Internal damp from parapet wall on roof

[alexei]

Hello,

Hoping that a DIY expert can help us with a question on roofing/internal wall damp of a property we're looking to buy.

The flat has serious damp issues on the inside (wet walls all round, mould growing inside).
The property is fantastic and obviously reduced due to the issues with the damp.

It has a flat roof and parapet walls - apparently the last buyer who put an offer on had the sale fall through after their lender pulled out.
We've been advised that the damp issue relates to the parapet wall on the roof.

We would obviously get a full survey done if an offer is accepted, but friends/family have warded us off putting an offer in I really want to get an expert's opinion on whether we should bother with this expense or just ignore it straight away.

Apparently the previous bidders had a quote of £1500-£9000 to fix the issue with parapet walls, which is fine and within our budget. I guess our main concern would be if there was any structural damage or problems with the electrics (and obviously if our lender withdrew).

Does anyone here have experience/advice with this issue?

Sorry if this isn't enough to provide an opinion, i'm no expert, so just try to get the gut feel from someone who knows what they're talking about, or without spending £100s on a survey.

We have plenty of photos of the interior and if it would help, i'm sure we could do a second viewing and get some photos from the roof if that would help.

Thanks
Alex

 

[ree]

Why not post Pics of the interior and the exterior of the property, and all round and on top of the flat roof and parapet wall(s) - show as much as possible.

Read up on here and in the Building forum ref your questions.

See the similar posts at the bottom of this page.

 

[alexei]

Thanks for your reply Ree, will post some photos of the interior later this evening.

I've looked at a few other posts on here and the internet with understandably mixed comments - varying from saying that you'd just need a skilled builder to another user saying that the wood had probably rotted inside.

I'm a complete novice at DIY but happy to ask the estate agent to try to get a look on the roof if it'd be worthwhile.
Might need a little guidance on detail exactly what to photograph!

Thanks again

 

[alexei]

Photos of the damp walls - sorry, for some reason rotated at an odd angle when i uploaded them

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• alexei
• 21 Mar 2015
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• alexei
• 21 Mar 2015
• 1

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• alexei
• 21 Mar 2015
• 1

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• alexei
• 21 Mar 2015
• 1

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• alexei
• 21 Mar 2015
• 1

 

[ree]

Thank you for the pics.

1. 1'll assume an average sized flat.

2. do you have party walls with other flats on the same floor or any party walls shared with neighbouring properties?

3. Who provided the info ref the earlier quotes and work needed? do you have copies of any earlier reports/surveys? Can you get copies?

4. Is the parapet(s) shared?

5. There is a trap door in pic 4. which indicates a pitched roof, or some kind of roof space.

6. The water stains, and a little condensation dont look too serious - however, water appears to be penetrating and it must be remedied.

7. If the flat is what you want, go for it & work on the assumption that some repairs are inevitable, and figure the max you will have available (can borrow) for remedial/ upgrading work, and proceed on that basis.



8. Get back there as soon as possible, and gain safe access to the flat roof, and pic it, & any other roof, from all angles, and then pic both sides of any parapets.
Stand off the property (in the street) and pic whole elevations at the front and back and any side gables.

9. Dont jump to conclusions, dont believe agents.

FWIW: read up my back posts, any that deal with parapets and water damage of any kind - or use the search facility to find similar subjects.