How many surveys are needed for a house

Catbells

Have agreed purchase on a house today and am looking for a surveyor which I think I have as one has been recommended. Have heard there are several types of surveys and want to know which type I will require on an Edwardian semi. Won't need one for the bank as am a cash buyer (from sale of old house). Thanks.

honey9

We are buying an Edwardian property and were advised to get a homebuyers' report - it's more expensive but more thorough than the basic valuation which wouldn't tell you much. A surveyor might tell you to get a full building survey as the place you're buying is about 100 years old but unless it's in a really dilapidated state you don't need to also, the full building survey is even more expensive)

As you don't need a survey for the bank and it's more for your peace of mind it's up to you but the homebuyers' survey is very thorough.

olly300

honey9 wrote: »

We are buying an Edwardian property and were advised to get a homebuyers' report - it's more expensive but more thorough than the basic valuation which wouldn't tell you much. A surveyor might tell you to get a full building survey as the place you're buying is about 100 years old but unless it's in a really dilapidated state you don't need to also, the full building survey is even more expensive)

As you don't need a survey for the bank and it's more for your peace of mind it's up to you but the homebuyers' survey is very thorough.

A homebuyers survey is completey the wrong name for the survey catbells wants.

catbells you need a full survey or called a full structural survey. You want the surveyor to look at everything even if the vendor tries to make it inaccessible.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/mortgages/house-buying-guide

wodgerdodger

Whether it's a basic valuation, homebuyers or structural survey you would be advised to also consider Specialist reports for items such as.
1, damp/timber treatment
2. Electrical testing
3. Drains survey.

Quite probably none of the 3 types of Building Surveys/valuations would be sufficiently knowledgeable or be prepared to give precise condition of the the three items I listed and being Edwardian there is a fair degree of possibility that something could be thrown up by one or all of the above specialists. That is of course with the proviso that the vendor can provisde either valid guarantees for the first or had the other two inspected or replaced in recent years.

timmyt

Catbells wrote: »

Have agreed purchase on a house today and am looking for a surveyor which I think I have as one has been recommended. Have heard there are several types of surveys and want to know which type I will require on an Edwardian semi. Won't need one for the bank as am a cash buyer (from sale of old house). Thanks.

just remember that you survey your house, but you should also get an expert into the survey the central heating and the electrics.

its not your seller's job to survey them for you...obviously...but so many buyers get that wrong.

three types survey:

1. valuation - worthless
2. home buyers - so many people do that
3. full structural - i would always do this, as why cut corners on a massive purchase price

good luck

jozbo

We're having to make a similar decision for a victorian terrace.
Our lender is getting a valuation with e-surv and we're getting an independent building (structural) survey as well.
I'm also gathering quotes for an electrical inspection and a quote from a gas fitter for a new combi/condensing boiler (we know we need one as it's an old system).
We're planning to get those all done on the same day - as vendor's not there the agent will need to hang around..
I will also be there throughout as I hear you'll learn much more about the property if you're there during the survey than if you just get a print out.

Catbells

Thanks to all replies. Its become clear that the full structural survey is the best option on a house this age (Edwardian) and I am going to have this done.

In addition, there is a big chance that I will have a bit of structural work down the line and so I would need to have a structural report on the possibilities of doing this which a home buyers survey would not give me.

I am also hoping that I may be able to get a bit more off the house (as happened when I sold mine a few weeks ago) as a result of this survey.

fraser

If you watched the Sarah Beeny programme last night on C4 then you will realise the need for a full structural survey on period properties

CambridgeAngel

fraser wrote: »

If you watched the Sarah Beeny programme last night on C4 then you will realise the need for a full structural survey on period properties

The property on last nights show did have a FULL STRUCTURAL SURVERY !!!!!!!!!!!

dizziblonde

We've just gone for homebuyers report on ours - but we've lived in an identical house three doors down for ages, we know the issues that crop up with the houses on this street, we know the bits that are possibly starting to go in the near future on these houses anyway (they're hitting the age where people are starting to look at replacing their roof on many along here which I think will be the biggie that's thrown up in it all)... so we're not exactly buying into the street blindly and figured we could take that educated risk.

Otherwise we'd have gone full structural - if expensive sounding stuff's likely to be on its way out - I'd like to know in advance!

loulou41

I do watch her programme, I must have missed the part of the building survey. Wonder whether these people featured in her programme did get a full survey on their house.