Checks on a renovated property pre-survey

KPyro

Hi All,

FTB here, my partner and I have fallen in love with a well renovated property. The vendor has done a lot of work on it himself extending various bits of it, we are seriously considering making an offer on it but I'm a little cautious because it does seem like it's been a one man show - it's obviously a labour of love and has been far from a speedy flip, he's taken years doing it, but just the sheer extent of the work he's done himself makes me a little nervous. Obviously if/when we proceed we'll get a building survey done, but I just wanted to ask the more experienced people here what are the things I could be checking on myself before I start putting money into solicitors and surveys?

I've found the planning application online (it was granted); we are going for a second viewing tonight with a friend in tow who has been doing lots of renovation work on his own place so knows a bit more than we do; I've asked the estate agents about the building regs completion certificate she didn't know, but I'll ask the vendor tonight; there are also solar panels so I'll be asking tonight if they are leased or owned outright.
Is there anything else obvious I've missed? Is this just FTB anxiety and I should just get on with it and let the process run its course?

Doozergirl

The building regs certificate is probably the most important thing before survey if you want an idea if it's been done properly.  

There are electric and gas certificates which often come under the overall building regs certificate on major works, but they are always issued and then viewed by building control, so you can ask for those too.