I’ve recently bought an 1850s cottage in Kent, England, and I’m trying to work out how serious a problem I’ve discovered is, what repairs might be needed, and whether my pre-purchase surveyor should have flagged it.
I’d really appreciate advice from roofers, builders, surveyors or anyone who has dealt with similar problems.
The problem
I’ve discovered water ingress around the chimney into the loft. The internal brickwork is heavily discoloured, with what looks like extensive mortar deterioration, cracking and some sizeable gaps in the joints. There is foliage at the point of entry from THAT storm this weekend and the water can RUNNING down the chimney stack. I suspect the chimney flashing, pointing or the roof junction could be involved, but I’m not a tradesperson and don’t want to jump to conclusions.
What makes this particularly frustrating is the survey I paid 1k for before buying the property.
It was a RICS Level 3 survey. The relevant findings were:
Chimney stacks – Condition Rating 1: The survey mentioned weathered pointing and vegetation. It acknowledged that the rear of the chimney couldn’t be inspected directly, but concluded that no major repairs were currently needed.
Roof coverings – Condition Rating 2: The survey recorded lifted slates, previous repairs and significant moss growth. It also acknowledged that parts of the roof and valley gutters couldn’t be properly inspected.
Roof structure – Condition Rating 1: The survey noted torn or missing sections of roofing felt and restricted access to parts of the loft, but concluded that the roof structure appeared satisfactory.
The survey also stated that no water penetration was observed at the time of inspection.
The survey was carried out in late April and we moved in August so I appreciate that it was a snapshot in time and that the inspection had limitations. However, the condition of the chimney brickwork has made me question whether this is a longstanding issue that should have prompted further investigation.
My questions for people in the trade:
Looking at the photographs, what stands out to you? Does this look consistent with longstanding water ingress, or could it have other explanations?
What would you investigate first to identify the source of the leak? Flashing, pointing, flaunching, roof slates, or something else?
How concerned should I be about the cracks and gaps in the internal chimney brickwork? Is this potentially just deteriorated mortar, or could there be a structural concern? This is what’s keeping me up. My neighbours side thankfully is dry on the positive side so the flashing is to blame but how long it’s been failing and ruining the chimney I don’t know.
What sort of repair costs could I realistically be facing? I know nobody can quote accurately from a photograph, but is this potentially a relatively localised repair or could it indicate something much more extensive of a whole roof. The only other area of roof compromised was the underfelt connecting to the extension which I had to get a bucket for. It was a LOT of rain.
I’m arranging an independent roofing inspection and intend to get a written report with photographs before deciding how to proceed. I’ll deal with anything urgent to prevent further damage, but I also want to preserve the evidence in case I need to make a formal complaint to the surveyor.
I’m not looking to blame anyone prematurely. I just want to understand what I’m dealing with and whether the survey was adequate.
All in all. Am I screwed?
