Structural Engineers Report

CBR600F_2 · 23 May 2012 at 5:55PM

I've received a letter from the bank saying that to proceed further in my mortgage application, they need a Structural Engineers Report carrying out.

Does anybody have a ballpark figure for this kind of work?

Thank you please.

Dave_Ham · 23 May 2012 at 7:44PM

After a truck load of silly posts, with random comments you now ask a sensible question...

Imagine you want a sensible answer of use, rather than some of your own?

I had a client who had to have one a few months ago and it cost £1200. There were a few more specifics required and specific requests, but from memory they had to have a few specific qualifications/associations..

Imagine it will depend on property size and type though...

CBR600F_2 · 23 May 2012 at 8:03PM

I did it for the lulz. Just like everything.

I started out on this forum more serious than terminal prostate cancer, but when nobody answered my genuine question, I reverted to type.

But, I don't mean any harm. If anyone was offended, well, you have my sympathy.

Anywho. I've got a few quotes, cheapest being £300. Most expensive being £540.

Whilst we're being serious here, I was thinking of asking the vendor to pay for the s. engineer's report in its entirety. But it's me that needs to submit the report to my lender, and if I hadn't paid for it, I'd have no right to it, correct?

Also, what's the score if this report kicks up work that needs doing? Would the ball be in the vendor's court - so to speak - then?

Thanks.

Dave_Ham · 23 May 2012 at 8:09PM

Good call - my clients was in Central London so assume they doubled it up just to seem credible.

It depends upon personal situation, I would imagine it all sits with the Vendor but it depends who plays hard ball best..

If it flags anything up (and typically they do) would definitely put this in the Vendors court for sure..

CBR600F_2 · 23 May 2012 at 8:32PM

So it'd be viable to say something along the lines of, 'Hey sh*tbird, this is how it's going to go down, see? You pay for this here structural engineer's report, see? And then you hand it over to me, see? And then I'll give it to my lender, see? And we'll go from there, see?'

Seems cheeky to me. I mean, I need this report for a mortgage and peace of mind.

Dave_Ham · 23 May 2012 at 8:41PM

Exactly how I would have phrased it - I think you have to at least chance your arm but will depend upon who wants/needs it most..

CBR600F_2 · 23 May 2012 at 8:55PM

'Chance my arm'? You mean knock the tar out of him? I'm pretty sure that's a direct violation of my parole. I'm not going back to jail. There're cats in there that want to do do horrible things to me after I ratted on all of them, increasing their sentences, on average, by 5 years.

No, I believe I'll offer to share the costs. Like a good will gesture. I mean, he's the one who's going to have to pay for the work that likely'll need doing. Yeah, that's the ticket.

GMS · 23 May 2012 at 9:02PM

In much simpler terms if you went ot buy a car for £2,000 and found it had no MOT would you say 'Kind Sir I will pay you the £2,000 and pay for the MOT myself tomorrow' or 'MOT it and we will discuss the 2k or give it to me for £1,400 and I will take my chances'?

You can't expect to sell a car for full price with MOT any more than you can sell a house with structural defects. Vendor will encounter the same problem with the next buyer should you walk away.

Play hard ball, prison has I am sure given you a few pointers. Just don't fall for the 'Do you want to play Mummies and Daddies' game!!

CBR600F_2 · 23 May 2012 at 9:09PM

Man, I always hated that game. Even now I sleep with a shiv under my pillow. I don't really know why. It's habit more than anything.

So I should basically say, 'Pay for the report, remedy anything it comes up with, and then - and only then - will I think about buying your house off you.'

Seems fair. I suppose the danger is he'll just take it off the market. I mean the problems highlighted in the valuation are movement in the walls thought to be ongoing. Sounds like an expensive fix.

bigadaj · 23 May 2012 at 10:02PM

The report could also be only a first step. You've no guarantee the report will say it's fine or falling down, likely to be somewhere in between, and you're looking at costs for investigation and repairs - whereabouts is the house?

CBR600F_2 · 23 May 2012 at 10:08PM

It's in the East Riding of Yorkshire. I wouldn't be liable for repairs though, would I? Only after we'd exchanged contracts. And that's not going to happen if this report brings up issues, because the bank won't give me a mortgage.