Roofing and other questions

[spaximus]

Hi all, looking for a bit of information on a project my daughter is looking at.

It is a 1930's semi detached house which is in need of a lot of work. It has some damp issues which appear to be from the chimney and the bay window but when we looked today I went in the loft space and there is daylight so it will need the tiles removing and new felt and refitting.

The house is roughly 50 sq meters so I am looking for a ball park figure to do that work and any recommendations for a roofer in the leamington spa/ Warwick area.

Second question is floor downstairs apparently they were built on compacted ash, no sign of rising damp but speaking with the estate agent he suggested it might need digging out 250mm and then hardcore, sand and membrane insulation then screening, any thoughts on this.

We need to be putting an offer in next week as it has a few interested but the renovations will not be cheap so trying to get an idea.

I know it is not ideal and we want to get a full survey done before exchanging but I need to get some idea to offer accordingly

Thanks in advance

[Slagathore]

spaximus said:

Hi all, looking for a bit of information on a project my daughter is looking at.

It is a 1930's semi detached house which is in need of a lot of work. It has some damp issues which appear to be from the chimney and the bay window but when we looked today I went in the loft space and there is daylight so it will need the tiles removing and new felt and refitting.

The house is roughly 50 sq meters so I am looking for a ball park figure to do that work and any recommendations for a roofer in the leamington spa/ Warwick area.

Second question is floor downstairs apparently they were built on compacted ash, no sign of rising damp but speaking with the estate agent he suggested it might need digging out 250mm and then hardcore, sand and membrane insulation then screening, any thoughts on this.

We need to be putting an offer in next week as it has a few interested but the renovations will not be cheap so trying to get an idea.

I know it is not ideal and we want to get a full survey done before exchanging but I need to get some idea to offer accordingly

Thanks in advance

I would budget 3-5k for the roof, depending on gable or hipped etc.

Pictures of the damp would be good. If it's just black mould, which is often referred to as damp, it possibly just condensation.

If there's not anything obvious like new floor coverings or decoration etc trying to hide it, and no obvious signs, it's maybe not a problem? Seems silly for an agent to say something that would put someone off like that, unless you asked them specifically about damp and he was trying to cover his ass so if challenged later he can say he told you about it.

Can you speak to any of the neighbours to see if they've had any problems?

[Glade]

Just got quotes for a hipped roof on a 3-bed 30's semi.
We also have leaks and damp elsewhere in the house.

First quote was £4k to replace the roof. Rotten lats, felt crumbling, can't be patched. Once you start probably find it's all knackered easiest to replace.

Second guy investigated the felt several in places and rekons it's generally ok. he can patch any rips and will replace the lats, and any broken tiles and refit what we have. Estimated £750. Plus we have a wierd rampart above the bay window which he will dismantle and replace the flat roof there for £1450 (which most people seem to have had done) as it creates an area for water to pool.

Lives down the road and has done loads of t
houses round here apparently.

For damp we got Rentokil to do a survey for £150. They identified areas where there was wet rot and wood weevil wood worm infestations. Chopped out joists and replaced the floor. £1650. Really good service and nice trades who showed us exactly what they were doing and why.

[Bullet-Proof_Biscuit]

The roofing felt / membrane will not be the cause of the water ingress. The tiles stop the rain, membranes are for wind (membranes are permeable also). Parents just had a place built in France and the Frenchies don't even use a membrane still! I would hazard a guess your issue is more likely bad mortar perhaps on the ridge? Or other loose/damaged tiles or fascia. Chimney probably wants re lead-ing or re pointing. If it's not in use can it be sealed over? (sheet of lead of the top).
Pics would help

[bennno]

spaximus said:

Hi all, looking for a bit of information on a project my daughter is looking at.

It is a 1930's semi detached house which is in need of a lot of work. It has some damp issues which appear to be from the chimney and the bay window but when we looked today I went in the loft space and there is daylight so it will need the tiles removing and new felt and refitting.

The house is roughly 50 sq meters so I am looking for a ball park figure to do that work and any recommendations for a roofer in the leamington spa/ Warwick area.

Second question is floor downstairs apparently they were built on compacted ash, no sign of rising damp but speaking with the estate agent he suggested it might need digging out 250mm and then hardcore, sand and membrane insulation then screening, any thoughts on this.

We need to be putting an offer in next week as it has a few interested but the renovations will not be cheap so trying to get an idea.

I know it is not ideal and we want to get a full survey done before exchanging but I need to get some idea to offer accordingly

Thanks in advance

Just had both jobs done.

Id wager it will be at least £1500-£2000 to scaffold, £4-5000 to remove tiles, felt, battern and fit new (prob need fascia soffits and guttering).

Cinder ash floor removal will need building regs and will need to go down 30cm and be insulated before reinstatement, dependent on access and builder workload anythjng from £1500 to £3000.

Mine is much bigger, listed and difficult access hence numbers above should be considered ballpark.

[boyse7en]

Are you sure the roof is leaking? My similar-aged house hasn't get and membrane under the slates at all. You can see daylight if you look down between the slates, but water doesn't come in as it would have to travel uphill.

[spaximus]

Hi Guy's thanks for the feed back.

The house has got damp in two bedrooms which was thought to be chimney pointing the estate agent said the owners had been told. It is a probate sale and the family is as normal arguing over everything so it has been empty over a year or so.

Where the damp is in one bedroom the roof above has daylight showing, not just a small but an area around 30cm where felt is hung down as it is in other areas,

There is a lot of rubbish up there in the loft space, no boarding just lots of paper so not easy to see how bad it is leaking with a torch.

There is damp in the bay window upstairs and down and it looks like there is some rot above both UPVC units, there is a basic heating system but not in every room as well.

Downstairs there are marks on the walls and paper peeling off but could have been condensation but it could also be from the floor which is ash.

We are going to put a bid in but all the work back to standard is probably £60k as every room is in need or repair, but it is in a nice area and will probably make some money long term but it is a big job.

The figures some have given on here back up on her two bedroom flat we spent £30k but that had been rented since 1974 and they had spent nothing on it, air heating still in there and an asthmatic goat could have blown more heat out, hot water was emersion heating so again all had to be replaced.

We will probably have a full width extension later which the house will stand if we get it at the right money.

Anyway fingers crossed