bitumen coated roof?

[justin1970]

We're looking at a hosue and thinking of making an offer. They have a pitched grey tile roof, but the whole thing seems to have been painted with a layer of bitumen? If we bought the house would we be leaving ourselves open to a world of horrors or is this actually a good thing? Never seen anything like it before!!

 

[noseall]

some roofing repair companies thought it would be a good idea to repair a slate roof with a layer of hessian sacking and a coat of bitumen.
short term, ok.
long term nightmare.
any problems you now have with the roof, aren't immediately visible, as a result of this black horror.

the next repair stage, after the bitumen bodge is a complete strip, re-felt, batten and tile.

 

[justin1970]

Thanks, managed to speak to a roofer who said don't touch it, once the bitumen starts to crack the water will get under and it'll need a new roof. I'm gonna give it a miss!

 

[Nige F]

Turnerised mid 20th century bodge

 

[^woody^]

If you like the house, then just put in a reduced offer which allows for the roof tile replacement.

 

[Nige F]

With proper Welsh Slate .......not Chinese

 

[justin1970]

Thanks to all those that replied - re the reduced offer, we were already going to offer way under their valuation - private sale because of concerns over a few other things - ie the vendor would only say 'a mate looked at it and he said its in good condition for the year' when I asked about the wiring. As the house was built in about 1910 this could mean anything!!!

The roof was pretty much the last straw - its a big Edwardian house with a kitchen in an extension and I'm guessing the new roof would run into thousands on top of the wiring, re-rendering of one side wall etc, skimming the whole inside of the house, knocking rooms through.......

 

[Nige F]

there`s some bad`uns in Sussex