Opinions and advice wanted

[Brains]

I was thinking the whole window wants out but like I said I no expert Lisa
But the dip above it needs checking out by someone with half a brain for buildings which I dont have

[Admiral-SirJohn]

Indeed.  Like I said, the woodwork appears a bit worse for wear.  Were I the one buying it (based only on your description and that photo), I'd make replacing the windows the first major home improvement project.

Like Spite said, it's a job for professionals.  If there's a local Building Trades Union or Better Business Bureau in that area, they'd be the one to ask for recommendations.

[Lisa]

It's not wood asj, the windows are double glazed (it looks like) and the sill and surround are stone..

we're more concerned with the drooping at the top of that window, of course a survey and proper inspection will let us know how bad it is.
whether is is just a flaw on a very old house that was repaired to the best it could have been, or if the lintel has broken and the stones are collapsing.

I was thinking the whole window wants out but like I said I no expert Lisa

that's what I am fearing at the moment.. could be costly, and therefore not worth buying.

The inside is beautiful so i am hoping it isn't a major prob which is why the current owners haven't fixed it.

[Admiral-SirJohn]

Oh, okay..  I thought the white part was wood.

[Lisa]

no, stone

[Spite]

  Actually, looking at the whole picture very closely once more, it looks a little like the whole one corner of the house has dropped a little.  Zoom in and have a look.  Might be the angle, though.

[Admiral-SirJohn]

In that case, my comments about the windowsill should be ignored.  All it needs is a lick of paint.  The resolution isn't quite good enough to tell, but the stonework above (and, to some extent, below) the window seems to have been affected by some years or water damage.  In that case, it's not the windows I'd be worried about, but the gutters.

I'd have to see it for myself to be able to tell with any certainty.

I'd get a building inspector 'round to have a look at it.

[Admiral-SirJohn]

  Actually, looking at the whole picture very closely once more, it looks a little like the whole one corner of the house has dropped a little.  Zoom in and have a look.  Might be the angle, though.

I think it's th angle.  It appears that the window opening on the right (the circled one) is slightly larger than the one on the left.

Any idea how old this house is, Lisa?

[Lisa]

  Actually, looking at the whole picture very closely once more, it looks a little like the whole one corner of the house has dropped a little.  Zoom in and have a look.  Might be the angle, though.

i think thats just the angle... the house is well over 100 years old

[Spite]

i think thats just the angle... the house is well over 100 years old

  Be very strange if a stone built, (I'm assuming it's all stone, and not cladding.) house hadn't settled a little in that time.  Hard to tell with Welsh houses.  I'm used to seeing straight bricks.

[Lisa]

yup, it's all stone... traditional old miners houses.

[Admiral-SirJohn]

I would think they'd build those old houses to last.  Sure, with that much weight, there's bound to be a bit of settling, but I can't imagine there would be any major structural damage.

Of course, I'm working for 20 year-old learning (architecture was my primary area of study in high school) when I say that.

[kriskd]

First, congrats on considering buying a house!

I think you stated that you don't have a friend with good building knowledge whom you could show this place to.  Jim and I did something similar when we were considering buying a a fixer-up to flip.  We had my BIL look at it with us as he's even more knowledgeable than Jim on this stuff.  Turns out it had more problems than we were willing to deal with. 

[Mojo]

It looks like there is a problem with that lintel, Lisa, but stone houses, especially old ones are pretty uncommon here. Could just be a part of the settling process. Where the centre stone should be appears to be a different colour. Hard to tell from the photo... 

[Lisa]

the centre stone is a different colour... I fear it is the lintel too.

Would something like that be fairly cheap to fix? would it be worth lowing the offer price and use the saving to get it fixed?