Structural survey or Homebuyer report? - photo of problem included

eldaniel

Hi,

I am about to buy a house and I found this damp and crack in the corner of one room on 1st floor and not sure if Homebuyer report would be sufficient to evaluate how serious it is. Crack is along the wall from floor to ceiling.


House is I guess from 60's -70's and it looks like that:

apart of that 1 issue everything else seems pretty ok. Windows are quite old and don't have airvents which may prevent airflow I guess...

What is the timescale of full structural survey? At the moment tenants live in the property, so what kind of access to property would they need in order to conduct a survey? Would it be ok if tenants stay at home? How long it would take to conduct a survey? would 1 visit be sufficient?

Or simply in your opinion I am exaggerating and simple homebuyer report is enough?
Many thanks

Hoploz

Trying to work out ... Is that an internal wall which joins the two houses?

lewishardwick

I have discovered a Homebuyers report is full of caveats and caution without much detail. Any issues are followed by "instruct an appropriately qualified specialist to investigate further".

If you are that keen on the property, pay the extra for the full building survey. Do bear in mind if could be pretty invasive and the owner will need to give permission for investigation holes to be drilled etc.

My survey took two weeks to arrange. Yours may take longer due to the tenants in situ.

Hoploz

If its at the back maybe pointing required?
Sorry that wasn't your question was it. I'll shut up.

Any survey will identify that there is a patch of damp.then it will recommend a specialist damp survey.

Hoploz

lewishardwick wrote: »

I have discovered a Homebuyers report is full of caveats and caution without much detail. Any issues are followed by "instruct an appropriately qualified specialist to investigate further".

If you are that keen on the property, pay the extra for the full building survey. Do bear in mind if could be pretty invasive and the owner will need to give permission for investigation holes to be drilled etc.

My survey took two weeks to arrange. Yours may take longer due to the tenants in situ.

I think you're over-egging what a surveyor does on a 'building survey'

lewishardwick

Really? When I was comparing the two I was under the impression it was more thorough than a Homebuyers report...

Perhaps I dodged a £300 loss there!

eldaniel

it is actually at the back of the house in the corner which is not adjacent to any neighbors etc.

eldaniel

Hoploz wrote: »

Trying to work out ... Is that an internal wall which joins the two houses?

it is where the external wall is

eldaniel

lewishardwick wrote: »

I have discovered a Homebuyers report is full of caveats and caution without much detail. Any issues are followed by "instruct an appropriately qualified specialist to investigate further".

If you are that keen on the property, pay the extra for the full building survey. Do bear in mind if could be pretty invasive and the owner will need to give permission for investigation holes to be drilled etc.

My survey took two weeks to arrange. Yours may take longer due to the tenants in situ.

When I made an offer I requested another viewing and it took 2 weeks for that to happen because tenants were so difficult apparently so I can imagine how well would full structural survey go. Probably would take months

Marktheshark

Looks some kind of pre-fab construction with brick ends.
Could have iron ties that are corroding, something is moving in the wrong direction it is going to need a structural survey.

If thats an open alley, security might be an issue as well.

eldaniel

Marktheshark wrote: »

Looks some kind of pre-fab construction with brick ends.
Could have iron ties that are corroding, something is moving in the wrong direction it is going to need a structural survey.

If thats an open alley, security might be an issue as well.

Thanks, I started thinking about safety as well because at night anyone could enter through the garden and noone would notice. Putting the damp aside....