Cavity wall ties.

[andy2306]

Im wantring to get a survey done for my cavity walls, but who do i ask, I was thinking that if i asked a company who offers free inspections they are guarenteed to find something and want to charge me for the pleasure.

Where would you look first, also the same I need a roof check, but im sure if i ask a roofer to come around the same will happen!

 

[^woody^]

A building surveyor should be able to do this - ties and roof.

Are there specific reasons why the ties are suspect?

The probelm with using companies or roofers who do their own surveys, is that they may not be impartial. There are good ones around, but its finding them.

 

[andy2306]

Weight i believe, They are concrete tiles and have replaced slate tiles, also a leak around the chimney.

I enquired a building survey was going to be 250 + VAT, not bad, Might ask a roofer first then a surveyor if its a lot to fix.

 

[^woody^]

Whats that got to do with the wall ties?

 

[andy2306]

Nothing a seperate issue brought up on a property im interested in buying, They only recommended a check and didnt make it a condition of purchase (the mortgage company that is)

Just wondering if a roofing company will flag enough issues to

A) Get the roof sorted
B) Allow me to negotiate the agreed price with this in mind but not make it expensive for me to get sorted

The wall ties im not too worried about, the walls dont appear to be bulging to my untrained eye, but its cavity construction and the surveyor recommended a check, dont want it to put the wife off though!

 

[Shytalkz]

If the valuation surveyor is only mentioning the ties in passing, it's a prudent arse-covering comment, no more than that. I presume that this is an early 20s/30s property? If so, ties weren't galvanised or stainless in those days, hence being more susceptible to rusting. An inspection of any older property with cavity walls is likely to reveal at least a few ties that are degrading, but it's not necessarily an indication of a more widespread problem with them. If there is a significant problem with wall ties, it tends to manifest itself in horizontal cracking at 450 vertical centres up the brickwork: as the tie rusts, it expands, hence the cracking.

An SE or building surveyor can do an inspection with a borescope, unless the cavity is filled with insulation, then it's bricks out and have a look-see. As you say, there are specialist companies who can also take a look, but that is with a vested interest of getting some work out of it.

With regard to the roof, concrete tiles are heavier than slate. Timbers for earlier properties are generally undersized to modern design standards and an increase in weight will often cause the roof to sag (by overstressing and/or creep deflection). You might need some additional purlins and/or props. More an SE's province, although BSs like to think that they can do structural calculations