Homebuyer's report vs Building survey

gazareth

Just looking for advice on which to go for!

We are in the process of buying a 1900-built mid-terrace house. The current owners bought it in 2006 and have done a complete renovation internally and as far as you can tell from a couple of viewings, no work is needed on the inside.

What value would a building survey offer over a homebuyer's report?

arbrighton

Some surveyors will only do a full survey on a house of that age. Renovation could be cosmetic covering of something wrong, how would you know?
We had a full survey done on the house we're hopefully completing on this month, built in 1840s, renovated and extended by owners in late 90s but still worth it for peace of mind from our point of view

Notmyrealname

gazareth wrote: »

Just looking for advice on which to go for!

We are in the process of buying a 1900-built mid-terrace house. The current owners bought it in 2006 and have done a complete renovation internally and as far as you can tell from a couple of viewings, no work is needed on the inside.

What value would a building survey offer over a homebuyer's report?

It'll be a proper survey. Our homebuyers report was so useless that it said to inspect the joists on the ground floor. All the floors on the ground floor are concrete....

My friend bought a house last October and the homebuyers report made no mention of the roof which is shot to hell.

arbrighton

Notmyrealname wrote: »

It'll be a proper survey. Our homebuyers report was so useless that it said to inspect the joists on the ground floor. All the floors on the ground floor are concrete....

My friend bought a house last October and the homebuyers report made no mention of the roof which is shot to hell.

yes, but even a full survey can only go off what it can access. How are the supposed to know the floor is concrete unless they can see it by lifting carpets/ tiles etc. Usually that would be at the edge of a room and even then they're not likely to move big furniture etc to do so
As for 'our' roof- well he wouldn't go up in the loft as not boarded out so we are limited to 'from what I can see from the loft hatch....................'

DRP

arbrighton wrote: »

yes, but even a full survey can only go off what it can access. How are the supposed to know the floor is concrete unless they can see it by lifting carpets/ tiles etc. Usually that would be at the edge of a room and even then they're not likely to move big furniture etc to do so
As for 'our' roof- well he wouldn't go up in the loft as not boarded out so we are limited to 'from what I can see from the loft hatch....................'

jump up and down.

At least, that is what I would do.... and that is exactly what the surveyor who visited us 2 weeks ago did!!