Buying a house is serious business, and with hundreds of thousands of pounds at stake, buyers can be easily put off a property if something is not quite right. A recent survey from GoCompare highlighted the top 20 things that are most likely to deter home-buyers, with the list including dirty or cluttered rooms, damp patches and an outdated kitchen.
Somewhat unsurprisingly, homes that are in poor state of repair featured very highly on this list, with rotting windows and crumbling plaster both falling under this banner.
Crumbling plaster is particularly concerning to potential homebuyers. Moisture is one of the key causes of this issue (along with bad craftsmanship and alkali), and so the presence of crumbling plaster can lead people to suspect that the property has a larger underlying problem with damp – something that is sure to put off many buyers. To give your property the best chance of succeeding on the housing market it makes sense to fix this problem before putting your house up for sale.
How you go about fixing crumbling plaster depends largely on its severity and on your DIY skills. Minor, localised instances can be fairly easily repaired by cutting out the affected portion and making good with patching plaster or similar solution. However, more severe cases, or those affecting a larger area can be more complicated to deal with.
In these instances it’s usually best to call in an expert to ensure that you get a professional result. Crumbling plaster can also be indicative underlying problems such as damp or water leaks, and a professional plasterer will help you to diagnose this and advise on the best course of action. You can also cover up crumbling edges with plaster cornices.
To succeed in a competitive housing market, you need to make your property as attractive to prospective buyers as possible, and ensuring it is in good repair is an important part of that. And while you may be reluctant to spend time and money repairing a property you will soon be selling, it is a worthwhile investment that will reap rewards in the longer term.
