Survey AFTER buying house

velvetti

We’ve recently bought our first home after doing a level 3 survey (building/structural). Now we’ve moved in and are generally happy with the house. However, we want to get a few things checked out before too long. The surveyor glossed over some issues by saying things like “ couldn’t move the furniture “ etc. Now we want the surveyor to have no such excuse since we ourselves are the occupants. Without going into the actual issues, has anyone ever done this? My worry is that if the original surveyor didn’t do their job properly, I’d rather find out about any issues sooner rather than later. 
Thanks

pinkshoes

When we sold our home, the buyer's surveyor came round, and he also didn't move furniture or look in corners, lift things up etc... He wouldn't even go in the attic!

We therefore decided to do our survey ourselves on the house we were purchasing and found an online pdf checklist of what we needed to look for. 

It saved us over £1000 and the only thing we missed was that there was no thermostat for the boiler, which was annoying but not the end of the world. 

If your original surveyor didn't do the job properly and you find a problem, then you can go back and complain to the surveyor.

Hoenir

velvetti said:

 The surveyor glossed over some issues by saying things like “ couldn’t move the furniture “ etc. 

Not an excuse. Surveys are considered non invasive and are visual inspections. If you wanted a full inspection you needed to seek the owners permission and ask them to make the areas accessible. 

AskAsk

To be honest, by the time that you have already bought the property, there is little merit in getting a surveyor round.

If you find issues, then just get a specialist company round to quote for fixing it.  If you don't find issues, then carry on as you are 

AskAsk

pinkshoes said:

When we sold our home, the buyer's surveyor came round, and he also didn't move furniture or look in corners, lift things up etc... He wouldn't even go in the attic!

We therefore decided to do our survey ourselves on the house we were purchasing and found an online pdf checklist of what we needed to look for. 

It saved us over £1000 and the only thing we missed was that there was no thermostat for the boiler, which was annoying but not the end of the world. 

If your original surveyor didn't do the job properly and you find a problem, then you can go back and complain to the surveyor.

i think a lot of people would object to the buyer doing surveys as they wouldn't feel you were professional enough to look around their home and is just being nosy.

you would need to bring an independent person round, like a builder.

shinytop

AskAsk said:

pinkshoes said:

When we sold our home, the buyer's surveyor came round, and he also didn't move furniture or look in corners, lift things up etc... He wouldn't even go in the attic!

We therefore decided to do our survey ourselves on the house we were purchasing and found an online pdf checklist of what we needed to look for. 

It saved us over £1000 and the only thing we missed was that there was no thermostat for the boiler, which was annoying but not the end of the world. 

If your original surveyor didn't do the job properly and you find a problem, then you can go back and complain to the surveyor.

i think a lot of people would object to the buyer doing surveys as they wouldn't feel you were professional enough to look around their home and is just being nosy.

you would need to bring an independent person round, like a builder.

On my last purchase I did my own survey based on the previous two I'd paid for and am convinced I did a better job. Although I didn't do anything intrusive, I poked around the attic and used a ladder outside.  And I didn't recommend myself to get a damp survey!
 
You have every right to be nosy if you're spending several hundred grand on something on a caveat emptor basis.

youth_leader

I wouldn't invite a surveyor round, I'd just continue to save towards 'maintenance' - about 10% of the purchase price.  I've not managed that yet, I've had emergencies and had to use my dwindling savings.

I did have a L3 RCIS and he couldn't lift carpets/move furniture.  Six months after moving in I discovered the floors were rotten, the curtain rail fitter refused to work in the bay window area.  Every floor except the concrete extension was like weetabix with black granular mould.

Four years in and this year my next door neighbour has heard water 'gushing' when she opens her kitchen cupboard.  She's had to her drive investigated and the men found a leaking LEAD pipe by the meter.  I am so fed up - I bet I also have dodge old lead here.  Waiting for her to get a quote, I'll probably have to have it done too.

gwynlas

If there are certain areas that you want to be  further checked would a structural engineer perhaps be more appropriate?

chrisw

You can't do anything about it now, sometimes ignorance is bliss.

horsewithnoname

youth_leader said:

I wouldn't invite a surveyor round, I'd just continue to save towards 'maintenance' - about 10% of the purchase price.  I've not managed that yet, I've had emergencies and had to use my dwindling savings.

I did have a L3 RCIS and he couldn't lift carpets/move furniture.  Six months after moving in I discovered the floors were rotten, the curtain rail fitter refused to work in the bay window area.  Every floor except the concrete extension was like weetabix with black granular mould.

Four years in and this year my next door neighbour has heard water 'gushing' when she opens her kitchen cupboard.  She's had to her drive investigated and the men found a leaking LEAD pipe by the meter.  I am so fed up - I bet I also have dodge old lead here.  Waiting for her to get a quote, I'll probably have to have it done too.

I’ve still got some lead pipes, no problem at all. I even had my water tested and it has very low levels of lead. Just because something is old doesn’t make it “dodge”

youth_leader

Thanks @horsewithnoname, I haven't done anything about it yet.  Against a lifetime of warnings from my suspicious 92 year old Dad I did buy a 'No 13', and I've certainly had my fair share of misfortune.

We've just had a letter from Northumbrian Water to say we have a 'blockage' in our post code.  It's not me, I don't use wipes or cook with fat!