how to choose a surveyor for homebuyers report (in Trafford area)

united4ever

having a look online but i haven't got a clue which one would be best. Seems 400 quid is the going rate but obviously less would be better. Is it something you can play them off against each other and say the best quote i had is 350, if you match it i will go with you....or is that false economy i.e. They'll just spend less time on your survey. Would like a five or ten minute phone call after the survey too for a verbal summary.

its a 1960s semi recently modernised so not expecting major faults,but will give peace of mind.

thanks

dj1471

I recently paid £350 for a full structural survey, so £400 just for a homebuyer's report seems like a lot. It will of course depend on the value and size of the property.

Personally I got some quotes online and went for the cheapest. There's lots of competition for homebuyer's reports particularly, so you should be able to get a decent deal. They're not very through (some people question whether they're even worth having...), so I wouldn't be too concerned about going for a cheap one. Try Really Moving and Local Surveyors Direct if you haven't already. Bear in mind that the quotes you receive online are just rough estimates, you will receive personalised quotes (usually cheaper than quoted online) within a day or two.

dimbo61

Will you not have to pick from the lenders approved Surveyors ?
Unless you are buying with cash !

dj1471

dimbo61 wrote: »

Will you not have to pick from the lenders approved Surveyors ?

Only for the valuation. Any further survey is for your benefit not the lender, so you're free to choose any surveyor.

ACG

http://www.precedentsurveyors.com/

Ive used these for a couple of my clients. Theyre based in Wakefield but they have been to trafford/eccles and a few other places around manchester so im sure they will come out.

Recently modernised can mean anything, it could be a developer that has done it cheap and cheerful but looks good. An EPC can be useful for recent renovations.

generationgav

I've just had a Home Buyers report done in the Trafford area myself.

This was done by the same company our mortgage company got to do the valuation, we just paid extra for the Homebuyers, but I'd be surprised if they didn't do them independently. It was around £200, but that was as an add-on to my valuation, so don't know what the cost of it would be independently.

The company was Countrywide Surveyors, I think they've got people across the UK.

This is my first Home Buyers report, so no experience vs. the competition really, but I found them to be very friendly, helpful and the report was clear so even I could understand it.

I've got nothing to do with the above company, other than I was impressed by them, but as I said I've had no experience of the competition and I may have just got a very good person to deal with.