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buying property in Hampstead, West Hampstead, South Hampstead and Hampstead Village

10 Common Property Defects

Poor drainage is a common defect found by surveyors. Correcting a drainage problem may require a new system of roof gutters and downspouts or re-grading the lot to improve water flow away from the house.

Faulty wiring resulting from an insufficient or an out of date electrical system especially in older homes. To bring such a home up to standard or to make it safe, may require replacing the entire electrical system or a major part of it

Leaky roof may be caused by a variety of defects and wear. Repairs may be possible to flashing and inexpensive, but if the entire roof needs to be replaced, you face a much larger cost.

Unsafe heating system can be a serious health and safety hazard. To correct this defect, you may have to repair or replace an old boiler, which is a major expense.

Poor overall maintenance can be seen in cracked or peeling paint, crumbling masonry, broken fixtures or shoddy wiring or plumbing. While most of these cosmetic defects can be easily repaired, you do need to pay particular attention to any makeshift electrical or plumbing fixtures, which can be potentially dangerous.

Minor structural damage can result from water seepage into the foundation, floor joists, rafters, or window and door lintels. Although they won’t cause the house to collapse, they do require your attention before becoming more serious.

Plumbing problems typically include old or incompatible piping materials and faulty fixtures or waste lines.

Water and air leaking in around windows and doors is usually not a serious problem and can be fixed inexpensively with proper grouting.

Inadequate ventilation can cause too much moisture to remain in the house which can ruin interior walls and structural elements. To repair damage caused by poor ventilation, you may need to replace drywall and other elements. Replacing structural elements, however, may be much more expensive.

Environmental hazards include lead-based paint (often found in homes built before 1978), asbestos, formaldehyde, contaminated drinking water, radon and leaking underground oil tanks. Special inspections are needed to determine environmental problems, and repairing any of these problems can be expensive.

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