Roof and valley construction material/lifespan

[jazzfunk]

Dear all,

I'm hoping for some advice on the following.
I'm buying a flat. The surveyor noticed a bit of water damage on one wall and said it was coming from the valley (semi detached). The vendor say it was repaired a month ago. The repair document they've sent us says the following:

'Job description- work completed
The valley to the property which is shared with the neighbour was showing signs of wear and tear and
has been previously priced for a repair.
Firstly the gulley was thoroughly cleaned any any defects rectified to the felt and/or the parapet walls.
The gulley then had an acrylic/fibre sealant applied. Two coats of the sealant were laid. This gave
a seamless finish that evened out imperfections and also gave an attractive finish as well as
being 100% watertight.'

Our surveyor ssays that it the roof is felt this is not good, should be lead. There's slate on top. Given that the valley is felt and there has been one leak I'm not sure what to do. What is the lifespan of a felt roof? If I find it was installed say about 5 years ago, would I be right in expecting a reduction on the price given that we're going to have to pay to redo the roof? Or is our surveyor being extra conservative?

The rest of the flat has been done to a very high quality and the guy licing in it who did it is an architect. I'd then be surprised if the roof was done on the cheap but that's how it seems. I don't want to move in and have to fork out thousands for a repair or struggle to sell the flat in a few years if the next people ask the same questions.

I'd really appreciate some advice - I'm completely out of my depth here.

Thanks

Oran

 

[datarebal]

"The gulley then had an acrylic/fibre sealant applied."
Basically bodged, little more than a temp fix IMHO
see if you can get your own inspection by a roof expert.

A five year old properly done felt roof should be nothing to worry about.

 

[KenGMac]

think ahead a little?

Along comes a storm, you make an insurance claim for the gutter because of a leak from in, but it is turned down why? incorrect material used, claim declined because of poor design.

Some insurance policies will not cover a flat felt roof if it is more than 8 Years old, as a rule of thumb insurers will not cover a flat felt roof over 12 years as it is thought to have "reached the end of its useful life"