survey query

mutley74

Offered accepted on a house. Now lining up for a home buyers survey. Contacted 2 local surveyors both with recommendations from local agents.
Surveyor 1 - Self employed own company, over 30yrs experience. He wants £405 for the report inc valuation. He knows the local area and said his report is to RICS and includes photos etc.

Surveyor 2 - Local to the area, rang me up said he can do a survey for £300, he a charted surveyor with 20yrs+ experience the report is not on RICS formatted paper (he said he does not believe in paying the fees). I seen some example reports on his website and he uses no photographs. Checked with him and he said its not something he includes in reports.

Any advice welcome as its a good saving if chap #2 can do the same and save me some money too.

Moriath

Doesnt your lender have someone they need youto use?

mutley74

Moriath wrote: »

Doesnt your lender have someone they need youto use?

no I don't need that requirement.

G_M

What kind of property?

What is your own knowledge level?

What is your attitude to risk?

mutley74

G_M wrote: »

What kind of property?

What is your own knowledge level?

What is your attitude to risk?

3 bedroom semi. I have done several viewings accompanied with family members and cannot see any obvious faults/issues.
I want a survey done to ensure I have not missed anything.

G_M

mutley74 wrote: »

3 bedroom semi.
age?
general condition /state of upkeep?
any recent extensions or other major works?

I have done several viewings accompanied with family members and cannot see any obvious faults/issues.
knowledge level?

I want a survey done to ensure I have not missed anything.

so you are seriously risk-averse?

teneighty

I think I might be able to help clarify.

It sounds like the first surveyor is providing a standard RICS Homebuyers Report. The format for the Homebuyers Report is owned by the RICS and its members have to purchase an annual licence to be able to produce them and usually a software package to generate the reports.

The second surveyor is probably producing a survey report using his own format. A lot of the independent surveyors do this as the Homebuyers format can be quite rigid and restrictive which is why we see so many generic tick box type survey reports with the Homebuyers format, especially if they use the licensed software as well. Plus why pay a license fee if you already have a perfectly acceptable survey format. It does sound unusual for Surveyor 2 not to provide photographs in his report although for £300 you can't expect much.

The other difference may be that the RICS Homebuyers Report includes a valuation whilst the independent survey may not.

mutley74

teneighty wrote: »

I think I might be able to help clarify.

It sounds like the first surveyor is providing a standard RICS Homebuyers Report. The format for the Homebuyers Report is owned by the RICS and its members have to purchase an annual licence to be able to produce them and usually a software package to generate the reports.

The second surveyor is probably producing a survey report using his own format. A lot of the independent surveyors do this as the Homebuyers format can be quite rigid and restrictive which is why we see so many generic tick box type survey reports with the Homebuyers format, especially if they use the licensed software as well. Plus why pay a license fee if you already have a perfectly acceptable survey format. It does sound unusual for Surveyor 2 not to provide photographs in his report although for £300 you can't expect much.

The other difference may be that the RICS Homebuyers Report includes a valuation whilst the independent survey may not.

Thanks for your explanation. Both quotes include a valuation.
I have asked #2 if he can provide some photos, as when I last had a survey done it was helpful in understanding some issues.

teneighty

mutley74 wrote: »

Thanks for your explanation. Both quotes include a valuation.
I have asked #2 if he can provide some photos, as when I last had a survey done it was helpful in understanding some issues.

The problem might be that adding photos to a bespoke report can be more time consuming and for £300 simply not worth the surveyor's while.

The generic Homebuyers software can automatically upload photos taken with the tablet device used to compile the report so it just takes a couple of seconds.

I agree that photos provide extra clarity but if you cut the price down to the bone you shouldn't be surprised if the quality starts to slip.

Fiesto88

The surveyor we used didn’t use the RICS format but did include photographs.

On meeting him at the property after the inspection and on reading his finished report, it was quite clear why he doesn’t use a prescriptive format. It was absolutely packed full of his own observations and comments that were, quite frankly not what we were paying him for. He criticised, in no particular order:

- the layout of the cabinets in the kitchen
- the design of the sink in the en suite bathroom
- the shape of one of the bedrooms
- the steepness of the staircase
- the design of the interior doors
- the location of a television point
- that the smallest bedroom had laminate flooring when the rest of the house has hardwood

Almost every paragraph contained the line “it is the author’s opinion”, followed by some unnecessary comment. The master bedroom, he claimed, requires redecoration. I’m not sure why - I assume he wasn’t a fan of the colour on the walls.

When he was talking us through it, I ended up saying that we were paying him to tell us if the house was structurally sound and what things we could expect in terms of maintenance - not his personal opinion on aspects of the house that we were quite clearly, as potential buyers, unfussed by.