Discuss the 'get a survey' checklist

furley

I've just read this 'Which' article on another site and it is Most Informative. Will copy some of it (if I'm allowed)

What do buyers want to know?

I reckon most potential homebuyers want to know the following four things as a priority:

• Is the property subsiding, or otherwise structurally unsound?
• Does it contain asbestos?
• Is there rising damp, and if so, how bad is it?
• Are the gas and electric systems safe and fit for purpose?

All the other information is nice to have, but it’s window dressing compared to the main event.
Unfortunately, these are just some of the questions a structural survey won’t definitively answer.
Are buildings surveys too vague?

Paradoxically, the report we received was both very long and very vague. For example, it told me that ‘no evidence of asbestos’ was found – which sounded great, until I spoke to the surveyor on the phone and realised that essentially, all he’d done was look up at the ceiling.
The report made a vague mention of damp ‘on the ground floor level’ – which of course got us both panicking about the possibility of rising damp and rotting joists.
Again, it was only when I pinned down the surveyor on the phone that he clarified things, admitting that he’d taken the damp reading right next to a leaking radiator, which ‘might’ have been the cause.
Many points were so heavily caveated that I felt it became more about covering the surveyor’s back than coming to helpful conclusions. For example, when it came to cracks in the plaster, the report essentially said (though not in so many words) ‘they’re probably nothing, but you might want to get them looked at’.
I felt like shouting: ‘Isn’t that what I’m paying you for?’
What isn’t covered

It turns out, it’s not. I hadn’t fully understood all the areas a structural surveyor isn’t obliged to investigate.
For example, I now know that a standard structural survey report won’t generally comment in detail on heating or electrical systems. Nor will it typically cover “deleterious materials” – for example asbestos – in any depth.


I found this article by typing into google, 'what will a full survey tell you that a home buyers survey won't?'. The full title is: 'Structural Surveys - What Am I Paying For'

olly300

furley wrote: »

Hi, have a question: have already agreed to purchase a 1967 build house that was completely refurbished w/ rewiring, new heating system, new plumbing, new bathrooms, kitchen, new conservatory, etc. and looks brill. Is it necessary or still advisable to have a full structural or homebuyers survey? Am thinking with all this attention, home should be fine. Or am I deluding myself??

It's absolutely essential to have a full structural survey on the property not just a homebuyers.

The work could be done to what appears to be a high standard but they could have taken structural short cuts.

olly300

anyusernamenottaken wrote: »

The house we're buying is about 110 years old and has been extended in about 1990. We're in a real quandry as to whether we go for homebuyers or full. From people we ask, its about a 50/50 split.

Any property that is old or has had an extension should have a full structural survey on it.

In your case the extension could have been done with short cuts taken which could impact the rest of the house.

The reason why there are property horror shows is because people either don't get a structural survey when they should do, or if they do don't read it.

Buyahouse

Hi everyone, I'm new to this forum, so please be gentle.
Basically we are buying a house & paying cash, we are using a solicitor for the searches & exchange side of things.
What we can't decide on is whether to use a surveyor or not?
The house looks in good shape & appears to have been well maintained & looked after, the house is only around 15 years old.
We have asked our solicitor as to what he thinks & he said go for an in depth basic one, also do I legally need a survey for any future reasons i.e. future insurance or house selling purposes?
Thanks.

codsquad

HI

I am buying a flat in a converted Victorian school (built 1895ish). The flat was converted in 1999 and has had 3 owners. Our mortgage providers have said that we must get a valuation from them (£475), but I was wondering whether I should also get a Homebuyers report? The flat is ground floor, leasehold.

Thanks in advance for you help.

londonlydia

codsquad wrote: »

HI

I am buying a flat in a converted Victorian school (built 1895ish). The flat was converted in 1999 and has had 3 owners. Our mortgage providers have said that we must get a valuation from them (£475), but I was wondering whether I should also get a Homebuyers report? The flat is ground floor, leasehold.

Thanks in advance for you help.

£475 for a valuation!? That's extortionate! That's more than a Homebuyer's report!!!!!!

sawanderer

One of the tips in the article is to accompany the surveyor during the survey.

We've booked a HomeBuyer's survey. Whilst the survey company (Country Wide) is happy for us to be there for the survey, the estate agent has recommended to the seller that they should refuse our request, partly based on the fact that he feels he would have to be there for the duration as well, and partly because "it's not the done thing."

Can anyone help out and give suggestions or precedents on how we might get around the lazy estate agent and be able to accompany the surveyor during the survey?

Thanks.

Lavendyr

We got a basic valuation and homebuyers survey through First Direct for something like £460 which seemed reasonable to us.

Re "accompanying the surveyor" - this didn't occur to us when buying our house. Our surveyor did however say that if we had any questions at all about our survey, he'd be happy to talk through any aspects of it and we should just give him a ring.

Some other thoughts:

- Obviously read the survey cover to cover and if you don't understand anything, ask someone who does!

- Don't rely on the basic valuation alone (unless you really know what to look for yourself), as a) the client is the bank, not you and b) as a result of a), you may not even get to see the valuation.