To buy or not to buy?

[Anonymous]

Looks fine to me, but why is it the only one with render? Have the previous owners been well and truly 'damp washed?'---- the problems you have described are not insurmountable, and a lot less complicated than many of us have had to deal with.

Alternatively, the Vendors may have been advised to 'present the house' for sale.

if it's in the right location for your needs and brings benefits that you have not got in your present property, then it is worth considering.

Good Luck
Jocelyn

 

[Anonymous]

All the houses in the street are very different, old, new, semis, detached etc. There are others with render. Present owners didn't add the render but they did repair it.

I wonder if it's feasible to remove it without damaging the bricks underneath.

The house isn't at all what we wanted, it has less bedrooms and no ensuite, but we just fell in love with it.

 

[Anonymous]

The render could actually pose a problem in the future, which is worth considering. It's cement, it has added damp proofing stuff apparently added, and if the building has solid wall construction it may prevent some 'breathability'. More serious is the fact that eventually it may crack and damp may get into the cracks, and unlike with lime render, be unable to easily escape.

However, it currently is apparently in good condition, and the survey seemed not to show significant damp problems caused by the render. The building will need to be kept well ventilated (chimneys and fires help!) and kept warm and things may well be fine.

If the floors downstairs are wood, ensure that ventilation is adequate too, so any moisture can escape that way. Render and external paths should not be allowed to cover and bridge a damp proof course.

 

[Anonymous]

The chimneys are another story, they need relining if they're to be used. Any ideas on the cost would be gratefully received.

We're feeling more positive about the house today thanks to all the replies I've had....thank you all very much

 

[Anonymous]

I dont know about where you are but we are paying £600 per flue for double skin liners to be fitted in the new cottage. That does include fitting register plates for the stoves. We paid £1200 for a four floor flue in the current place, which was pricey.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm guessing the problems with the chimneys is that they've had gas fires in them and the fumes have eaten away at the mortar giving a risk of smoke entering upstairs rooms.
Google Thermocrete. They reline chimneys UK wide for not a hideous sum and it worked very well for us in our last house. They're in and out in a day, no mess. There are other ways to reline a chimney such fitting a throat into the fireplace out of sight which feeds a flexible steel liner. The better ones have a life of a about 10 years and again it's asimple job - if you look at the active thread about wood stoves below there's a bloke who did it for a few hundred quid I think

 

[Anonymous]

Just reading back through the thread - I am not sure its clear that the render is cement? Wasn't that just the suggestion for the repair from the surveyor?

There is almost no obvious reason why a house of this type will be damp, so long as the walls allow water vapour to evaporate (internally and externally), there is no pernicious water pentration from leaking pipes, gutters, etc. and hidden voids have adequate ventilation.

This house might well suffer less from condensation that your 1960s pad in some ways (i.e. it will leak air!) but rapid heating/cooling cycles linked with showers and cooking will cause condensation on the walls (the inner face of solid outer walls are relatively "cold" and so excess water vapour may condense on them) but this is very unlikely to be an unmanageable problem. Better than the "cold bridging" effect of some 60's building techniques!

Mind you, in 20 years, I am sure there will be a section on this website for '60s architecture too

 

[Anonymous]

Some success, we've negotiated the price down little, so at least we'll be able to get the leaky chimney taken down.

The cement spec was the one that the company recommended, and as far as I know used when the work was carried out.

Have looked at the woodburner thread, now need to find someone fond of curry )