Survey or not to survey?

aneary

I would say yes, mine noticed there were issues with the sash window, damage around the bath that I didn't notice plus and issue with the worktop the join was in the wrong place causing sealant problems the damage around the bath and worktop I would get fixed (my dad is a carpenter) and the windows I insisted on the sellers fixing as with Sash windows it can be a minor thing or a massive thing and you never know until you start fixing them, (in the end the sell fell through for other issues, but the windows were fixed).

Obviously you are unlikely to have the sash window issue but damage around a bath could be possible as would the worktop and would you have anyone to sort out the problems or would you be paying out extra money for this.

kerri_gt

aneary wrote: »

I would say yes, mine noticed there were issues with the sash window, damage around the bath that I didn't notice plus and issue with the worktop the join was in the wrong place causing sealant problems the damage around the bath and worktop I would get fixed (my dad is a carpenter) and the windows I insisted on the sellers fixing as with Sash windows it can be a minor thing or a massive thing and you never know until you start fixing them, (in the end the sell fell through for other issues, but the windows were fixed).

Obviously you are unlikely to have the sash window issue but damage around a bath could be possible as would the worktop and would you have anyone to sort out the problems or would you be paying out extra money for this.

^^ this. Ours flagged a note on the guttering at the back, we didn't renegotiate on the house price but added it to our list of things to do - likely wouldn't have noticed it otherwise. Had the guttering done this year and turned out some of the roof felt also needed replacing - saved us possibly more expensive problems down the line.

n217970

NelliePie wrote: »

Can I ask you to explain your views on this? I'd be interested in hearing your experiences of surveys.

The reports are full of unfounded backside covering. As I have a copy of the report from a recent sale handy I can tell you as per normal the gas and electric have been given a rating of 3, and the garage is apparently in immediate danger of collapse. As I dismissed it out of hand the buyers got their builder friend round who lived in the street to quote for demolishing the garage. He confirmed they are a pain to take down as they are so solidly built and in no danger of falling down. They bought the house and the garage is still there 6 months later. There was also plenty of misidentifications of materials. However one comment from the report really made me laugh.

The gutters and downpipes appeared in satisfactory condition but the gutters are not precisely true and level in places

Guess he has never heard of a fall.

Here is another one for you - the same house had a sale fall through 15 months prior due to a BTL buyer trying to screw the price down at the last moment. The survey they had done on the property said a new roof was urgently required. Guess the roof fixed itself as it wasn't a problem second time round. I later found out the BTL investor was loosely connected to the surveyor, not that I am implying anything.

Shoequeeny

Thanks everyone!

As this is a shared ownership you don't actually really get to negotiate on the cost - and the lender doesn't require a survey. Obviously, if major defects were found you could push back, but most likely I would just lose the place and my housing association deposit. Bit of a weird one.

It sounds like the right move would be to get a basic one for piece of mind if nothing else.

sheff6107

Personally I'd get a full structural survey on anything other than a flat.

Surrey_EA

sheff6107 wrote: »

Personally I'd get a full structural survey on anything other than a flat.

At the risk of sounding rather pedantic, what many people refer to as a 'full structural survey' is generally not a term used by surveyors any more.

The term most commonly used is building survey, which is a survey carried out by an RICS Chartered Building Surveyor. It's a general inspection of all the visible parts of the property and covers defects, and maintenance issues.

A structural survey is carried out by a structural engineer, and investigates the structural integrity of the building in detail.

AnotherJoe

Blakey74 wrote: »

Valuation Surveys are done on behalf of the lender even though the buyer pays for it.

You therefore have no come back if you move in and find out there are structural problems to the house which should have been picked up by the surveyor

In general you have no comeback from your survey either since the number of caveats in these reports make it practically impossible to take any action yourself. Any major issues should be dealt with by NHBC. Op should take a good long look themselves and only get a surveyor in if they spot something like major cracks.

LuckyG

I wasn't going to get a survey done on the house I'm buying due to it's age but my solicitor advised me to get one done.
I just had the homebuyers survey, which is not a full buildings survey.
It did pick up a few minor issues so it was useful in one respect.

AnotherJoe

LuckyG wrote: »

I wasn't going to get a survey done on the house I'm buying due to it's age but my solicitor advised me to get one done.
I just had the homebuyers survey, which is not a full buildings survey.
It did pick up a few minor issues so it was useful in one respect.

Well of course they would, if they didn't, then you could have comeback against them.

This way they shuffle responsibility either to (a) you if you dont take one out, or (b) a surveyor, who shuffles their responsibility off into a reams worth of caveats.