On Fri, 15 Jun 2007 06:43:37 -0700, lunny1973 wrote:

Can anyone please offer any comments/insight/expert opinion/words of
condolence for the following.....

We're trying to do a part exchange on our house. The existing house is an
1891 stone built end terrace and when we bought it in 2000 we stupidly
only had the mortgage valuation done. The surveyor picked up on a couple
of things - the roof was "coming to the end of it's useful life" (sagging
due to replacement tiles) and that there had been some movement causing
mortar cracks and slight lateral displacement. The movement was deemed to
be long standing and the potential for further movement was acceptable.
Noticed an internal crack at the top of the cellar stairs upon moving in
which was in the original limestone plaster. Never gave it much thought
but have been keeping my eye on it and it's not changed appearance in 7
years.

We spend the next 7 years completely renovating the place. Replastering,
replacing coving and skirting etc with the hope of adding value when we
come to eventually sell.

2 weeks ago a surveyor came out at the request of the building company.
Scribbled away, never asked us about anything and went away. Building
company phoned and said they will pay for a structural survey since the
surveyor has picked upon problems with the roof (was expecting that) and
there has been some movement (that'll be what was noticed when we bought
it).

Structural surveyor comes out with a little spirit level and a dictaphone
and again never asks us any questions. Report comes back and said the roof
needs strengthening as it causing roof spread. (£5K). I accept that. He
also noted the mortar cracks (which are mostly hairline and not anywhere
near 1mm) and said the these were "more recent" which if you ask me is
extremely vague (if he's never seen the house before how can he possibly
know? They could have been there for 40 years). He then went on to say in
the same paragraph that there was dusting on the front garden wall, which
is evidence of work being done on the mortar (It was but it was to replace
some coping stones on the wall and not the join between wall and house).
He also went on to say that the house had been refurbished, new skirtings
etc and that this could mask signs of internal movement. Some of the
floors also slope a bit. The upshot of this is that in his professional
opinion the house is suffering from ongoing gradual movement!!!! The
surveyor will now not put a value on the house and will not recommend that
the building company PX with us.

Is it me or is this one of the biggest cases of arse-covering ever? Is
this how it always goes? A 100+ year old house has sloping floors and a
couple of cracks and you've got to get the foundations checked because
it's been replastered and the skirtings have been replaced. I'm thinking
of paying for a second opinion. Is it likely that ANY engineer will reach
the same conclusion because they're too **** scared to say anything else?

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I doubt if there's anything to be gained by paying for a second opinion as
it's unlikely to change the collective mind of the building company with
whom you're dealing. In fact it might compromise your situation in a
future sale as it might show up something unpleasant that you might have
to disclose if HIPs become a reality. The simple answer is to sell on the
open market where you'll probably get a better price.

As far as "..........suffering from ongoing gradual movement......." is
concerned I wouldn't be too bothered given the nature and age of the
property. The famous Iron Bridge is known to be suffering from the same
problem and as far as I know nobody is suggesting that it's in imminent
danger of collapse.

You mention that you got a mortgage 7 years ago so there's no real reason
why another buyer shouldn't do the same unless there has been substantial
and dangerous deterioration in the intervening years.

Cic.

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