Is it worth getting a buyer's survey done when the house requires a full renovation?

techno79

Hoping to purchase a property that will require a complete renovation. Not sure whether I'll be changing the building structure yet (i.e. knocking down walls) but it'll definitely require new flooring, walls will need stripping back and repainted (probably re-plastered), the central heating system will need completely re-doing, the bathrooms and kitchen will need to be ripped out and re-done, all the windows and doors will need replacing too. I think the only thing that will remain untouched is the bare brick walls and the roof (although even the roof may change if we do a loft conversion).
Given this, is it even worth doing a building survey (or even a home buyer's survey). What benefit will those surveys provide? Is the only thing really to keep an eye out for is subsidence? Is that something that can be easily checked by a complete layperson with some tips? What about things like Japanese knotweed?
Thoughts?

Davesnave

If you are planning all that, you must have reasonable practical knowledge or be quite rich, in which case it won't matter! Seriously, you must love the house if you aren't very sure what you'll be able to do with it.

I've been in the same position, so I took experienced &trusted builders with me. I certainly wouldn't have wanted some !!!!!!-covering mush from a homebuyers' survey.

Subsidence might be spotted or inferred from door frames etc, but you would need a structural engineer to advise on its current state. If you are really as much of a novice as you claim, get a SE in to assess the structure. Then at least you'll know what that might surprise you with.

As for Japanese knotweed, it's too early to spot that if someone's deliberately removed signs of it, but with that amount of work envisaged, it's hardly the biggest issue. In two months time, look into the neighbours' gardens to see if it's appearing. Knotweed in my own garden = no problem. Knotweed nearby and not under my control might be.

SameOldRoundabout

I still would. The house we are buying is also a full renovation, but we, like you, believed the structure to be sound other than signs of historic settlement. We had a full building survey which was as horrific as we expected (although the roof is in good order, praise for small mercies!) with the added bonus of showing an external wall is delaminating from the house which could cause several unexpected thousand to repair. 

Even if you’re doing a full Reno I think it’s a good idea to know exactly what you’re up against if you’re not a pro, even if just so you can prioritise works. 

britishbug

I’m buying a house in a similar situation and I am, they’re not that expensive and you’ll have a better understanding of what you’re buying. 

UnderOffer

I’d definitely get a survey, if anything the surveyor may identify additional issues you had not considered which could give you leverage to adjust your offer, backed up by the survey findings. 

AdrianC

Unless you're DIYing (in which case you know what you're looking at), why not just get the builder that's going to do the work to go over it with you?