How to choose a surveyor for a full survey

GaggingOrder

We're in the process of buying a slightly unusual house and as such have decided a full structural survey is for us. It is on a hill and the downstairs is on 3 levels, plus it had an extension put on about 40 years ago.

I don't know anyone who has had one recently so haven't been able to find a recommendation, and I'm struggling to differentiate on any grounds other than price. I've obtained some quotes from some firms I found on the RICS website but they all seem much the same.

At the moment I'm waiting to hear from the mortgage lender's valuer to get a quote for them to do a full survey while they're there.

Any advice for selecting a good surveyor?

Would it be better to avoid the lender's choice and use someone independent?

Do some surveyors specialise in particular types of property?

I'm sure I can't be the first person to ask this but I couldn't find an answer by searching. Thanks in advance for your replies.

G_M

Best to ask your seller to choose for you.......

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5472198


:eek:

GaggingOrder

Thanks G_M, yes I read that with horror.

dc197

I chose a full surveyor using this process.
* Asked for quiotes via the ReallyMoving website
* Ignored all those who badgered me afterwards
* Drew-up a list of local RICS agents and wrote to them
* Ditched the cheapest and the most expensive
* Asked the remained a couple of questions to gauge their professional nature
* Went with the one who filled me with the most confidence

One of the questions I asked was whether their report would be full of caveats and recommendations to obtain further reports; they said it would not and indeed it wasn't.

I don't know where you are, but in the south Midlands area I can recommend Allcott Associates.
They were not infallible though - they reported the inability to identify a lintel, even though if they'd stepped inside the garage they would have seen a bit fat girder of a lintel.

GaggingOrder

Thanks DC. That's really useful and I will follow your advice. The property is in North Kent though so I doubt your recommended firm will be able to help. Thanks nonetheless.

davidwiggins01

We are in the early stages of buying a property in North Kent, so I would be interested to know which surveyor you used in the end, if you wouldn't mind updating this thread.

david1951

Discuss the property with a few local surveyors and go with the one you feel most comfortable with. At least one of them will have surveyed similar properties (no matter how unusual)...the latest house I bought the surveyor knew what it was built from, and how it was made just from the address.

cloo

I say if in doubt, use someone who's been working in the area a long time. They'll know the lay of the land (literally), the types of property and so on, so can give you the best considered opinion.

Jox

My bank is arranging the valuation (free) and full survey (cost of £560 that I have paid). Should I have arranged the full survey myself?

ajp1309

We went with the surveyor the mortgage company were sending out to do the valuation in the end.

I did get some quotes locally and had narrowed it down to 2 but it was just for ease really. The estate agent told us the surveyor that the mortgage company sent out does alot around the area.

We were happy with the report he did and any questions we had were answered quickly.