Homebuyer or Building Survey (or neither)?

stevetuk

I'm at the survey/valuation stage for a property I'm buying that was last sold in 2021 for £115K. It's now £327,500 after a full refurb by a property developer, but there are visually still incomplete elements like a missing ridge tile, incomplete guttering, missing kitchen island back panel, no threshold strips between different laminate flooring etc.

It has new bathrooms/en suites and cosmetically a high spec finish aside from these sorts of things.

Is it always worth getting a building survey done when it's a refurb, or is it likely to only uncover the things we already anticipate?

I'm hearing homebuyer survey is pointless as it's backside covering and only what is accessible/visual.

Albermarle

If there have been structural changes ( walls removed etc) than you need a structural survey to see they have done it properly.
Seems a massive leap in price considering it has some obvious faults.

Tabieth

There are only a few circumstances where I would not get a full structural survey. This isn’t one of them. Given how much property costs, spending a few hundred pounds seems a no brainer to me. 

youth_leader

I'd be concerned if it was a flip and definitely have a level 3 RCIS survey.  Probably about £1200, could save you ten times that.   

gwynlas

If they have been shoddy in finishing it prior to sale I would be concerned about areas that you cannot see.

Is the sale price compparable with others in the area?

I would want a level 3 survey and possibly a structural engineers report as well as relevant paperwork eg  building control sign off

lincroft1710

What sort of developer does a complete refurb, then puts the property on the market at nearly 3 times its cost price without properly finishing the job??

Albermarle

lincroft1710 said:

What sort of developer does a complete refurb, then puts the property on the market at nearly 3 times its cost price without properly finishing the job??

The sort to be wary about buying from !

Bigphil1474

We had a L3 survey done on the house we bought and it cost about £800. Absolutely worth it to me.

stevetuk

Thanks all, sounds like a sensible thing is to get something done. The vendors parents live next door but one, and through the small world it is people I know who knows people who know him (yes I see how that sounds!) say that he is a genuine/authentic person, but of course that doesn't translate to good workmanship.

Tiglet2

I commented on your other thread.