10 Home Improvement Nightmares | 4Homes

9. Shoddy Gas, Electrics or Plumbing

< Previous

< Previous

9. Shoddy Gas, Electrics or Plumbing (Image 9 of 9)

Shoddy Gas, Electrics or Plumbing

What is it?
Thankfully these days enthusiastic DIY bodgers are now legally prohibited from dabbling with gas and electrics. However, their past handiwork can be hard to detect on the few visits you'll make to a home before you buy it. Older homes can also suffer from inadequate water pressure due to the over demand on old systems by new power showers, dishwashers, extra bathrooms and so on.

Is it a Deal Breaker?
If the problems are obvious then you might think twice, but often these are hidden nightmares until you've moved in. Any even faint whiff of gas should be vigorously questioned as this may be a sign of an expensive boiler about to fail. If you're thinking you may want to add a bathroom to an older house, ask about local water pressure to ensure any additional facilities could be adequately supplied.

What can you do about it?
Prevention is better than cure. If the property you're thinking of buying has a combi boiler that is getting past its sell by date, then bring this up with the vendor and ask for a reduction in price. At the very least ensure that it has been fully serviced by a Corgi registered engineer and given a clean bill of health. Likewise ensure that you bring up any concerns about the electrics and if there proves to be a problem ask for this to be taken into account when you make your offer.

Average cost of rewiring a three-bedroom house from £1,500

Need Expert Help?
Find a trusted plumber in your area using MyBuilder.

Add your comment

Your comments

Post your comment

By posting on this website you are agreeing to abide by our Comments Policy.
Mandatory Fields are marked with *

Display Name: *

Email address: *
(Not displayed)

Your Comment (Maximum characters: 4000) *

You have

characters left

Your website address:
(Optional)

Anonymous:

Back to Previous Page

Comments

In my 25 years of experience and in my own opinion, dont bother trying to paint pebbledash, the only option (if the wall is sound) would be to get an exterior wall specialist like a Wall coatings company, to apply a spray-on textured wall coating onto the wall. If you try and remove the pebbledash, and it is firmly adhered to the wall, you will end up ripping out the mortar joints behind the wall surface, and also the face of the blocks or bricks beneath. Beware!!

Posted by G Bell on 23/10/2009 14:00:16

Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment
Pebble dash: I have inherited a house in a street where 90% of the houses are pebble dashed (LL28) and are still being pebble dashed. I am in a quandry whether to re-do the pebble dash or have my house stand out by being "mere" brick, when I completely renovate over the next 18 months. Like the comment posted by Wolverhampton Rick (coincidentally W'ton is where I usually live too!!) the pebble dash on my house has been there since around 1930, when I think the house was built. There don't appear to be "problems" and I agree with Rick that new pebble dash looks quite good, although I'd probably paint my house straight away. I'd love to read some feedback

Posted by Charlie on 17/08/2009 03:29:30

Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment
I disagree with this advice. I have a 4 bedroom detached house that was built in the 1920's and contrary to the advice given it was not put on to hide shoddy brickwork it was actually put on for the look of the property and it looks excellent giving it a real cottage feel. We have no problem with damp or water ingress. It is still the original pebbledash and so has lasted nearly 90 years. I give it a good dose of masonary paint every 4-5 years and I have no problems with it at all. On the flip side i have an extension that was built in the early 80's that was covered with Tyrelene. It looks a mess and is failing in several places and will have to be replaced in the next couple of years. So much for modern replacements. I am now looking for somebody to pebbledash the extension to match the original.

Posted by Wolverhampton Rich on 06/07/2009 17:02:54

Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment
I am disabled and have been offered to have a walk in shower put in and my bath ripped out but I am very worried that this will devalue my property which I am hoping to sell in a year or two. I am hoping to convince the people concerned to just move my bath instead of removing it but this would involve moving the bath, basin and the toliet as well as having a smaller shower room built in.

Posted by pb on 21/06/2009 02:09:03

Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment
This is my home and its not pebbledash or concrete or fake stone!!!! It is natural stone that was reclaimed and salvaged from the cottage and used in its renovation.

Posted by carina phillips on 25/03/2009 17:28:51

Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment

DIY & Building Basics 10 Home Improvement Nightmares

9. Shoddy Gas, Electrics or Plumbing

Your Comments

Comments closed

Your comments

Comments

Comments

More on 4Homes

4Homes Property Search

Advertisement