Common property improvements and the problems they cause
DIY is often seen as something of a rite of passage. It’s also usually considerably cheaper (initially, at least) than paying trades to come in and do the work for you. While the current owner might be happy to have temporarily cut their costs, homebuyers should always be wary.
This article will focus on some of the most common DIY/home improvements carried out by enthusiastic individuals who often have their hearts in the right place but lack the skills to do it properly and safely. When these people come to sell their properties (or even beforehand), they might cover their mistakes using various techniques.
While this is undoubtedly a bit shifty, it always falls to the buyer to do due diligence when purchasing. That’s where a home survey can come into its own. A chartered surveyor knows what to look for, the common signs of problems, and what in the house looks out of place – potentially signifying a botched DIY job. While a home survey usually costs a few hundred pounds, it might save you thousands.
Here are seven common so-called property ‘improvements’ and the problems they can cause.
1) DIY rewiring
If someone knows what they’re doing – perhaps they work as an electrician in their day-to-day job – DIY rewiring might be just as good as a professional job. However, a novice or poorly trained individual could make mistakes which could have the potential to be dangerous. When someone does DIY on the electrical system, it’s usually a small job – refitting lights or adding plug sockets. It’s more likely to be done in a single room or an extension than for an untrained person to redo their entire house.
The surveyor might conclude that some DIY work has been done – but it’s not necessarily the end of the world. As mentioned, they might have done it perfectly. However, you might get further reassurance by paying to have some testing done, just to make sure.
Of course, a home surveyor won’t pull all the plasterboard and insulation off the walls or rip up the floorboards to inspect every wire. Nevertheless, they will keep a keen eye out for any signs of electrical faults. This could include loose or trailing wires, strange meter readings, and heat or sparks from any light switches or plugs.
2) DIY plumbing
Like rewiring, DIY plumbing can also be done at home very effectively – provided it’s done properly. Finding the right pipe pieces and tools and working on your plumbing yourself is pretty simple.
DIY plumbing often won’t make any difference and can be installed with no problems at all. In fact, if it’s fixing an issue (such as a small leak), it certainly improves the house. Sometimes, though, it can all go wrong.
Most people are unlikely to install the wrong pipe, especially if it’s replacement work. The incorrect pipe simply wouldn’t fit, and they’d return to the shop to get the correct part. However, it could be incorrectly fitted or not sealed or appropriately clamped. It’s not uncommon to find pipes half-heartedly joined and surrounded by towels in a ‘can’t-be-bothered’ attempt to hide the problem. Another common issue is previous homeowners forgetting to shut the water off (or shutting it off at the wrong point) before removing the appropriate piping. The result can be a sudden massive leak, drenching wood and plasterboard. This could potentially give rise to damp and timber rot.
Evidence of damp is the most significant warning sign of a potential DIY plumbing incident. For example, if the homeowner has made a mistake while changing a pipe in the upstairs bathroom and it’s leaked, the ceiling will show signs of water damage. Mould would be another common symptom. Note that it might not be a DIYer’s fault! Pipes can always burst. However, it’ll still need fixing.
It’s also crucial to cross-join all metal pipes. This earths the water in case of an electrical short circuit, preventing occupiers from being electrocuted by using the tap. Would a home DIY worker know to do this?
3) DIY gas work
You can’t work on your own gas system. It’s illegal. To make any changes, repairs or inspections, the individual must be fully trained and licensed. This applies to all appliances – the boiler, hob, fire, etc. If the wrong piping is used, it could blow and cause an explosion.
One of the most dangerous appliances is a gas fire. If the homeowner has installed it themselves (which they shouldn’t have), it could lead to hazardous situations. Likewise, suppose they modify the chimney or chimney crown. In that case, it might impede the smoke and carbon monoxide, forcing it into the house in a fatal accident. If you’re buying a home with any kind of working fire, you should always have the chimney inspected and ensure carbon monoxide alarms are installed and working.
If there are any signs of gas appliances having been fiddled with, the home surveyor will recommend a gas safety inspection as a matter of urgency. This inspection should cover the entire house, including around the meter.
4) Structural DIY work
Of all the problems mentioned on this page, structural DIY work could be the most serious. In severe (but, thankfully, rare) cases, a home’s structural integrity could have disintegrated. This could be a timber frame rotting away or poorly-laid brickwork cracking or collapsing. How can this be fixed?
Well, the correct procedure is to bring in specialist engineers and construction workers. Using precise measurements and tolerances, they’ll create steel beams, wooden joists and walls (and so on) that can comfortably bear the weight of the home and whatever it contains. Of course, this can be expensive, which might put off certain avid DIYers.
Instead, they might be tempted to do their own work, guessing at what the building needs. This could create a severe problem – a structurally-crumbling house! When a home surveyor inspects a property, they’ll always watch out for signs of this. The main warning signs would be unlevel surfaces (floors, walls or ceilings), including bowing/sagging ceilings and joists.
5) Bathroom conversions
Some homeowners decide to convert bathrooms into bedrooms and vice versa. There’s usually no problem with the former, provided all plumbing is correctly removed and capped (coming back to possible DIY plumbing issues). It’s the bedroom (or other room) to bathroom conversions where we usually find the problems.
Two common things to watch out for are baths replaced by showers and excess silicone. Showers create much more steam than baths, and the rooms, therefore, require much more ventilation. You also shouldn’t need much silicone, so a large quantity of it lining a tub, sink or shower should be a red flag.
That being said, plumbing may have been correctly installed. The bath or shower may have been sealed perfectly. It might even look fresh and modern, a great addition to the property. But what about ventilation? For some reason, a large percentage of homeowners completely neglect this crucial aspect.
All bathrooms require ventilation. This is usually in the form of an extractor fan. Windows should open a reasonable way as a backup/extra route for moisture to leave. In extreme situations, some might turn to dehumidifiers. These are very effective at collecting all the water from the air but aren’t particularly energy-efficient.
Without one of these forms of ventilation, moisture will build up in the room, leading to damp, mould and rot. A home surveyor will note how effectively water can be removed from the bathroom(s) and recommend your next course of action.
6) New kitchen (DIY installation)
If someone doesn’t know exactly what they’re doing, it should be pretty evident that the kitchen was installed as a home project. You might notice several clear indicators, such as:
- Cupboards and drawers aren’t level
- Doors and fronts aren’t flush
- Countertops are filled out with silicone or other filler
- Drawers don’t pull out smoothly
- Appliances (dishwasher, washing machine, fridge, etc.) don’t fit snugly
It might still be a workable kitchen, even if the individual components don’t function too well. The surveyor might even recommend fixing certain aspects of the kitchen rather than ordering an entirely new one. That said, a DIY kitchen installation could lead to more serious problems you might not notice at first glance. For example:
- If the kitchen sink has been moved, is it now too close to electrical sockets?
- Has the oven been correctly connected up to mains gas/electricity?
- Does the induction hob have sufficient ventilation?
- Have all the now-disused electrical sockets been correctly disconnected and the electrical supply cut off?
A home surveyor will check for all these things, paying particularly close attention if there’s evidence of a botched DIY job. The gas and electrical certifications will be the most important things to consider.
7) DIY loft work
Most people don’t do too much work to their lofts. In most houses, there’s space to crawl around and not much more. Thus, there isn’t any point in investing in a loft conversion. There is, however, other work that individuals might carry out in a loft. For example, they might redo the insulation or work on the floor joists.
Loft insulation isn’t so simple as packing insulation against the roof and eaves. If too much insulation is packed up against the eaves, for example, it will inhibit ventilation. This will create problems with airflow and damp and lead to temperature regulation issues. You might find the same situation if the loft is packed with too much stuff. Even when the homeowner removes it as they move house, the damage might have already been done.
Floor joists and floorboards must, of course, be safe. You probably won’t spend too many hours of your life in the loft, but you’ll probably need it for storing your old stuff. You have to be confident while moving around on it. If someone’s worked on them without properly reinforcing them, it could make for a dangerous situation where you fall through the floor.
Chartered surveyors will check the roof as a standard part of a Home Survey Level Two and Home Survey Level Three. This will include a moisture level check and a visual inspection of the insulation. If the loft is such that they can’t safely enter, they’ll note this down in the inspection report.
GB Home Surveys is here to help
GB Home Surveys is a team of RICS-registered chartered surveyors based across the South-West, Three Counties, South Wales and the Midlands. Our rapidly expanding team is experienced and fully licensed, able to spot signs of common property “improvements” and the problems they cause in the long run.
If you’re interested in instructing a surveyor, why not get in touch with us? You can reach us via the contact form below, email, phone or WhatsApp. You’ll find all our details on the Contact page. Also, why not get a free instant online quote while you’re at it? Head on over to the home page for more details. We can’t wait to help you along on your home-moving journey.
