Hi all, I'm in the process of selling my house, a 1930's semi.
The buyers survey picked up a few items of concern, but in my view these are typical of the way the houses have been built. The survey also said that the value of the house was in line with what was offered.
2 builders have come to asses the items raised, one has basically quoted an extortionate amount of money to fix every item, the other has said only a couple of minor things actually need doing and will cost a matter of a hundred pounds or so.
The biggest item picked up was the windows. The original windows were replaced about 15 years ago and being a 1930s house no lintels were originally used. The replacement windows include new lintels in the wider ones, but the narrow windows & doors don't have lintels. One builder quoted to add new lintels to every window at a cost of about £9k for 9 windows and 2 doors, this didn't seem to take into account whether the work was necessary due to structural issues.
If the windows were to be replaced now then lintels would be required by default and that is fair enough, but is it reasonable for us to be expected to pay for the cost to replace every lintel even when there is no sign of movement of the brickwork?
It seems to me the surveyor has just flagged the usual issues with a 1930s house (possible damp, roof ventilation concerns & lack of lintels) and one builder has quoted to fix these, rather than actually state whether they really do need fixing in the first place.
What steps can we take to determine more detail than the survey gave in raising things which might be issues, to actually figure out whether work really needs doing. I'm concerned that builders will look at it and quote with a view to getting the work to fix the issues and not give an accurate view as to whether the work is really necessary.
Thanks in advanced.
The buyers survey picked up a few items of concern, but in my view these are typical of the way the houses have been built. The survey also said that the value of the house was in line with what was offered.
2 builders have come to asses the items raised, one has basically quoted an extortionate amount of money to fix every item, the other has said only a couple of minor things actually need doing and will cost a matter of a hundred pounds or so.
The biggest item picked up was the windows. The original windows were replaced about 15 years ago and being a 1930s house no lintels were originally used. The replacement windows include new lintels in the wider ones, but the narrow windows & doors don't have lintels. One builder quoted to add new lintels to every window at a cost of about £9k for 9 windows and 2 doors, this didn't seem to take into account whether the work was necessary due to structural issues.
If the windows were to be replaced now then lintels would be required by default and that is fair enough, but is it reasonable for us to be expected to pay for the cost to replace every lintel even when there is no sign of movement of the brickwork?
It seems to me the surveyor has just flagged the usual issues with a 1930s house (possible damp, roof ventilation concerns & lack of lintels) and one builder has quoted to fix these, rather than actually state whether they really do need fixing in the first place.
What steps can we take to determine more detail than the survey gave in raising things which might be issues, to actually figure out whether work really needs doing. I'm concerned that builders will look at it and quote with a view to getting the work to fix the issues and not give an accurate view as to whether the work is really necessary.
Thanks in advanced.