House buying and damp inspections

[Andy Bloss]

HI all

Currently in the process of buying a small Victorian terraced house. The homebuyer survey noted significant damp levels along the front wall and also in the area of the shower room to the rear of the property and recommended and full damp survey, along with a "sub floor" inspection to check the sub floor"

Can anyone out there give me a better idea of what a "sub floor" inspection is what work is involved? The Vendor (to a degree understandably) is concerned about the floors being damaged, one of the damping proofing companies I've spoken to said that they would merely test the floor by jumping up and down on it!

As a first time buyer, just trying not leave myself with a liability. Thanks to all in advance for any advice.

ta

Andy

[Conor]

Maybe give your surveyor a call. When I had a survey done a few years ago the surveyor quite happily went through his report on the phone with me and described roughly what was involved in all the work he suggested...and even gave me an idea of the cost

[sammy]

Hi Andy
The property obviously has suspended timber floors.Below the floor is a void or space before you reach the sub floor which will be soil or ash possibly. A decent sub-floor inspection would involve removing some area's of the T& G flooring, usually at the edge of a room and inspecting the timber joists and the bearing onto/into the wall for signs of rot and decay. I'd suggest you contact a BWPDA registered company who can do this for you at cost or lift some floorboards yourself then ask them to take a look. Concentrate on any areas were there is a lot of bounce or sag evident in the floor.Also check the air brick to the external walls as timber floors need to be ventilated .

[Andy Bloss]

Many thanks for the information guys, Sammy just for your info, the company who recommended jumping up and down on the floorboards were a BWPDA registered company (I was only asking companies with this affiliation since that's who the surveyor's report recommended.

ta

Andy

[ScubaK@]

Get it done! We didn't, and we now have a dry rot problem and no one to blame. If they give it the alll clear, and something then goes wrong you at least have some sort of come back. Look at it as an insurance policy. I wish we had