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My survey says the property has problems with the roof

Answer

A roof is generally expected to last about 20 years. If the roof is ten years old and the surveyor has said you should expect to replace it in 10 years time, this is normal. For other issues with the roof read the section about the roof in What A Property Survey Really Means.

Search Results for 'roof' in
How to Really Buy a Property

"... surveyors should never estimate the cost of works; When rising damp, penetrating damp, subsidence, cracking, sagging roofs, bulging walls and all the other frightening things in a surveyor's report might be serious, and when they are not; Why asking the vendor to carry out work is not..."
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"... and that is two years too long. The need to own - Britain is one of many countries where people yearn for their own roof and four walls. It's an emotion that doesn't apply in Germany where a vast sector of the population rent for their entire lives. Speculating - while a market is falling..."
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"... houses maintenance is far more substantial and it is here that the novice investor can make mistakes because houses often appear to have a better yield. On first inspection there is no service charge or ground rent to pay and so the rental profit appears much better. But it is essential to remember that the costs of roof and window repairs or replacements, as two examples, can be..."
"... a house where the mortgage payments will be £1,000 but the rental will be £1,700 and assume it will be tenanted for 11 months out of 12 every year. The profit is £8,400 per year. Now in year three the roof needs to be replaced at a cost of £25,000. This has instantly wiped out all the profit since the purchase. Period properties also need periodic work on the bricks, windows and possibly the damp proofing so it is extremely easy to start loosing money instead of making..."
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"... that you are not looking for your ideal property, you haven't got the deposit so by definition you cannot afford it. You are looking for a stepping stone to your ideal property. If you are also financially stretched, even if someone else would be happy to pay your deposit on that lovely Victorian flat, what happens when the roof needs to be replaced and each leaseholder has to find..."
"... beauty of new developments is that they have little character. They are also extremely cheap to maintain unless you are paying for the upkeep of a communal gym, porterage, swimming pool, etc. Everything inside is also guaranteed for at least twelve months and the fabric of the building (roof, walls, foundations, etc.) are usually guaranteed for ten years...."
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"... Moving Home - It is very common for people to move around while they are renting and on their way up the career ladder but if there was no proof that you were ever at a particular address the lender is going to get suspicious. Remember to always register yourself to vote, tell your mobile phone company your new address, and so on. Create a verifiable paper..."
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"... Many buyers take offence here but for no good reason. You 'phone an agent who says he needs to see proof of finances before going on a viewing. Your first instinct may well be to feel insulted, here is someone who does not believe you. You almost feel as if you are being accused of lying! ..."
"... a Service Charge: This is usual where the building has been split into flats or has been built as a block of flats. The Freeholder is responsible for maintaining the external structure from repainting the external walls to replacing the roof. It's the dull and boring side of being a freeholder and so he often hires managing agents to do the job for him. Whether or not he does, you will need to contribute towards these costs. He is responsible for doing them but you are responsible for providing the funds. The exact ins and outs of how this works, what he is responsible for, what percentage you must contribute and a whole lot more are laid out in the..."
"... a Service Charge: It is up to the partners in a share of freehold how they pay for the maintenance of the building. There is no right or wrong way but if the freehold company has no savings it would be wise for you to set up your own separate private account just in case the roof decides it has seen better days! The most popular methods for financing a Share of Freehold property..."
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"... will want to deal with you only. Show your serious intentions by attaching proof of your ability to proceed (an agreement in principle or pre arranged mortgage), the solicitor you have chosen and a bank statement or otherwise proving the cash element. Things that will always act in your..."
"... works in your favour. Being open and clear - the more the agent can tell the vendor, the more your offer will shine. If the agent can say, "This is a cash buyer and he has shown me his bank statement as proof" this is much better than "He says he is a cash buyer". Laying down timescales -..."
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"... if you have not been in debt in the past you will also have a poor credit history and a low credit score. This is because there is no proof that you are any good at handling debt. It is the financial angels of life who have never had a credit card or taken a loan that can have the biggest problems securing a..."
"... important your credit score is also depends on how much of the property's value you want to borrow. This ratio is known to lenders as Loan To Value (LTV). As an example if the property is worth £100,000 and you want to borrow £95,000 your LTV is 95%. In the lenders eyes that's risky business. You are only putting in five percent and you want them to stump up the rest. In this situation you may have to provide much more proof of your financial stability than a buyer who is prepared to go halves with the..."
"... surveyor may decide that the property is worth the money you are prepared to pay as long as he can be sure that a certain issue is not going to be a major problem. He may, for example, believe the roof is at the end of its natural life and will need to be replaced. This could cost over £10,000 and may affect the property value. He will therefore place a retention on the value. This may say, "I agree the property is worth £250,000 once the roof has been checked. Until this has been done I am not convinced the property is worth more than..."
"... homebuyers survey is the usual choice for those buying a flat. It looks at any defects on the property such as the windows, flooring, plumbing, damp and, if there is access, the roof. A structural survey is usually chosen by those purchasing a house as it includes everything in the homebuyers report as well as an inspection of the..."
"... chaff you may decide you want to have further inspections. The most common are: Damp - a damp proofing company to see if the damp found by the surveyor is significant enough to warrant tampering with the walls. Electrics - an electrician to see if there is anything unusual or "unsafe" in the..."
"... is wired. Plumbing - a plumber to check the piping and central heating system (if gas) are sound roofing - a roofer to inspect the tiling, flashings, parapets, rafters and chimney stacks. Structure - a structural engineer to make sure that there is no movement in the building beyond the..."
"... anything the solicitor feels is unusual. This is the time to check that all the things you thought were there (such as a parking space or the right to use a communal roof terrace) really are! With this report will be a contract for you to sign. Putting your signature on this paper is not..."
"... still want to have the same piece of mind. Guarantees - these are the actual guarantees that have been specified in the Seller's Questionnaire. Common items that may be covered by guarantees are the roof, damp proofing, structural work, etc. Planning Consents - these are only required if..."
"... to Assign (Leasehold Only) - for most purchases this is a formality. It is a document from the managing agents or freeholder saying they accept you as the new leaseholder. There are some blocks, however, where you will have to provide character references, proof of your financial status and sometimes even attend for an interview. They are rare and, more often than not, in the upmarket apartments of Mayfair and..."
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"... difference between rising damp and penetrating damp; How to check more than a structural survey covers and pay less; Why a sagging roof may not be a real issue; How to handle subsidence, movement and bulging walls; When to use a survey to renegotiate and when to keep quiet; How to..."
"... other words, as any historian will tell you, don't just look at what was said but ask why it was said. You should also be careful to differentiate work that should be expected (e.g. you should expect to repaint the windows every two years) and work that no person offering on the property would expect (e.g. the entire roof needs replaced). This chapter..."
"... from this the actual value of a structural survey is questionable. The surveyor is not a specialist in any particular field so the report is filled with vague statements such as "The windows appear in need of replacement and should be inspected by a specialist" or "The roof may be bowing and should be inspected by a specialist." More on this is covered in the section What is in a Survey..."
"... up on something. The choice below is almost a check list of where the surveyor will choose one or two items for further investigation: Damp The roof The Electrics The Plumbing The Structure Remember a good surveyor will simply say "there is damp which requires further investigation"...."
"... is a ridiculous statement. Does this surveyor own a damp company? In other words remember this The surveyor is not a damp proof specialist and will not carry out the work so should not quote. The surveyor is not a roofer and will not be carrying out the work so should not quote. The..."
"... surveyor is not a damp proof specialist and will not carry out the work so should not quote. The surveyor is not a roofer and will not be carrying out the work so should not quote. The surveyor is not a qualified electrician and will not be carrying out the work so should not..."
"... back as a retention because of damp in the property. A damp proof company was instructed to give a quote on how much work they believed was in the flat. They found £346 plus VAT! The surveyor had evidently picked a figure out of the air. Sarah and Nicki doubted the difference in the two..."
"... and Nicki doubted the difference in the two figures and instructed a second damp proof company who quoted £379 plus VAT. The vendor felt that the buyers were obviously desperate to reduce the price and if it wasn't this they would find something else in the legal paperwork so, having lost confidence in them, withdrew the..."
"... the surveyor is simply someone who is trained to see tell tale signs that then require you to get a further specialist in. If you want to be thorough and save time then get a valuation survey and at the same time pay for a roofer, plumber, electrician and damp specialist to inspect the property (for freehold properties pay a structural engineer as well). You will short-cut the long survey report and you will know the absolute worst case scenario as each specialist going in will be hunting for work. Then you can take a proper quantified..."
"... rising damp on all period properties (Victorian, Georgian, Edwardian, etc.) where you are buying a property that is or includes the basement, lower ground or ground floors. These buildings were never constructed with damp proof courses, they didn't exist at the time. The question is, how much damp?..."
"... normal sequence of events is that the surveyor says there is damp and, if there is no current guarantee for damp proof work, a damp proof company goes in to quote for how much damp there actually is. Most damp proof companies will try to find any damp because they are looking for work. On the surface this all seems to be fairly sensible but actually it could cause you a whole load of..."
"... there is damp try and ascertain what level there is. Damp proofers measure the level of damp and unofficially anything less than a reading of 20 is not important. Anything over 35 is serious and anything over 50 should be visibly obvious. From a layman's point of view you should consider if the work is actually necessary, which you can do by asking a couple of questions to..."
"... necessary, which you can do by asking a couple of questions to yourself. If there has never been a damp proof course, the property has not recently been decorated and there are no visible signs of damp why mess with it? In other words there is probably a natural balance in the property and..."
"... other words there is probably a natural balance in the property and if there is no damage being caused it means the damp is simply evaporating into the air. To put a damp proof coursing in could upset this natural balance. Damp proof courses are normally a metre to a metre and a half high. With the damp unable to come through and evaporate it could rise further to the top of the damp proof coursing and result in a very concentrated visible damp issue just above the coursing. This would mean, in the long term, even more work and cost for..."
"... the damp proof company is simply looking for work and the surveyor is trying to cover themselves they may both get a damp reading but is it actually penetrating or rising damp? Classic cases of this are damp identified in bathrooms and kitchen areas. The use of showers, baths, frequent cooking (especially boiling) and washing up all cause damp in the air. This is exacerbated in winter months by a lack of ventilation. If the damp is identified in these areas again consider if you saw any visible signs yourself. If not, leave..."
"... on something that the vendor has lived with for years, and has had no issues with, read and consider the chapter The Balance of Power. - The roof - A roofer will usually charge between £100 and £200. Their quotes can vary enormously. Almost any roof will need some work and bear in..."
"... and has had no issues with, read and consider the chapter The Balance of Power. - The Roof - A roofer will usually charge between £100 and £200. Their quotes can vary enormously. Almost any roof will need some work and bear in mind that most structures are generally expected to..."
"... any roof will need some work and bear in mind that most structures are generally expected to last about 20 years on a period property. As such, if the roofer comes back and tells you the roof will need to be replaced within five years do not be surprised and do not expect to be able to renegotiate in a busy..."
"... will need to be replaced within five years do not be surprised and do not expect to be able to renegotiate in a busy market. The most common faults with a roof are: Flashings need replaced Roof needs reinforced Roof needs replaced - Flashings need replaced - The flashings are the..."
"... and do not expect to be able to renegotiate in a busy market. The most common faults with a roof are: Flashings need replaced roof needs reinforced Roof needs replaced - Flashings need replaced - The flashings are the coverings between the tiles and the wall. Often made of..."
"... to be able to renegotiate in a busy market. The most common faults with a roof are: Flashings need replaced Roof needs reinforced roof needs replaced - Flashings need replaced - The flashings are the coverings between the tiles and the wall. Often made of zinc or lead they have a..."
"... flashings are the coverings between the tiles and the wall. Often made of zinc or lead they have a much shorter life span than the actual tiles on the roof. Replacement is a periodic maintenance issue for older buildings so never be surprised when a roofer says they need done, they nearly always..."
"... is a periodic maintenance issue for older buildings so never be surprised when a roofer says they need done, they nearly always do! - roof needs reinforced - In the middle of the 1900s concrete was the new material to build absolutely everything from. It wasn't just restricted to massive..."
"... do! - Roof needs reinforced - In the middle of the 1900s concrete was the new material to build absolutely everything from. It wasn't just restricted to massive council blocks but also to roof tiles and it became very fashionable to have concrete tiling. Unfortunately few people stopped..."
"... few people stopped to consider that these were much heavier than the original slate and so would need better support from the inside. As such many roofs began to bow inwards, not to the extent that they leaked or collapsed , but bowed nevertheless. Extra timber supports will need to be inserted or the concrete tiles replaced with lighter ones if the sagging roof is getting worse. If the roof has sagged, and then stopped, there may be no reason to take any..."
"... the roof has sagged, and then stopped, there may be no reason to take any action. Most of the time bowing or sagging roofs are visual to the naked eye and concrete tiling is obvious because of its thickness. True Story - A Victorian Roof on a Victorian PropertySimon and Nichole were buying..."
"... Story - A Victorian roof on a Victorian PropertySimon and Nichole were buying a four bedroom house in Ronalds Road for £535,000. The survey report suggested that there was inadequate support in the roof and that a roofer should be bought in to quote. The basis of his concern was that the wooden beams and struts did not have metal brackets to hold them in place where they met each..."
"... buyers paid £125 for a roofer who inspected the property and reported that Victorian houses did not have metal brackets supporting the rafters and the system used in the loft was totally in keeping with the age of the property. The roofer did add that metal brackets were a requirement in properties that were being built..."
"... Story - Dangerous Electrics at Lofting RoadAndrea and John were a perfectly nice couple who had fallen in love with a town house near Highbury. They understood that structural surveys were not that useful and so went directly to instructing a plumber, electrician, roofer and damp proof company to give the house a once over...."
"... for no good reason, however, is not advisable. If a property has a natural up-down movement that has not affected it over the last few decades caution should be drawn to messing with it. Although it may stabilise your property, if you are in a terrace it will then be out of synch with its neighbours who are still moving. This can cause wall cracking and roof..."
"... is one other type of movement. With all that going up and down over the years some properties start to bulge out. This could also be caused by something like a heavy roof or a roof incorrectly supported or simply because the up and down movement is not happening to all of the property at the same time. In this case the wall will need to be pinned back in by tying it to a more stable wall in order to hold the property..."
"... - Trees, Maintenance and Other Issues - Whatever else comes up in the survey bear in mind that on older properties: the roof is only expected to last 20 years all timber windows should be repainted and repaired every five years damp proof courses rarely really last the twenty or..."
"... only expected to last 20 years all timber windows should be repainted and repaired every five years damp proof courses rarely really last the twenty or thirty years they are guaranteed for. This means that even when the survey says for example, that the windows will need attention in the..."
"... property. Diane ended up buying a two bedroom flat with a roof terrace as by this time the price of houses had gone beyond her budget. Ultimately the £800 required to get a Structural Engineer in and show the surveyor was overreacting would have been money extremely well spent. " - Types..."
"... all the ins and outs of a survey report the crucial question is value. If the survey report talks about roof or plumbing but concludes that the property is worth what you have offered then trying to renegotiate price is at your own risk. Too many people ignore this fact. Most properties are old, very old, and problems or future works are to be expected. The surveyor knows this and that is why they conclude their report: "In its current condition and in the current market the property is worth £x". And if £x is the price you have agreed with the vendor then so be..."
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"... property actually have the right to sell it - do they own it? Fixtures and Fittings Apart from the bricks, mortar, roof and windows, what is the vendor proposing to include with the sale? The Sellers Pack Does the vendor know of any reason why a buyer would not want the..."
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"... fixtures and fittings list Any planning consents (if applicable) Any building regulation certificates (if applicable) Any guarantees (damp, roof, etc.) The building insurance details The local search (If the HIP is still valid) If the property is leasehold The last three..."
"... helpful. By making the approach direct you will be able to find out if the company in question is still in business. If not you can immediately organise quotes to ensure something you relied on in your offer, say the damp proofing, is not going to become an unaffordable expense. - Service..."
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"... is unbelievably common for a vendor to swap agents after a low offer and the new agent is already rubbing their hands with glee. In their mind the previous agent has done the hard work. In other words they have found the market value of your property and all they need to do is get an offer in the same region, even slightly lower. They can then argue that a second or third offer at the same level is proof of what your property is worth. Very often they know that mentally you will be coming round to this way of thinking and will..."

Search Results for 'roof' in
Property FAQ

My survey says the property has problems with the roof

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Property Terminology

Purpose Built
Survey
Sagging Roof
Dry Rot
Retention
Sink Fund
Bulging Wall
Bowing Roof
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