Ok, so just replacing felt on the roof. Which doesn't actually need doing - it was just raised as an issue by the surveyor? An independent roofer quoted £1800 for just to roof? But can you really compare this as it may well have been a complete job - strip everything back to bare joists, fit modern level of insulation, and recover using something superior to felt (which is most things ) Is this a house you've just bought? When was that extension built? I wonder what level of insulation is in the roof - any signs of mould or condensation in the corners of the upstairs extension room? I think - if it were me - I wouldn't have the roof re-felted unless it actually needed it. I would save up and have it redone in a few years time to modern insulation standards, and with a superior roof covering. I think it would be worth it. And any damp removal/proofing should have a guarantee. And one that's backed with indemnity insurance to fully protect you should the operators go out of business. I think that's a minimum. Like many double-glazing companies, damp & rot treatment companies are notorious for going 'out of business' when claims come in, so that the 20/25 year warranties are worthless. They then start up again... These guys could be great! But, man, you need some proof and some cover...
Thanks for the reply D. I bought the house back in 2000, haven't really had any issues in it until I tried to sell recently. The buyer dropped out after carrying out a structural survey. He wouldn't let me see it but we know it highlighted the flat roof and the damp in particular. I think the extension was built in the 90's - I probably have the planning permission docs buried somewhere but don't know off-hand. Thanks for your suggestions - gives me what I really need to look at. Thanks B
If you are doing this work in order to sell the house, you will almost certainly need a guarantee for any damp proof treatment, this guarantee may or may not pass over to a new named owner of the property. As for the flat roof, if it's not leaking, I fail to see how a surveyer can condemn it.
Agreed! The surveyor is no doubt covering his own *** as usual. The firm i'm using say (in a text) "we can match and issue the guarantee onthe product we use to stop the rising damp. The guarantee will only cover natural rising damp, doesn't make your property watertight against floods and leaks". I'm waiting for them to confirm about indemnity insurance.
Ah, I see, baldgit. As you say, surveyors are there to cover their own bottoms against any potential claim. By implication, their reports will be worst case scenarios. However, you've just realised the weight it carries. If you want to sell with as few probs as possible, then you need to get the job done. Pretty much 'end of'. So, disregard everything I've said before. Just go for it! (If the put-off previous buyer is never coming back and you'll likely be selling to a completely new person, then the guarantee for the work is still useful but not as essential. Any new survey should carried out after this work should - in theory - find nothing amiss, so the new interested peeps will have a 'clean' survey report.)
Well they can't work out VAT. I don't know much about chem damp roofing but only 10 days between hacking off the old plaster and walking out of a re-skimmed and repainted damp-proof room seems a bit hasty. Still don't know what is entailed with the flat roof.