Despite what is often said to buyers by unscrupulous agents, you should always employ a properly qualified building surveyor to survey your intended property in Spain (whether it is new or old).
Below are some of problems that can relate to older Spanish properties...
Subsidence
Just as for new Spanish properties, older Spanish housing can be affected by subsidence. Whilst a Spanish property may show few signs of movement in its early years, long term ground erosion, seasonal shrinkage or heave (often amplified in a rare very wet or very dry year) can reveal problems suddenly. The attempted cover up of such issues is quite common. However, often it will take an experienced building surveyor in Spain to identify any tell tale signs of past or ongoing structural movement.
Retaining wall movement and failure.
Many older Spanish properties are as reliant on the stability of sound retaining walls as new builds, particularly if the slope into which the property is situated was ‘cut’ out of a hillside. Certainly, the very attractive cut stone walls seen in many coastal areas are not normally proper retaining walls but simply a method of ‘decorative’ facing. This may be despite the fact that a hillside is highly prone to movement.
Rot and insect attack
Advanced attack is common in older Spanish properties. The most common oversight made by buyers investing in older Spanish town houses and Spanish country properties is the fact that the timbers are of softwood (and not the oak we commonly expect in very old UK properties). These are often infested with woodworm, termite and other wood boring insects.
Reinforced concrete steel decay risk
The process of steel reinforcement decay can be slow and is therefore always more prevalent and advanced in older Spanish properties. Steel decay can result eventually in structural failure in elements such as floors and even whole Spanish apartment blocks have been known to fail. Normally, professional inspection will identify initial signs of an issue such that repairs can be made. However, these repairs are invariably expensive and complicated and advanced decay can mean that substantial rebuilding is required. In some cases the concrete itself may be sub standard or even mixed up with salt water and beach sand in coastal locations (observed in very rare cases).
Swimming pool defects
Older pools can, on occasion, be very well built and are sometimes based on converted water deposits. Nonetheless, many suffer structural issues in the long term, which can be expensive to resolve. A typical problem is often time expired, galvanized iron pipe work. This eventually decays and leaks which can, in turn, cause erosion of the supporting substrates.
Defective services
Old drains can be broken and septic tanks insufficient for all-year round use. Equally, iron pipe work can be corroded and even some apparently re-plumbed properties are connected sometimes to hidden iron elements. Re-wiring is sometimes needed and some gas installations can be very dangerous.
Note that legally if you find any significant defects that have been deliberately hidden by your seller within 6 months of purchase then you may have a case for compensation against your seller. However, this can be very difficult to prove and it is always better to try and identify any issues by consulting a building surveyor in Spain prior to purchase.1
Just as for new Spanish properties, older Spanish housing can be affected by subsidence. Whilst a Spanish property may show few signs of movement in its early years, long term ground erosion, seasonal shrinkage or heave (often amplified in a rare very wet or very dry year) can reveal problems suddenly. The attempted cover up of such issues is quite common. However, often it will take an experienced building surveyor in Spain to identify any tell tale signs of past or ongoing structural movement.
Retaining wall movement and failure.
Many older Spanish properties are as reliant on the stability of sound retaining walls as new builds, particularly if the slope into which the property is situated was ‘cut’ out of a hillside. Certainly, the very attractive cut stone walls seen in many coastal areas are not normally proper retaining walls but simply a method of ‘decorative’ facing. This may be despite the fact that a hillside is highly prone to movement.
Rot and insect attack
Advanced attack is common in older Spanish properties. The most common oversight made by buyers investing in older Spanish town houses and Spanish country properties is the fact that the timbers are of softwood (and not the oak we commonly expect in very old UK properties). These are often infested with woodworm, termite and other wood boring insects.
Reinforced concrete steel decay risk
The process of steel reinforcement decay can be slow and is therefore always more prevalent and advanced in older Spanish properties. Steel decay can result eventually in structural failure in elements such as floors and even whole Spanish apartment blocks have been known to fail. Normally, professional inspection will identify initial signs of an issue such that repairs can be made. However, these repairs are invariably expensive and complicated and advanced decay can mean that substantial rebuilding is required. In some cases the concrete itself may be sub standard or even mixed up with salt water and beach sand in coastal locations (observed in very rare cases).
Swimming pool defects
Older pools can, on occasion, be very well built and are sometimes based on converted water deposits. Nonetheless, many suffer structural issues in the long term, which can be expensive to resolve. A typical problem is often time expired, galvanized iron pipe work. This eventually decays and leaks which can, in turn, cause erosion of the supporting substrates.
Defective services
Old drains can be broken and septic tanks insufficient for all-year round use. Equally, iron pipe work can be corroded and even some apparently re-plumbed properties are connected sometimes to hidden iron elements. Re-wiring is sometimes needed and some gas installations can be very dangerous.
Note that legally if you find any significant defects that have been deliberately hidden by your seller within 6 months of purchase then you may have a case for compensation against your seller. However, this can be very difficult to prove and it is always better to try and identify any issues by consulting a building surveyor in Spain prior to purchase.1
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