Delaying Property Repairs 'Could Be Costly'

The impact of last week's earthquake could affect more than homeowners' properties, it has been suggested.

Following the tremor which affected many parts of England and Wales, consumers may find that the natural occurrence will see them having to dig deep into their pockets to meet the cost of repairing their home, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) asserts. However, pointing to insurance companies' forecasts that such expenses could run into millions of pounds, people were urged against paying more than is necessary to finance getting their home back in shape.

Rics suggested that replacing a clay or concrete roof covering will set homeowners back between 280 pounds and 290 pounds per tile. Furthermore, it was stated that rebuilding a broken chimney stack could see consumers come under more financial pressure. Reconstructing a damaged chimney stack carries an expense ranging from 2,170 pounds up to about 4,340 pounds, depending on the number of high pots it contains.

For people looking for an effective way to pay for repairing their property, taking out a cheap home loan might prove to be of assistance.

It was also suggested that, following the earthquake, many consumers could discover that the doors and windows of their home have become tighter than normal. This was attributed to damage sustained to their frames, with the cost of having windows and doors repaired standing at 110 pounds and 68 pounds respectively. However, if homeowners do not take steps to get such features repaired as soon as possible then they may find that glass will crack.

People were also warned against leaving small cracks in walls and ceilings unattended. By letting it develop, Rics claimed that such a fracture may see damp appear and cause wooden floors and walls to rot. To replace external brickwork that has suffered a 1 m-long crack, it was suggested that consumers may be set back by up to 190 pounds. However, if such work is required at a high level, homeowners may face expenses of between 155 pounds and 230 pounds. Blocked and broken drainpipes were also cited as potential damage that an earthquake could cause, inflicting harm that would take up to 275 pounds to fix.

Ian Potts, spokesperson for Rics, said: "If properties are left unchecked and damages are not routed out and repaired straight away, it could cause more extensive damage to the property and to the wallets." He went on to report that before taking any steps to repair damage to their home, consumers should first call out a chartered building surveyor. It was claimed that such an official will be able to do a "full property evaluation in order to ascertain the full extent of the damage to the property". From this, a surveyor may be able to judge how much a home has been impaired and what construction work needs doing.

Consumers looking for an effective way to fund property repairs may wish to consider applying for a home improvement loan. This type of homeowner loan may not only help consumers to pay for materials but also to hire professionals to assess what work needs doing and others to carry out this out. In addition, such a loan could be of assistance to consumers wishing to revamp their property. Earlier this year, research carried out by Yorkshire Bank indicated that a significant number of people are looking to increase privacy within their homes and gardens.

One way to finance the implementation of this, which could include fitting semi-opaque windows or a security system, is to take out a homeowner loan.

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