House buying

[onomatopoeia]

Flat roof areas are a nightmare. They're usually badly insulated and prone to leaks.

I would go further. Do not buy anything with a flat roof over habitable space.

When I moved a few years ago the surveyor that came to look at my house for the buyers gave me that specific advice in the course of a lengthy chat about houses and their construction. Good advice IMO which I heeded - my own experiences back it up. My workplace has a flat roof. During stormageddon a few weeks back I had water running down the wall near me. On the inside, over the wallpaper. My employer has had multiple roofing companies in to try to sort out the problems with the roof over the last 15 years or so, as damp and mould has been a continuing issue. None have ever solved it for more than a few months.

 

[srichards]

I would go further. Do not buy anything with a flat roof over habitable space.

When I moved a few years ago the surveyor that came to look at my house for the buyers gave me that specific advice in the course of a lengthy chat about houses and their construction. Good advice IMO which I heeded - my own experiences back it up. My workplace has a flat roof. During stormageddon a few weeks back I had water running down the wall near me. On the inside, over the wallpaper. My employer has had multiple roofing companies in to try to sort out the problems with the roof over the last 15 years or so, as damp and mould has been a continuing issue. None have ever solved it for more than a few months.

There's a really easy solution. Turn it into a pitch roof. You can buy sloped upvc roofing panels that mean it drains off. I found some that basically stuck on over the old flat roof and were sealed in place with overhangs so it was like a giant sloping plastic lid. I was going to get some for my last place as that had a flat roof over the kitchen.

 

[rjbell]

You'd be amazed just how much house buying can be dragged out by solicitors and mortgage companies even when there is no chain! I'd assume mid January at the earliest.

Well i wasn't in by Christmas, and you're correct it looks like mid January.