Survey?

[jason61c]

Hi all.

I'm buying this as a project...



Had an offer accepted on an old farm house(left in a will), its 200ish years old, cobb and stone construction, thatch was replaced with a 'normal' roof in the early 50's.

I want to get a survey done on it just so I'm fully aware of what needs doing etc. It seems a bit of a mine field.

1) Are they're any diynot ypes that carry out such services in the south west(exeter).
2) What should I look for?
3) Why do prices vary so much? I've had quotes from £300 to £1250+vat!! The £300 guy worked from home, came up on one from http://www.localsurveyorsdirect.co.uk They let slip his name so I mananged to track him down direct, he's also a qualified quantity surveyor. Am I missing some thing anywhere?
4) Anyone have first hand experience of things to look for in a cobb and stone house?

Its not centrally heated but doesn't smell of damp(been empty a year also), only damp I could find was 2 small patches upstairs in the middle of a wall(12inch circles). Some say this is normal as the structure 'breathes'.

 

[Whitespirit66]

Nice farmhouse. Shame about the roof.

Still, probably a good bargaining point.

 

[Norcon]

Probably not well insulated.
Bangor Blue slats is what the roof needs.

 

[jason61c]

Nice farmhouse. Shame about the roof.

Still, probably a good bargaining point.

it was thatched until the 50's, on a roof that size I wouldn't buy it if the roof was new!

 

[jason61c]

Probably not well insulated.
Bangor Blue slats is what the roof needs.

I'm not worried about insulation!!!

 

[EFLImpudence]

If it's been there for two hundred years, what's a 'surveyor' going to find?

 

[conny]

If it's been there for two hundred years, what's a 'surveyor' going to find?

Skeletons in the cupboard?

Seriously though, it looks quite good in the picture. What did you pay for it?

 

[tony1851]

Cob needs to be well protected fom the weather.

The the cob-part should have a good stone base to keep the damp down, and a generous overhang of the roof, which yours seems to have.
The rendering needs to be a good soft lime-based render (definitely no cement-based products here!) and in good repair.

Some don't like the roof, but thatched roofs are a nightmare, and yours seems
a workman-like job.

Pity, though, about the conservatory - so 1980s and a complete carbuncle, to use PoW's phrase.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Buying a 200 year old project house and you need a survey? If you need a survey to point out the obvious you're in the wrong game.

 

[jason61c]

Buying a 200 year old project house and you need a survey? If you need a survey to point out the obvious you're in the wrong game.

Thanks for your input I want to cover all bases and make sure I've not missed anything thats all. Wouldn't you say that was sensible?


The plastic thing is horrid, however the Old lady who lived there was house bound for 5 years, so they had it fitted to allow her to sit out in the sun, also it was 4 large steps upto the front door, basically it gave her a extra bit of quality of life, she lived in 3 rooms downstairs. I do have a print of how it did look though, that's what I'd like to return it to.

Your right about the roof being workman like, when it was done it was still a working farmhouse, seems to be the same roofing council builds were done with in the 50's, so not overly pretty but seems well made.

What I can't fully work out is if its mostly stone/brick except the chimney end, however thats got a large brick stack on it.

Its not a money spinner, its going to be a family home so everything can be done in time.

 

[bernardgreen]

The problem with a survey carried out before the sale is that the surveyor cannot lift carpets, move furniture, or carry out other invasive inspections without the owner's permission.

So things like defective floor boards with holes covered with hardboard ( or cardboard ) will not be seen by the surveyor.

 

[jason61c]

Its 100% empty at the minute.

 

[EddieM]

One thing that may be worth considering is that as the main building is over 200 years old it *may* not have any foundations as such. However the conservatory will. This can cause significant differential movement twixt house and conservatory, leading to the two parting company. Well it did on my old cottage anyway.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

I want to cover all bases and make sure I've not missed anything thats all. Wouldn't you say that was sensible?

I would say that unless you dig deep and demand an evasive survey your survey will be like all surveys: a waste of money. As mentioned if you are doing this up then presumably you have some nous where restoration is concerned, in which case a survey seems pointless to me. Or maybe you haven't the nous? In which case it may not be such a good idea to take on such a project.

 

[Nige F]

[ What I can't fully work out is if its mostly stone/brick except the chimney end, however thats got a large brick stack on it.

.

stack is probably coeval with the roof recovering