Assessment Purchase Price / Market Price Single-family House from 1900

I myself am the owner of two (individual) monuments, so I can’t be that critical :) . But sometimes you do get really annoyed with the monument office.

With that price, the main question is also how was it renovated? So is everything new except for the walls? Electrical system, plumbing, heating? My two properties are/will be renovated to an upscale new-build standard. Including underfloor heating, modern electrical system with LAN and plenty of sockets, completely new sanitary installation, partially new room layout. Then the costs are above pure new construction. The only "disadvantage" for the residents is then a poorer insulation, although I renovate to the Efficiency House Monument standard.

Additions (awning, conservatory, photovoltaics) are of course a critical point and "actually" not allowed. Why do I say actually - my renovation with building application has elaborate windows made according to historical models. In the neighboring terraced house, simple plastic windows were installed years ago, the monument office is not interested in that at all today. Just like a pre-built glass dirt catcher. The monument office is great at making demands during the building application. What is done after completion is rarely checked and even more rarely punished (I could tell quite a few other stories about that).

From my point of view it was renovated very comprehensively, I tried to give an overview in the first post. There is no underfloor heating (the pretty radiators remain), but everything else including roof structure/thermal insulation, dormers, roof windows, facade insulation, base sealing, partly new windows, new front door, solar system for water/heating, sanitary and gas condensing boiler was done. The expert is at the property today, so I will get feedback again. Except for the topic of heat/energy (energy consumption, radiators, gas heating) and the comparatively small windows on the upper floor, it seems modern to me. The energy standard after the renovation is like yours, "Efficiency House Monument". The savings bank estimates the market value at about 715,000 euros, although their calculator puts less intelligence into it (but certainly a broader data base) than we do.

The terrace is not visible from the street, since it is on the opposite side. Since the impression from the street is decisive for the monument ensemble, I do not expect problems for an awning, but it is definitely noted as a point.

Here is my extract of the notes from the conversation with the expert who inspected the house this week.

The base plaster is damp and needs to be replaced, both in the basement (uncritical) and on the ground floor. Even with fresh plaster, a new renovation plaster will foreseeably be necessary every 5 to 10 years, with corresponding effort, costs & mess in the house. There is partially drywall on the walls that was not replaced during this renovation; unclear how it looks behind it. The exterior area is not yet finished, individual roof tiles are missing and the exit to the roof terrace is still missing. Overall it is well done, but it will not be completely dry. He cannot assess whether there are further currently not visible problems, but if there are, the 5-year warranty will not help us. The seller’s reaction on all issues was that it will still be done or replaced. Effort was made for house staging (lighting, paper furniture), in his view the value of the house is at most 750,000 euros.

The feedback produces mixed feelings in me. Despite the age and the comparatively poor energy consumption, with an appropriate price adjustment I could have imagined buying the house. Moisture in the wall of the >120-year-old vaulted cellar is not surprising and manageable. But prospectively having to have new plaster on the ground floor every 5-10 years does not sound attractive, and not knowing what additional issues might still arise does not feel good right now. I need to discuss it with my wife and let it sink in.

I think I would sleep on it one more night. But overall, the impression has worsened after the expert's assessment. The question is also - why does the plaster get damp and has to be renewed every 5-10 years? Did he say anything about that? Dampness is always a risk for problems. Wavy paper, possibly mold - that would annoy me. If it really had to be done every 5 years, I wouldn't want to move all my furniture out and back in that often. And it’s not something that can be done in a week.

I would not buy a house with damp walls on the ground floor. Renovation plaster in the living area is also not normal. The effort is just insane. And in between, you might also have mold behind the furniture. In the basement, I see it as uncritical. For me, it would be a no-go on the ground floor.

Thank you and for the answers. I have forwarded the feedback to the seller. As expected, he has a different view on the causes. I am aware that his interest lies in selling as soon as possible at the highest possible price. Here is the description from his perspective (paraphrased by me):

The house had not been renovated or painted for 30 years before the renovation, it was noticeably dry until the renovation and showed no signs of moisture. Due to the renovation (seal/insulation of the base, mineral wool on the exterior facade, partial insulation of the basement wall), the condition could only have improved. Because of the construction with rubble stone and without a horizontal barrier, it is not as dry as a new building, but also due to the installed ventilation in the basement and the bathrooms sufficiently dry.

Moisture rises on the facade about 2 meters wide and approx. 15 cm high. Here the base seal is too low, water splashes up from the street, this must be corrected. In the kitchen, there is 0.5 meters of damp base, caused by a rainwater pipe that has not been connected in the last 3 months due to the insulation work.

The damp basement staircase is known and will be eliminated. The roof terrace above it was only sealed in October; water had been coming in at this point for years. The wall must dry well before it can be repaired with sealing plaster and renovation plaster. The wall facing the street cannot be excavated and sealed from the outside. Sealing from the inside is planned. This will not last forever but should last 15 years and only about 4 m² are affected. Alternatively, the plaster can be removed and the stones left exposed as visible in the basement; this makes the area maintenance-free. In the unheated anteroom, the wrong plaster was used; here too, renovation plaster is to be used for repairs.

Overall, it seems to me that the seller accepts the expert’s feedback but sees a cause that can be remedied for all problems. It seems to me that quite a bit still needs to be done here, and I am not sure whether the expert will give a more positive assessment after the work is completed. I will discuss the procedure with him again next week; possibly it makes sense to take another look at the condition in 1-2 months. I do not want to take any risks given the amount involved; if the expert advises against it, I will continue searching. What do you think?

I cannot judge that because I do not know the house. I would trust the expert if he makes a good impression on you. I would discuss the seller's reaction with the expert. Solvable problems should not be an obstacle, but the possible solution must also work, and this is exactly where I would listen to my expert. Moisture is not always a problem, not in old houses. The extent and any future problems must be assessed by someone on site. Perhaps the house was improperly renovated and now has more problems than before, or maybe not.