SURVEY or Not ?

magnabill

I am considering putting an offer in on a property. It was built in the last couple of years and still has the remainder of the NHBC guarantee to run. Money is tight. Do you think I need to get a survey carried out ? It will be a cash purchase so there is no building society / bank interest. If it were an older property I would definately have one done, it's just as it's new and under guarantee that I tjought I may not need one.

Cheers

Doozergirl

I wouldn't bother with a survey on a house that new. Perhaps a gas safety certificate and a check on the electrics but a survey, in general is just going to point out the bleeding obvious. There isn't much opportunity for the survey to give you opportunities to renegotiate either. The house is unlikely to have unsupported chimney breasts or need repointing!

daveyjp

A survey will cost you about £500. Compared to what the house will cost you this seems a bargain to me. My sister bought a new house and I found quite a few problems with it.

missprint

Oddly, I think a newish property should have a survey as a matter of course. An old property will have settled in and potential structural faults will have shown up long ago. If there are no obvious faults when you inspect an older property then a standard survey will likely just confirm that or show up minor deficits (like the wrong colour of earth wire). Your own electrician might be a cheaper option there. A new property hasn't had time to develop its own equilibrium and while there might be a guarantee still on the property, large scale repairs can be extremely disruptive. No doubt others will disagree, but we didn't get surveys on our last two (older) properties and have had no problems at all. A large damp patch or rotting floorboards are fairly clear indicators of potential problems.

granville_2

*Please* get a full structural survey. It doesn't cost much compared to the cost of the actual property.

I am constantly amazed at people who seem happy to spend £100,000s of pounds on what is probably the biggest purchase of their life and not have a full survey?

ymmv.

Doozergirl

A full structural survey?

Why not just get a structural engineer look at it?

Realistically, how much is going to be wrong that you need a full list? Is it without a damp proof course? Are the electrics/plumbing outdated? Is the roof past it's sell by date? Is the garage made from asbestos? Does the bedroom in the loft fail building regs? Rotten joists? Chimney blocked up and not ventilated? Inadequately insulated? These things just don't apply to new build.

You just want to know the thing is going to stay standing and to watch out for any dodgy DIY. What's the surveyor looking for? Cracks? Go and look for cracks. If you see any on the outside, then run.

LillyJ

We just had a home buyers report on the 1930's semi we are buying. It was a complete waste of time really, it just told us stuff we could have seen ourselves (the paving slab in the front garden was cracked!!)
I know you could say that they would have found anything major, but when my parents bought their house they missed some big stuff (and they went for full structural!) and when their buyers had their survery, they just walked round looking and didn't even lift up carpets or go in the loft.

Gambler

granville wrote: »

*Please* get a full structural survey. It doesn't cost much compared to the cost of the actual property.

I am constantly amazed at people who seem happy to spend £100,000s of pounds on what is probably the biggest purchase of their life and not have a full survey?

ymmv.

d d d d d d dont do it ! I never bothered when I bought my house as it still had 6 years NHBC warranty remaining.

We had a a homebuyers on a house recently as it was over 100 years old. There were no major problems with the house apart from the valuation being £50K lower than our offer :eek: .

We are now buying a house built in the late 70's but didn't have a survey, only the standard mortgage valuation.

Tassotti

The NHBC Guarantee will cover for MAJOR defects..ie Is the property sinking into the ground, etc

A full survey isn't worth it.

A homebuyers report will tell you, as the above poster said if there is a crack in outside paving or a bit of paint is missing from the garden wall. (Not worth it)

Just get a valuation...Take a second look before you do, and really inspect the walls. Are there any cracks that look large?

Check all the water is running fine...ie does the shower work properly...does the toilet flush (these won't be covered by NHBC)

Check all central heating works properly (again not covered)

Met many 'valuers'. Some aren't bothered and will say 'this property is worth the money'

Some will inform you of problems

Be Lucky

Tass

Bungarm2001

I wouldn't bother...didn't bother on the one I'm living in now which was just outside the 10 yr NHBC and I haven't regretted it. Don't waste your money...you can see if there are any obvious problems like cracked walls etc.

Trollfever

A lifestyle choice.

Would you buy a second hand car without independamt advice?