Bowing ceilings in house I'm thinking of buying

[John Aspinall]

Looking for some advice on how big a potential problem is on a house I'm thinking of buying. It's a 1930s traditional 3 bed semi which has a converted loft containing an almost full width dormer on the rear of the roof and is split into two rooms. I think the conversion was done in the late 80s.

I really like the house but on a second viewing noticed a bowing in the ceiling in BOTH the front and rear bedrooms below the roof. The bowing is approximately a metre and width and runs in a line all the way across the width of both rooms in a long, constant line.

I asked the homeowner about it and he said it had been like that when they bought the house 20 years ago and the loft conversion had been done when they moved in.

I'm no builder but it looks like a joist from the loft above may be causing this. Any thoughts as to what may be causing this and also how big and expensive a job would it cost to rectify?

Thanks...john

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

If the conversion was carried out thirty years ago and its not col;lapsed yet, why do you think there is an imminent danger of anything failing? Besides far too little information to answer anything meaningful.