Booking Fee / Order to do things

vakgta2018

Hi all
I'm a FTB and struggling to understand parts of the process.
We've applied for a mortgage with HSBC. They have made a lending decision and the valuation is fine - more than what we're paying - and now looks like we're at the stage where they're 'Ready for Offer'. Before this is done we have to pay a 'booking fee'. My understanding from other websites is that this would be non-refundable. So I'm wondering, am I supposed to just gamble with this, get the mortgage offer, then a survey done on the house? What if the survey comes back with something terrible, and we therefore don't proceed, we've lost a grand? Or if I hold off and do a survey first which may take weeks, will the mortgage offer expire/change?
Thanks for your help and apologies for any useful details I've left out! The HSBC online system isn't the best at clarifying things.
Thanks

foxy-stoat

Welcome to property buying !  Don't worry about the what if's, as nothing would get done.

Report back after the survey, if theres anything risky on it, you will see lots of "reds" but some are to be expected.