Is it really worth getting a survey

Bungarm2001

If you are going for a mortgage, then they will insist on doing their own survey as part of the condition of the mortgage (there are certain circumstances where they won't insist, but too long to go into here) In my experience, a survey for mortgage purposes is like a homebuyers report; not worth the paper and ink. They frequently miss major problems, as I can attest to, while wasting time pointing out the bleedin obvious like cracked windows, counting doorhandles etc etc

IF you are particularly concerned about anything showing up at the property that a mortgage lenders report might have missed, get an independant structural survey of your own done. Costs more but worth it if you are very worried about something. If you suspect nothing major, anything specific can be checked usually by the appropriate expert such as getting the electics tested by a qualified electrician and a Corgi registered man for the gas if there is any. If anything comes up, then get at least 3 estimates for the work.

i1189

I would definitely get a survey if we bought another house. Yes, ours highlighted many small problems - repointing, slightly old wiring etc, which we have sorted over the last few years, but it also found a couple of large issues.

The first was that there were live uncovered wires in the loft. We may not have noticed these ourselves, until we got electrocuted anyway :eek: This wiring was fixed by the seller straight away.

The other issue was that the top part of one of the chimneys, the bottom two stories of which had been removed, was supported by a lintel resting on a piece of stud partition. Apparently it could have come down through the ceiling with a strong wind. Fortunately this was noticed by the surveyor, and not only was the problem rectified, we were able to get a discount on the purchase price to sort it out (several thousand pounds).

Gorgeous_George

When I bought my BTL I didn't bother with a survey. Paying cash meant there was no need. I hadn't even looked inside. The price was right in this case (about the cost of a new car for a 4 bed house) and I wouldn't recommend it unless you know the area/similar houses.

If you can afford it being a turkey, you can take the risk.

GG

halia

Surveys can be useful but remember that in some cases it will be full of proviso's and caveats.

quotes from a recent HB report

'we could only inspect the loft via a head and shoulders view but ASSUME the boxes to be storing heavy items which MAY impact on the joists IF the joists are old or damaged and IF the items have been stored for some time

"the roof has not been retiled, there are no leaks or obviuos missing tiles or damage viewable from ground level but we did not carry out a roof level inspection. As SOME other houses on the street have been retiled this MAY indicate the need for retiling

"we were unable to inspect below the gravel covering in the garden (not sure why or is gravel too heavy to kick aside?) but it is LIKELY that the original concrete covering is in poor condition and hidden by the gravel"
(there is NO concrete covering, the gravel was put down after the concrete etc was dug out, the site levelled, membrane laid etc etc)

"the boiler is old"

"there are some creaking floorboards"

very useful?

Gorgeous_George

halia wrote: »

very useful?

Precisely.

Unless you employ the surveyor and agree the level of survey beforehand, you would be better off employing a friendly builder to have a look and report back with a "Yeah, it looks alright."

GG

Bogof_Babe

Not useful at all I'd say .

The obvious problem is that who wants to pay a substantial sum for a survey on a property they might not get? I wouldn't mind the cost if (a) it didn't show up any major reasons not to buy, and (b) there was no danger of being gazumped, but of course no-one can make such guarantees.

I suppose all those bods who go to auctions hoping for a bargain don't get surveys done first on half the catalogue, so presumably it isn't as foolhardy as it might first appear.

KiKi

I think for me the question is: can you afford to not have a survey?

If you can, and aren't fussed, then you take that risk.

But for most people it's a huge purchase, and many people have no financial way of covering their back if a big problem then appears...one which a survey might have shown up.

I don't really think an HB survey is worth anything - which is why I always do a structural survey, particularly in the area I live where many houses are not structurally sound!

JMO

KiKi