6

Dingdongler

If I were being polite I'd say you were risk averse.

However in reality you are a natural ditherer and will find any reason not to buy. This causes you frustration which you then release by vitriolic and pseudo intellectual arguments against the whole concept of property and land ownership.

It's quite amusing

And why are you asking for advice from 'property gurus'? I thought people who made money from property were no better than slave traders/benefit cheats and were basically robbing the poor.

Make you mind up or I'll have to add schizophrenia to your list of ailments

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

Sounds to me like your in danger of becoming what you hate most, devoid of morality gazumping some poor young couple with a family out of their dream home shame on you.

Aside from that i'd say walk away as it sounds to me like it could well require under pinning, i'd have a good look at the other houses on the row and see if there are any similar issues, apart from that I have had houses with cellars all my life and damp is always an issue to a lesser or greater degree, some bright spark as probably blocked off the coal shoot and other ventilation points to avoid drafts coming up through the floor boards, or maybe like a lot of these old houses it's on a sand base which has washed away where the rain has crept in over the years, they usually have a brick floor in the cellar, I once had to remove an anderson shelter and take all the bricks out, then dig down a foot and fill it with concrete, that was fun.

P.s the anderson shelter went down about 3 feet and there was still no solid ground under that.

Graz

Could just be settlement over the years or as you say it could be due to a leaking pipe or some such. Worst case scenario is a cracked / collapsed sewer pipe but even that is not too difficult to rectify with some of these modern building repair inventions.

Get a decent survey and maybe a drain survey on top of that. Problem is if the survey comes back with issues you won't have much wiggle room on reducing your offer as if you lower it too much they'll sell to the lot you're trying to gazump. Survey will set you back around £800 - £1000.

hodgy0_2

i have had to do that before now - peanuts in the grand scheme of things

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

I'd also add; Look at the roof line of all the properties (the ridge) and see if that sags too, which will give you an idea as to the extent of the subsidence, as above though it's probably just settled over the years.

If you do go for it you'll need to buy a decent de-humidifier and have it running 24/7 for a few years as well as cleaning and treating the walls with some special paint.

I have been in my current house 9yrs and always have one running, but it also has a tiled floor and walls and is in constant daily use, it's the only way to do it if you want to make use of the extra space a cellar offers for storage etc, mine has two chest freezers and all manner of stuff stored down there as well as being the winter laundry drying room and pantry.

I love cellars and wouldn't buy a house that didn't have one.

SJ_Skyline

Laugh? I nearly shat!

cookstar

iTrader: (6)

All property is theft.

Dingdongler

Then you must be the biggest thieving barsteward on Scoobynet.

cookstar

iTrader: (6)

You never know.

tony de wonderful

I can't see significant sag in the apex of the roof but both end walls of this row (of six IIRC) do 'bow' out very slightly, so I'm thinking any movement is old, and I can see a little tilt in some other bay windows in a couple of the other properties. I went back to the property now and I think the damp is from a leak on the 'roof' of the bay window because I can see wet/damp brick work going down the side of the window (the brickwork) to the damp spot in the cellar.

Anyway, I'm giving it a miss because the property has an offer already (for cash (apparently, not that I believe a word estate agents say) and I could be spending money on a survey for nothing.

I totally agree about the need for cellars and it is a prerequisite for me with one of these terraces.

shytorque

I totally agree about the need for cellars and it is a prerequisite for me with one of these terraces.[/QUOTE]

That's what Fred and Rose said !!!!!!

Dingdongler

That's what Fred and Rose said !!!!!![/quote]




Yes and they made a killing with their property.....

ScoobyWon't

Only nearly? I think I did!

tony de wonderful

Owning other peoples houses induces a grandiosity which other asset classes don't. Puncture this grandiosity and and the vitriol is almost infinite.

paulr

I would ask the neighbours.

Dingdongler

Unless you are a bank how can you own somebody elses house?

The people you refer to 'own' their own house, they just happen to be kind enough to let others live there for a fee.

jods

If the place is 100 years old and a terrace then I'd not worry too much about a little bit of damp in the cellars etc. it sounds like an exciting proposition. Get a full on survey done. If anything nasty turns up use it to negotiate on price. If, like we had, the surveyor misses something then you can claim restitution. Ours missed a broken pane in a double glazed sliding door. They paid the total value of replacement which we put towards a set of French doors.