Would you have a survey?

Running_Horse

We might be slightly mad, but we are seriously thinking of buying a solid 1960s house that hasn't been updated for decades. It needs new double glazing, kitchen, bathroom, rewiring, decoration and carpets. However, it looks structurally sound.

Would you get a survey if you are going to do everything anyway?

AnotherJoe

I wouldn't because my experience of surveys is that they tell you the obvious and have enough caveats to mean that anything serious they missed there is no liability for.

There is also the ridiculous traffic light system where they mark as red things they didn't actually check, for example there was a post yesterday where someone had a red in electrical because it hadn't had a previous check even though there's no actual requirement to have a check.

In your case I'd be confident that there will be a string of reds, a list of recommendations to get checked (at further expense) all the stuff that's rea they didn't check - gas, electric roof whatever, and on the upside if they miss anything like subsidence you can print all the caveats out and use them to underpin the building.

martinthebandit

To be honest before buying this place and only because we were going to be doing a lot of alterations we employed a proper structural engineer to do a full survey.

His report was far more in depth and useful then any 'building surveyors' report and was not much more expensive.

DigForVictory

+1 to a full structural (You'll need another sort for the mortgage - wonderful how they don't overlap & anyway do you want the bank to see the scarlet ink and the exclamation marks?!)

Find a RICS one handy to you here

It's really helpful in sorting out what needs to be done first, and what can wait a bit & it also gives you an entirely handy valuation for negotiation.

It will also shatter any delusions your heart may have taken up, so I reckon the full structural survey is worth its weight in rubies!

Asl77c

I!!!8217;d go for full structural too. If that much is clear to see I'd then want to find out what you can!!!8217;t see.

tori.k

We didn't bother we paid for the valuation and a gas inspection on the combi boiler.
Home buyers surveys are pointless, I did consider a full structural survey on a previous house that fell through but was only the roof we were concerned about due to the age of the building so made more sense to us to have a roofer take a look.

buggy_boy

I completed a by the sounds of it similar 1960's bungalow refurbishment last year, did not bother with a survey but then have quite a lot of experience and got builder in to check everything was ok...

It needed new electrics but that was obvious (Only has twin not twin and earth on lighting circuit, plus hardly any sockets in kitchen). Complete new heating system, new kitchen, new bathroom, redecoration inside and out but layout was pretty good, all we did was change a door into an archway, block up fireplace and take down chimney to below roof line (It was leaking at flashing and as didnt want to use fireplace was cheaper just to remove)..

There were a few unexpected issues, the ceiling joists were not really thick enough for the large lounge and in the middle sagged down 2-3inches, it was surprising how easy it was to miss, it was only when you measured you really saw the difference, the ceiling had to come down, joists propped up and reinforced... The garage roof leaked a little and was asbestos concrete roofing, the builder removed the sheets whole and we wrapped them in two sheets of thick plastic, stuck them on the roof of the car and took them down the recycling centre (They now want £15 a sheet), it was ok, we used masks and gloves, as long as it didnt break the fibres would not be released.... The worst had to be that after plastering someone had not put a coat of 50/50 (50% water, 50% paint) on the plaster to get it to stick so the paint pealed off in placed, the whole room had to have the paint stripped, took two of us almost 2 solid weeks...

Im pretty good when it comes to budgeting and said would take about £22k, came in around £30k but we added a lot like all new windows, an extension to the back of the garage and underfloor insulation.

Sometimes places that need complete doing up are easier as nobody has bodged around repairs, everything is there to see, make sure you get a builder in to check for anything obvious and as long as you get it for a good price so it covers any unforeseen work and make sure you have a health contingency budget...

If the place were older I would definitely recommend a survey but 60's houses were in the main pretty solidly built.

G_M

martinthebandit wrote: »

To be honest before buying this place and only because we were going to be doing a lot of alterations we employed a proper structural engineer to do a full survey.

His report was far more in depth and useful then any 'building surveyors' report and was not much more expensive.

=DigForVictory: +1 to a full structural (You'll need another sort for the mortgage - wonderful how they don't overlap

martin was receomending a SE, not an RICS surveyor.

Compare hospital consultant with GP.

martinthebandit

G_M wrote: »

martin was receomending a SE, not an RICS surveyor.

Compare hospital consultant with GP.

Quite right, there is a lot of difference in quality but surprisingly little difference in price.

RedFraggle

G_M wrote: »

martin was receomending a SE, not an RICS surveyor.

Compare hospital consultant with GP.

Quite. We had a RICS building survey on our previous house thinking it was the right thing to do. Wasn't worth a penny of the £700 we paid.

Davesnave

I've only bought post WW2 houses and I've never had a full buildings survey or a surprise yet, but the most salient point is that I'm not you!

Also, although I know more than I once did, no one knows everything and anyone can miss something, especially on a house they like. I'd never attempt to evaluate a house on my own.

I'd view 3 times and save the 'biggie' till last, because it's more intimidating having a purchaser + builder friend/relative crawling all over a property, than the professionally detached inspection by a surveyor.

If I strayed into old house territory, I'd probably look for a structural engineer's survey and maybe specialist advice on individual things like lime plastering, replacing exposed timbers, or whatever. I'd be out of my comfort zone.