"David Phillip" wrote in message
om...
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ISSUES
Rising dampness
* (kitchen) - rear wall, revealed areas with rising dampness problems

Can you see the damp or is it only obvious to someone with a dampness meter?
If the latter, it is more likely to be condensation, which tends to happen
in kitchens. It might still be condensation, even if you can see evidence of
the dampness. In any case, unless there is an obvious need to do
rectification work, you can probably ignore it.

* (cellar) - "high damp meter readings" were recorded

It is a Victorian cellar. They are all damp.

* (all elevations) - evidence of dampness found

Probably raining on the day he did the survey :-) Again, unless the dampness
produces visible evidence, it probably can be ignored.

Structure
Movement to the rear elevations and side elevation to the back
addition has shows existing and current cracking 'require strucutral
engineer'

A lot of Victorian houses in London will have cracking from WW2 bomb damage.
If he is right about the cracking being current, then this is potentially a
serious problem. However, a surveyor will almost always describe cracking as
existing and current, because it covers him if it turns out he mistook
subsidence for bomb damage. This is one area where you do need to do some
more investigation.

Woodworm
(Cellar) woodworm found to attack structural timbers supporting the
house.

It is a Victorian house in London. It will have woodworm. What is important
is whether it is new or old woodworm and how badly affected the timbers are.
Old woodworm is not usually a matter for concern.

Cellar Requires attention - flooding evidence.

Talk to the neighbours and the local Water Authority, to find out when
flooding last happened. My house has evidence of flooding under the floors,
but the provision of a pumping station a quarter of a century ago stopped
the flooding.

Windows
* Windows: wood condition rotting taking effect requires replacing
* Windows require replacing and plaster work around windows are "loose
and uncertain".

I would not consider that particularly unusual on a house of that age. The
rot certainly will need attention, although you need to determine whether it
is wet rot, which is a minor problem, or dry rot, which is serious.

* Drip grooves or "throatings" are required to external cills so as to
prevent water seeping back beneath and soaking the brickwork in the
wall adjacent, detaching the plasterwork within.

Easy enough to cut, or you could just add a small bead of wood under the
edge, to give the same effect.

Electrical System
Incoming electrical works at low level (cellar), "thought to be fairly
crude" with loose and old wiring etc. "needs special attention".

On a house of that age, I would expect it to need a rewire and be pleased,
(and a little surprised) if it did not. The incoming wiring is, however, a
matter for the electricty supplier to sort out.

Condensation
Condensation in roof needs to be addressed.

Easy enough to add ventilation, although my experiences of Victorian roof
spaces is that they are usually quite drafty.

Chimney breast/s
Chimney breast removed, require support to be added and additional
ventilation.

The additional support bit is fairly serious and will need to be dealt with.
Some of the dampness noted earlier could be down to this lack of
ventilation.

All in all, much the sort of report I would expect to see on a Victorian
house in London. There are matters that need to be clarified, but you will
be lucky (or have an incompetent surveyor) if you ask for a full survey on
any similar house and don't get this sort of report.

As for the buyer pressuring you, it may be that you are holding up a chain
and he is getting pressure from further along it. However, it is your money
and you don't want to part with it until you are sure that you are buying
the house you want to have. Expect to become a regular here if you are
buying a Victorian property.

Colin Bignell