Should I get a full structural survey through my mortgage company?

DannyboyMidlands

Personally I wouldn't get a full structural survey at all unless I was particularly concerned about something and that an engineer would have a decent chance of doing a proper inspection of that item. At the end of the day they can only see what's exposed.

holly_hobby

deshg wrote: »

There are 3 things i particularly want the surveyor to look at:

1) Is the floor of the attic bedroom supported legally according to building regs (it's advertised as a bedroom on the estate agents details) or is it just an old conversion where they haven't reinforced the floor properly (and it's just sitting on the old ceiling)?

A basic survey is a simple evaluation based on the surveryor making a visual examination of the property (inc attic), and will involve a damp test with their little machine. They will make reference to any serious issues they see, such as evidence of movement, rotten wooden window frames, concerns over the age of electrics supplying the property (esp in older ones).

Full Struct. involves the surveryor getting down and dirty. They will physically examine all accessible areas, inc in my experience even lifting accessible floorboards. As already mentioned, the price of £695 does seem a little light for a FSS, and more akin to a homebuyers Report .... but if may be because there is such restricted access and it is only a flat.

You should ask the estate agent to obtain confirmation from the vendor with sight of the supporting documentation i.e planning permission and sign off by the local authority surveryor. The Vendors will have this, as they would have been provided with a copy once the final inspection and sign off by the local authority surveyor had taken place.

The local authority surveryor will only have signed off the works if they were satisfied with that the works had adhered to the submitted plan, to a satisfactory standard, and in accordance with building regs.

Regarding your thoughts about the attic converstion - it can only be legally cited as a bedroom under building regs, if there is documentary permission (detailed above), and permanent access to it i.e if its a pull down ladder etc (as far as memory takes me) - its still an attic - albeit a nice one !

The estate agt may NOT have checked any of this out before instruction and listing, do not assume that they have, they invariably don't and are guided by the vendors requirements i.e to list it as a bedroom - as the more rooms a proprety has the higher the value and asking price & the higher the fee the est age receives on completion.

Achieve sight of the docs that I have mentioned before going to survey, and at the very latest before exchange of contracts.

deshg wrote: »

2) There's a weird separation of the bricks at one point on the inner parapet wall on the roof (which doesn't appear to be visible from the other side). My step dad (who has run building firms and been doing developments his whole life) said he thought it was very old movement and didn't think it was anything to worry about but worth having the surveyor look at it.

Evidence of movement, will be noted and raised under all level of surveys (basic, homebuyers or full structural). Whereby the surveyor may require your instruction of (and payment for ) a structural engineers report to give them an expert opinion as to whether the movement is historical or on going. So if you are going for a FS purely for this - in my opinion its spending when you don't need to.

deshg wrote: »

3) I want to knock a wall down between the kitchen and the sitting room and just wanted to check whether this wall is structural (i'm pretty sure it is) and whether there's any particular reason this might be difficult/costly (not sure if a structural surveyor would do this last one as part of a structural report?)

A surveyor can advise if a wall is supporting or not. Knocking down/removing a load baring wall may require sign off by a bldgs inspector. There may be more complications with regards to knocking down a load baring wall in a flat (not sure if it is purpose built or a conversion). A quick call to your local authority buliding regs department will help you find out what is reqd or not allowed.

deshg wrote: »

When you say the lender only gets the valuation report that's great news, however presumably if they unearthed something during the full survey (eg that the floor wasn't properly reinforced) then this would contribute to the final valuation (even if it wasn't detailed on there specifically)?

Any serious issues which is unearthed will be included in the basic survey comments.


Hope this helps

Holly