Are buyers not doing full building surveys anymore?

lookstraightahead

I will now always get a structural survey if necessary. Estate agent is just making things up, what stats do they have?

Davesnave

ThriftyGinger said:

When you say 'full building survey', do you mean homebuyer's report or structural survey?

hazyjo said:

ThriftyGinger said:

When you say 'full building survey', do you mean homebuyer's report or structural survey?

A structural survey is now known as a buildings survey.

Hurrah! at least two of us know what it ought to be called. It's been that for quite a while, but people like their 'structural surveys,'  although detailed questions about structure are often referred to a structural engineer and HomeBuyer reports can mention structural issues too. No wonder there's confusion!

As for 'unprecedented demand,' that crashed Debenhams web site today at some point, but it wasn't the sign a good, long term thing.

An agent isn't your friend. They work for their client, but first of all they work for themselves!

babyblade41

I don't have them , I've a pretty good nose for what's lurking especially in older houses.

For the naive eye they are just !!!!!! covering , tick box sheets 

Surrey_EA

Davesnave said:

ThriftyGinger said:

When you say 'full building survey', do you mean homebuyer's report or structural survey?

hazyjo said:

ThriftyGinger said:

When you say 'full building survey', do you mean homebuyer's report or structural survey?

A structural survey is now known as a buildings survey.

Hurrah! at least two of us know what it ought to be called. 

Me too!
That makes at least 3.

newsgroupmonkey_

Davesnave said:

Hurrah! at least two of us know what it ought to be called. It's been that for quite a while, but people like their 'structural surveys,'  although detailed questions about structure are often referred to a structural engineer and HomeBuyer reports can mention structural issues too. No wonder there's confusion!

But there still is a structural survey and it is different from a buildings survey and can be requested by any party.

if a full structural survey is requested, quite often that would normally be done by a Structural Engineer (MICE, FICE etc.). There are some arms of MRICS and FRICS that will allow this to be done by a chartered building surveyor, but that's not the same arm as the folk who do the regular surveys. Any RICS surveyor can do an all-day building survey.

A structural survey will often focus on slightly different stuff - whereas a building survey will look at doorframes, window frames, ceilings, internal structures and so on, the full structural is more likely to spend much more time outside - investigating footings, pipes and so on, although they are likely to go into the loft.

This is of course unless the structural survey has been requested for something in particular (internal cracks, walls coming away etc.)

Davesnave

newsgroupmonkey_ said:

Davesnave said:

Hurrah! at least two of us know what it ought to be called. It's been that for quite a while, but people like their 'structural surveys,'  although detailed questions about structure are often referred to a structural engineer and HomeBuyer reports can mention structural issues too. No wonder there's confusion!

But there still is a structural survey and it is different from a buildings survey and can be requested by any party.

if a full structural survey is requested, quite often that would normally be done by a Structural Engineer (MICE, FICE etc.). There are some arms of MRICS and FRICS that will allow this to be done by a chartered building surveyor, but that's not the same arm as the folk who do the regular surveys. Any RICS surveyor can do an all-day building survey.

A structural survey will often focus on slightly different stuff - whereas a building survey will look at doorframes, window frames, ceilings, internal structures and so on, the full structural is more likely to spend much more time outside - investigating footings, pipes and so on, although they are likely to go into the loft.

This is of course unless the structural survey has been requested for something in particular (internal cracks, walls coming away etc.)

Well, that's certainly cleared things up for the average punter!

Ramouth

We are currently trying to decide whether to bother with a survey or not at the moment.  We listened to the chap who came to survey our place as he made notes on his dictaphone.  He wasn’t picking up anything we wouldn’t have (my partner is a QS and I am an architectural technician so we are familiar with buildings).  Also house survey reports seem to caveat everything and just recommend further investigations so we wouldn’t have any recourse anyway. 

Would the money be better spent getting a specialist reports instead?  Perhaps damp / timber and electrics?