sand stone walls

[what..the?]

hello looking at a house to buy but it says under the energy efficinecy forms on HIPs the walls are sand stone I already have a house let out which has beach sand in the walls and it has really bad damp. This house I am now interested in has beach sand near by, but it doesnt smell damp and it is locked up most the year round. Are the differnt types of sand stone. What is strange is the house which is identical next door build by same people at same time 100 years ago their energy effiency forms say granite or whin walls. That seems complelety different by description. Can anyone help please.

[jackthehat]

Your question is a little confusing.
Sandstone has been a perfectly sound building material for hundreds of years.

What do you mean by <has beach sand in the walls >?

Granite is a material so fundamentally different from sandstone that confusion of the two is virtually impossible.

[what..the?]

well on speaking with the surveyor before he does the survey he asked what the walls were we said sand stone he said that it means it is made of beach sand and is prone to damp. The house is on a hill next to a beach.

Other house I own is again on the coast near beach but this is a mid terrace as apposed to detached like the other and the walls are really damp and we have been told it is becasue the walls are made of beach sand?

I am just trying to put two and two together really.

Yes I thought granite and sandstome would be completely different so... has someone made a mess of the hips report in one of the two hips I have read and noted incorrect details or are the houses identical in shape, layout everything build of different materials by the same builders and why??? for cost reasons??? we were told they built them to live in?

[jackthehat]

I find your surveyors comments about 'beach sand' to be very confusing.......

Sandstone is a material laid down millions of years ago and quarried to form building blocks.
Is he suggesting that someone with a huge bucket and spade constructed this house you are considering ?!?

What 'sort' of surveyor are you talking about ?

Where in UK are you ?

[annie0000]

The majority of the beautiful buildings in the centre of Edinburgh are old built from sandstone and have been standing and not damp for hundreds of years. If the building is made from sandstone that would not be a cause for concern. Does the surveyor mean that they have used sand as an insulating material in the wall cavities? Never head of that before.

[what..the?]

this is weird I studied geography a few years ago and I thought sandstone was a natural forming stone? I dont get what the surveyor means maybe he just means as a natural stone it can be damp not very weatherproof? or maybe the stone is stuck together with beach sand?

I am in cornwall

[jackthehat]

I ask again, what 'sort' of surveyor is he ?

[what..the?]

chartered doing full survey

[what..the?]

he does residential and business general chartered property suveyor /valuer

[jackthehat]

In that case he ought to know exactly what he means, but I think he is not communicating it to YOU very successfully.........

Has he prepared his report for you ?

If you are particularly concerned about the damp issues, speak to him. You are paying for his good advice.

[what..the?]

yes this is the pre-report stage here he has not seen the property yet as I said he asked and I referred to the HIPs and it said sand stone thats when he said what he said. I just wondered if anyone knew of a problem with standstone and was pondering why builders a 100 years ago would build two houses of different materials but make them look the same or are the HIPs wrong?

[jackthehat]

Some HIP surveyors couldn't find their own rear-ends with both hands..............

Ignore (to an extent, not completely) what is said on your HIP report (mistakes are very common) and rely on your Chartered Surveyor..........He's the man ! :o)

[what..the?]

Thanks jack I take my hat off to you