The Do's and Dont's of Buying Property 2

So... you’ve taken a general look at the property you’re thinking of buying in the context of the street scene and you’ve gained a fair understanding of what are likely to be recurrent issues with this type of property, which areas require a little more attention, which areas require a lot more attention, what the neighbourhood is like and you’ve decided not to head for the hills... so it can’t be all bad... trust me there have been occasions when, even as a professional, I’ve longed to beat a hasty retreat.

It’s important to resist the urge to rush inside at this point to look at the typically bland or hideous colour schemes that periodically lay within. Instead, I urge you to consider the external components in a little more detail before venturing inside. This will help offer a little more direction on what might be suspect, vulnerable and/or potentially costly areas within. It may also assist later in pin-pointing the possible cause of some internal defects. Following this guide should ensure you don’t miss much:-

ROOFS:-
Always pay particular attention to roof coverings as these can give rise to some of the most expensive damage (longstanding water ingress even if it appears minor can affect plaster, collapse ceilings, rot timbers, de-stabilise walls and a lot more). Consider the nature and finish of the roof(s):-

• a steep roof pitch can put extra pressure on the guttering in extreme conditions, assuming that is the gutters are aligned and positioned correctly to catch and discharge it;
• a shallow pitch can mean extra weight on the roof timbers, particularly from snow loadings, replacement coverings, etc which can be typically apparent in general ‘dishing’ or deflection in the overall line of the roof areas, but this is not always significant;
• does the roof have hidden aspects, particularly behind parapets etc, which may be prone to blockage or debris build up (in particular you should consider the local bird population and the buildings proximity to overhanging or tall trees which can be a real ongoing problem);
• is it likely that the roof coverings have been replaced, heavy replacement concrete tiles can seriously overload a previously slated or clay tiled roof structure;
• what type of roof coverings can you see, consider whether these are common, cheap or expensive – slates (colour could suggest the region of origin which may imply cost, bleaching may suggest asbestos based replacement synthetic slate), plain tiles (either a regimented machine-made tile (typically clay but some concrete) or a more rustic appearance hand thrown clay tile), clay kent peg tiles, glazed or unglazed pantiles, interlocking concrete tiles, etc;
• are the roof coverings generally consistent in appearance and do they appear to be intact;
• are the roof slopes, ridges and tiled valleys in the main true to line and level;
• are the roof coverings affected by moss and lichen growth. Typically this affects shallower roof coverings but may also affect shaded areas. This can vastly increase the speed at which clay tiles delaminate and break down. This can also lead to residue build-up in gutters and valleys;
• felt flat roof areas and coverings may suffer premature aging from UV degradation if not protected by chippings or solar reflective coatings and they typically have a shorter life span not to mention being more difficult to access and inspect;
• lead flat roof coverings have there own specific issues, look for cracks, splits or periodically theft... yep it still happens;
• and remember an aged roof does not always indicate defects or a need to replacement the coverings and conversely a new roof does not necessarily mean a trouble free roof. Always look at the detail and quality of the installation rather than be fixated on its age... remember... many roofs (some of which have covered buildings for over 60-100 years) are as good today as they were when they were first covered;
• if in doubt ask

CHIMNEY STACKS:-
These typically get neglected (out of sight, out of mind). Pay particular attention to the stacks condition (typically these have a brick finish but can be rendered):-

• does the mortar pointing appear loose or missing, this could give rise to water ingress;
• are the individual bricks breaking down, missing or loose;
• does the flaunching (the weathering at the base of the chimney) appear cracked, loose or damaged, this could give rise to water ingress and loosening of the chimney pots;
• do the chimney pots appear loose or damaged, this could give rise to damage to the roof tiles or persons;
• do the redundant chimney pots have appropriate terminals fitted to deter rain water ingress. This can cause considerable water staining on the internal face of chimney breasts, especially above fireplaces which just does not want to go away;
• is the render finish cracked or loose, this can be particularly hazardous potentially giving rise to damage to the roof tiles or persons and also water ingress;
• TV aerials can be a particular problem when combined with any of the above as they can if left unchecked de-stabilise the entire chimney stack and lead to its collapse.
• if in doubt ask

FLASHINGS AND VALLEY GUTTERS:-
Flashings are predominantly limited to wall face abutments to pitched roof coverings and detailing. Modern flashings predominantly comprise lead strips dressed and pointed into the walls a short distance above the upstand of the roof coverings or details with the remainder being dressed down over a portion of the adjacent roof coverings. Older properties may have a tile fillet bedded into mortar at abutments to achieve a similar result. The principle is that any water running down the face of the wall or abutment should run over the flashing and onto the roof coverings and not into the potentially exposed joint between the components. These should be paid particular attention:-

• are the tile flashings or mortar bed fractured. This can lead to significant water ingress;
• are the metal flashings adequately fixed, being flexible they are sometimes prone to wind damage and subsequently give rise to water ingress;
• do the flashings provide effective cover to the upstand and tiled areas, this is a frequent mistake, easily remedied;
• do the flashings need repointing which could lead to water ingress and eventual loosening and loss of the flashings.

Valley gutters occur at the abutment of roof slopes and are either tiled continuous with the roof slopes or formed with a lead lining (other materials are used but lead is the most common). This can be prone to debris build up, moss and lichen growth, etc. These areas should be subject to at least an annual cleansing programme to eliminate this potential risk, more if considered necessary. If in doubt ask

GUTTERS & DOWNPIPES:-
Gutters predominantly tend to be either cast iron, extruded or cast aluminium, plastic or asbestos. Gutters are prone to:-

• periodic blockage and vegetation growth from debris washed off the roof areas;
• displaced or broken joints which leak causing damage to the fascia, brick face and ground level finishes below. This can in extreme instances cause significant internal staining and plaster damage;
• cast iron (which requires periodic painting) fractures, splits and over time rusts. This is particularly apparent to the rear of rainwater down pipes and gutters which are notoriously difficult to paint. This can lead to collapse in extreme instances. Cast iron is very brittle and particularly hazardous if it falls from height as it shatters on impact;
• plastic gutters are subject to thermal movement and are easily damaged/dislodged;
• down pipes should only be discharged to the surface water drainage system. You would be amazed at how often internal damage is caused by down pipes discharging into air bricks or direct against the external wall through fractured pipes or displaced joints;
• down pipes should ideally be open at the base for ease of clearance of blockages. Those discharging direct into the underground system can be very difficult and expensive to clear and that’s only after you’ve become aware of a problem;
• if in doubt ask

MAIN WALLS:-
The external walls may comprise a single or multitude of finishes from face bricks, brick tiles, tile hanging, rendered, weather boarded, mathematical tiles, etc. Typically with tiles, render and weather boarding you’re looking for signs of misalignment, fracturing or displacement, however by their very nature these types of finishes obscure underlying structural defects and may need a keener eye to investigate. Defects to brick facades tend to be more readily apparent and it is recommended that you consider the following:-

• bricks - consider the bricks themselves. Are these a uniform standard size or are they ‘special’. Do these have an unusual finish, colour or texture or are they quite common. This can significantly affect the cost of repairs and extensions;
• does the property have any special brick detailing (over windows, plinths, decorative patterns, etc). This can significantly affect the cost of repairs or extensions;
• are the bricks particularly hard or soft, which can carry their own specific problems;
• are the brick surfaces damages or pitted. With soft bricks this can lead to their early deterioration and water ingress;
• pointing – the mortar bedding and vertical joints between the bricks – are these large, standard (approx 10mm) or pencil thin. This can affect the skill (and consequently cost) required to repair or extend same;
• mortars are supposed to have a lesser strength than the bricks they bond together... with some brick types (soft red ‘rubbers’ or to older listed buildings especially) this can result in some very weak mortars which break down very easily and can require a lot of maintenance;
• particularly hard mortars can cause damage to the bricks themselves, which typically becomes more costly to repair;
• properties that have been re-pointed with an inappropriate mortar can either require re-pointing more frequently or can cause some really expensive longer term problems;
• mortar pointing should be profiled or recessed so that it helps to shed water from the brick face and eliminates ledges upon which rainwater can stand and subsequently cause more serious damage;
• fracturing/cracking is to be expected with all buildings and it is important to consider the size, location and nature of fracturing that you find. Most traditional buildings are effectively erected as a series of brick ‘columns’ punctuated by vertical columns of windows vertically separated by thin strips of brickwork between the ‘columns’. You should expect to find some light fracturing at the head and base of openings and through the generally weaker horizontal strips of structure separating windows. This could even involve limited fracturing of the bricks to these locations. This type of fractures are typically very thin and do not extend into the main structure of the ‘columns’. These tend to be limited and in isolation are predominantly superficial;
• fracturing to other locations and that which involves fractures of discernable tapering width are symptomatic of a more significant problem and guidance should be sought before committing to the property;
• displaced, loose or excessively fractured areas of brickwork are similarly symptomatic of a more significant problem and guidance should be sought before committing to the property;
• surface salt deposits on brickwork are indicative of periodic saturation by defective gutters, down pipes, canopies or from overflow pipes, etc;
• where brickwork has been over painted consider the age of the paint coatings, their thickness and whether any fractures are to be found beneath. Fresh pointing and paint could suggest a cover up, fracturing beneath but which does not break the surface of the old paint coatings could suggest historic movement which is not progressive, etc;
• if in doubt ask

DAMP PROOF COURSE:-
Damp is a real issue in some instances. Most properties have a physical damp proof course (slate, lead, bitumen felt, etc) which should be 150mm above the external ground level to prevent damp penetrating the brickwork above or the building interior. In most instances this is sufficient and a keen eye should find this fairly easily on the outside but there will always be exceptions.

Sometimes with rendered properties the damp proof course is rendered over affording the damp a path around the damp proof course. This is often portrayed as a more serious problem by the less scrupulous.

A series of horizontal holes drilled into the exterior of the building and subsequently filled is suggestive of a chemical damp proof course. This does not mean that the existing damp proof course has failed, it merely indicates that the owner has been convinced that it has.

Whilst some problems are actually caused by faults with the damp proof course warranting a replacement of the existing either physically or chemically, a significant number of damp problems actually end up being attributable to far less expensive and disruptive issues such as raised external ground levels, broken or damaged pipework, poor plumbing, leaking radiators, drain issues, tree root damage or the like. I’m not suggesting that all chemical DPC’s are unnecessary, just that I have seen too many that are. If in doubt ask

SUB-FLOOR VENTILATION:-
Suspended timber floors (and even the voids beneath modern suspended concrete floors) need to have a flow of air within the void beneath to prevent damp condition forming which could rot the timber components. This is traditionally provided by a series of low lying air bricks visible around the perimeter of the building which typically coincide with the damp proof course level. These should be free of obstructions and suitably above ground level to deter surface water running into the floor void.

Sometimes extensions or partial internal floor replacements, obstruct this essential sub-floor ventilation which can be difficult to remedy after the event. If in doubt ask

EXTERNAL JOINERY:-
The vast majority of the external joinery (windows, doors, fascias, soffits, bargeboards and the like) will be readily apparent and visible. Formulating an opinion as to its current and longer term condition should not prove difficult, but key aspects to consider are:-

• the decorative condition will give an indication as to the underlying components condition, for example blistered paint coatings could suggest localised timber decay;
• look for signs of softening in the timber components, particularly to the base corners of frames, doors and windows and additionally to the underside and ends of window and door cills and thresholds;
• if the windows have been replaced, especially with plastic windows, consider how old these are. The seal on double glazed units tends to begin breaking down after about 10 years and this is typified by condensation forming within the double glazed units requiring their replacement. Also consider whether the plastic is brittle, crazed or otherwise UV affected which may require their premature replacement. Also consider the fact that plastic window profiles and fittings are subject to frequent change and they become outdated quickly making repairs difficult and costly;
• windows and doors should be opened where possible to ensure they operate;
• metal windows can bring their own specific problems. Traditionally these would have been single glazed giving rise to condensation and corrosion issues, but these should be readily apparent in or beneath the decorative finishes;
• distortion and difficulty in operating windows and doors, which otherwise appear satisfactory, could be indicative of a movement problem;
• if in doubt ask

DECORATION AND PAINTWORK:-
The condition of external paint coatings will give a fair indication of the level of ongoing maintenance the current owners have lavished on the property:-

• a deteriorated external state may suggest more substantial cost to be expended on external repairs in the short term should you commit to the property;
• an well kept but lived-in appearance is what you are ideally looking for as these generally tend to offer an honest reflection of the properties character and flaws;
• a bright new freshly painted property may suggest something to hide so may be worth a closer look.

Stay tuned, we will actually get inside.

The Editor