dry rot survey

[env]

hello - i had a house survey done and the surveyor said I should get a timber survey done.

Every company I have spoken to "does it free of charge" on the presumption that you use them for work...

Does this not create an issue in that these firms are looking for the issue then? I am more interested in making sure its not the worst case scenario so hopefully they would be open about that?

Thanks!

[B17NNS]

Pay for an independent survey from a specialist who has nothing to sell you other than his or her expertise.

How old is the property? What kind of survey did you have done? Did the surveyor mention areas of concern?

A typical homebuyers report will include a lot of arse covering suggesting specialists should be consulted.

Might be worth asking a mod to move this to Homes, Gardens & DIY.

[env]

The surveyor said he had seen dry rot in some of the window frames and wanted a 'timber survey' doing... now finding someone to take my money for this in a short time frame is proving quite difficult.

Original survey was a homebuyers.

[env]

Oh balls! How did I put this in Hifi... because I was reading the Hifi thread thats why!

[C Lee Farquar]

Your usual timber 'survey' is for woodworm (insect). It's critical you get an inspection done by someone who knows the difference between wet and dry rot (fungi).

Wet rot will cost you a few hundred to sort, dry rot likely tens of thousands.

If it is dry rot then plaster will need hacking off to see how far it has spread. It's highly unlikely to have started in window frames, it will have spread from floor or roof timbers. If it's not a detached house then you will need the co-operation of your neighbour/s.

Good luck!

[Promised Land]

C Lee Farquar said:

Your usual timber 'survey' is for woodworm (insect). It's critical you get an inspection done by someone who knows the difference between wet and dry rot (fungi).

Wet rot will cost you a few hundred to sort, dry rot likely tens of thousands.

If it is dry rot then plaster will need hacking off to see how far it has spread. It's highly unlikely to have started in window frames, it will have spread from floor or roof timbers. If it's not a detached house then you will need the co-operation of your neighbour/s.

Good luck!

Good luck indeed, horrible stuff dry rot, I've come across it a couple of times in 30 years, you can be chasing it for weeks, even months, like Japanese knotweed as well, if you don't get all of it removed it can get going again rapidly.

The speed it deteriorates timber by cutting across the grain is astounding.

[StanleyT]

Our last house (1800s build) had this identified in the Homebuyers survey at the time.

Our "dry rot survey company" came and assessed and noted that treatment had been done and all legacy signs of dry rot were at least 10 years old or more and there had been no progression since treatment. House is still up 25 years later.....we were advised to add no more loads to the main beams (upstairs was supported by three foot + square beams running longitudinally) without new structural assessments.

Being friends with the person that lives there now, there have been no probs.....dry rot evidence and worm holes under 25 - 30 years of varnish / stain / wood exposed to the atmosphere.