The full cost of buying a house in disrepair

deerpark

Hi

I am considering buying a house in disrepair with significant water damage.
I want to understand the full cost of the house - i.e. purchase price + repairs.
Whats the best way to go about this? The estate agent was suggesting getting a builder. Would I be better off with a builder or an engineer. Perhaps engineer as I would need one anyway to survey the house?

Regards,
DP

Outkast_IRE

The type of normal house survey an engineer does, in my opinion isnt enough here.
If i was seriously looking at buying this house, i would prob be looking at getting, Structural Eng to check water damage hasnt rotted any timbers etc, architect with a quantity surveyor to draw up an estimate .

Thats just what i would be looking at, a house is a big investment its worth spending money it could save you big time in the long run.

sarkozy

Is it a new house or an old house? If damage is serious, you would definitely need an engineer familiar with residential buildings and it would also be worth consulting an architect and quantity surveyor for a more accurate estimate.

If the house is really worth it.

deerpark

thanks for the replies. its a newish build. 2006/7. effectively 2 storey with the affected level sub ground level and thats where the water had its fun.

StillWaters

deerpark wrote: »

thanks for the replies. its a newish build. 2006/7. effectively 2 storey with the affected level sub ground level and thats where the water had its fun.

Hopefully not flooding as you are looking at an uninsurable house? Definitely an engineer. It may not be as bad as it looks/seems.

Rasmus

Structural engineer. I had a house that flooded a few years back and the condition of a water-damaged house is outwardly deceptive.

ted1

Best advice is to run away. Unless you can do the work yourself it will cost you more than a similar property in great conditionp

the_syco

deerpark wrote: »

effectively 2 storey with the affected level sub ground level and thats where the water had its fun.

So... basically what? You need to rip up the flooring of the entire house in the hopes that you can fix it, but you don't know for sure if you can?

ABajaninCork

You need to find out why such a new house flooded so badly, I think...

Do you know what the original build quality was like? Personally, I would run. I don't trust anything built in the Celtic Tiger era, and I would have serious reservations about the water damage but that's just me. It's likely the house would be deemed uninsurable and therefore unmortgageable. Have you tried getting an insurance quote?

The others are right though. You need a full structural survey, a structural engineer's and a QS report, before you proceed.