Advice on a porch & a chimney - Building work

[LouiseM]

Please could you help.

(1) We have been advised that the chimney on the house that we are buying needs repointing. Who would we contact to quote to do this? Is it an expensive job?

(2) There is a porch that has been added to the front elevation of the house some years ago and according to the report we have had done on the house it has not got lintels above the windows on either side. He has also advised us that the roof of the porch could do with some repair/maintenance and there has been some movement between it ad the front wall of the house.

What would you suggest we get done about this? Is it a big job? Should we go back to the sellor about this?


Any expertise would be really greatly appreciated. Thanks

[Sean Buxton]

1) Roofing Contractor or General Builder who undertakes roofing work. Estimated cost £150/250 dependant on size, condition, etc

2) Get a builder to quote for necessary repair works and have the cost taken off the sale price.

[Tony McC]

Sean's right - get a jobbing builder/roofer to look at the chimbley, but I'd be more concerned about this porch. No lintels and moving away from the main property - sounds like a DIY job that might be better being demolished and re-built. I'd want to know just why it is moving, and my first thought would be inadequate foundations. If whoever built it was daft enough not to use a lintel, then they may have been daft enough to have skimped on the footings.

[LouiseM]

Thanks for taking the time to reply - info very useful!