Homebuyers or full structural survey?

girl_withno_name

I guess this question get asked on a regular basis, but I also figure that the answer is dependent on the individual property... so here goes nothing!

We'll shortly be looking to place an offer on a property (second viewing today, so if all goes well...) and have been wondering which survey would be best, if we're successful!

The house is about 100 years old we think, suggesting that the kitchen / bathroom areas would be an extension to the original structure, the living room / dining room has been knocked into one and there's also a loft conversion.

Our initial thoughts were to stick with the Homebuyers survey as I gather that this is enough information for most people except for listing or graded properties or where there may be specific concerns (plus I hear that a full structural surveys can be terrifying!)... However, with all the updates to the property, other people have suggested that a full structual might be the way forward.

Any thoughts? I suspect people here may be similarly torn!?

Mayflower10cat

Personally, I'd suggest a Building Survey (Full structural) as the house is approx 100 years old and there's been lots of later additions. For your peace of mind. Having bought two Edwardian houses in our lives, one with a structural survey and one with only a mortgage valuation, I'd never buy a 100+ yr old property without a full structural!

Neverland

I would get a full structural survey, an electrical report unless you plan on installing new electrics and a drain survey too

I think anyone who doesn't actually check out the real condition of what they are buying when they spending several times their annual income buying a house is stupid

We have had full structurals done on places in the past and chosen not to buy them after seeing the results because of problems (subsidence, structural cracking of the walls) thats the surveys pointed out to us

iwilldoitthistime

its definately worth the extra money for the full survey. Ive just pulled out on a house because it came back with a whole list of things wrong with it which would never have been picked up in a basic survey, and would have ended up costing me thousands to put right!

girl_withno_name

Do the surveyors generally talk their clients through the results of the full structural survey? Neither of us have any experience when it comes to home fixes or improvements, so I'm not sure I'd correctly identify the most important or most expensive issues...

Mayflower10cat

To Girl_withno_name,
yes, ours did. We were posted the finished report to have a browse through, and then we met the surveyer at the property and he walked us round and pointed out the issues he thought most pressing and also talked us through the points we raised. He gave us a rough idea of how easy/difficult a job was and also the order in which to tackle them. When pressed he also gave us ballpark figures for the work. We had a long talk about damp and how to manage it in a solid wall Edwardian house. He was very good actually and well worth the money.

snid

I had a quote on a 50's semi of £650 for the building survey and £360 for the homebuyers.

So for a 100 year-old house I would definitely go for the building. The difference is peanuts compared to what you're paying for the house.

Gonzo33

As everyone else says the full building survey. You might initially spend an additional £300 or more, but it could potentially save you from a money pit house.

girl_withno_name

Thanks everyone! My concern wasn't directly around spending out a bit of extra money initially (especially if this expenditure could potentially saved thousands in the long run), but whether the extra money for the full survey held any extra value - which it sounds like it does!! I was worried that it wouldn't provide much more useful information, would scare me away from any property (because they list every small fault) and maybe wouldn't make much sense anyway but it sounds like the surveyor will help with all that.

anyusernamenottaken

We went for the HB survey (last week). We paid £500 incl VAT. We spoke to the surveyor about the property and he thought (knowing the area very well and the row of houses) that the HB would be fine for us.

I have showed the report to my mortgage advisor friend who said, for what we paid for it was very thorough indeed. Commented on everything from wall thickness in extension, cavity insulation, lintels, wiring, boiler, roof structure, slate condition, all joinery, fireplace, chimney, ventilation, recommendations on ventilation, internal/external wall condition and coverings etc etc.

Its ultimately down to you and how you feel after speaking with the surveyor as to which survey best suits your needs.

girl_withno_name

I started (last week, before advice to the contrary) with quotes for Homebuyer's Survey and, on a property at about £130k, I've had quotes ranging from ~£200 to ~£375 so £500 seems expensive - are survey's "you get what you pay for"? I had assumed that there was a standard template, etc. and therefore very little differences between a HB survey at £200 and a HB survey at £375