Which Repairs Should Make You Run A Mile From A Potential House Purchase?

Of all the houses on the market in your country right now, we’re willing to bet a small number of them are positively, absolutely not worth buying. That is, the owner is right now waiting for viewings, aware that the house is done for or certainly not worth the price they’re asking, but are willing to have a go anyway. Who knows, someone may have more money than sense, or not look too far beyond the repairs that have been made at a surface level.

Of course, we’re not inclined to have you fall into that trap, especially if this is your first time getting on the property ladder. It may take a little time, but with some care and attention, but by figuring out what issues to look for, you’ll know when to run a mile. This isn’t always easy to start with however, so in this post we hope to help you get started.

If you notice any of the following issues, we recommend putting that property on your “do not buy” list:

A Smashed Roof

Unfortunately, a damaged roof can often forecast serious trouble, as leaks can spreads through a property like a slow poison, rotting timber frames, destroying insulation, and creating the perfect conditions for mold to flourish throughout the structure. 

You might notice staining on ceilings or walls during your viewing, but the real damage could be lurking inside cavity walls where moisture has been seeping for months or years. The cost of replacing a roof can easily run into tens of thousands, and that’s before you factor in repairing all the secondary damage that water causes as it works its way through the building. While some roofing systems may just need repair, such as with thatched roof maintenance that can restore a property well, if the roof is smashed or has been for a while, run.

Subsidence & Foundational Shift

We sometimes hope subsidence can’t affect every property, but we find that it occurs gradually as the ground beneath a house shifts or settles unevenly, causing cracks to appear in walls, doors to stick in their frames, and floors to develop noticeable slopes. 

You might spot hairline cracks during a viewing and dismiss them as normal settling, but foundation movement can be suggested by that. If you’re unlucky, it can ripple through every aspect of a building’s structure. Repair costs can spiral into the hundreds of thousands, making the purchase of a property effectively useless if it has to be rebuilt and foundational restoration has to be the first step. That’s before we even mention that insurance companies often refuse to cover properties with known subsidence issues.

Extensive Pest Issues

Pests can be addressed, but if they’ve been left for some time, they may have had their way with the property. That’s because termites can silently destroy wooden structures for years before the damage becomes visible, leaving you with repair bills and a house completely robbed of its wooden integrity. Moreover, rodent infestations can damage your health and are certain to damage your electrical systems, insulation, and stored belongings throughout the property.  That’s before we get to the smell, or even if pests have been protected – in the UK, for instance, you have to wait for bats to leave on their own.

With this advice, we hope you can find a better house purchase you don’t have to run from.

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