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Building Surveyor missed many important defects

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  • AdrianC
    AdrianC Posts: 42,189 Forumite
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    kp039 wrote: »
    For woodworm, we want to install underfloor heating so we called flooring experts (also 3 and one from reputed company) and he confirmed one of room is infected heavy with woodworms and floor and possible joist below floors need to be replaced.
    Was that floor bare boards, no carpet, when the survey was carried out?
  • Smodlet
    Smodlet Posts: 6,976 Forumite
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    need_an_answer wrote: »
    All very well,but if the OP has been living in the property for the last month,my assumption is the survey has not just recently been completed.

    These are questions that should have been addressed by the OP during the buying process prior to exchange not some weeks even months later.

    Fair enough but it often takes a while to notice every little (or large) defect and a month is not much time for an FTB to do so. I would have expected any surveyor doing a Homebuyer's Report to notice and highlight woodworm (and cracks if not obviously minor) To fail to do so when commissioned to do a building survey only compounds the sin, imo.

    Had the report mentioned the major defects, kp039 would have had the opportunity to negotiate or to walk away; that is why one pays for a survey in the first place, after all.
  • need_an_answer
    need_an_answer Posts: 2,812 Forumite
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    edited 9 March 2018 at 1:53PM
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    Smodlet wrote: »
    Fair enough but it often takes a while to notice every little (or large) defect and a month is not much time for an FTB to do so. I would have expected any surveyor doing a Homebuyer's Report to notice and highlight woodworm (and cracks if not obviously minor) To fail to do so when commissioned to do a building survey only compounds the sin, imo.

    Had the report mentioned the major defects, kp039 would have had the opportunity to negotiate or to walk away; that is why one pays for a survey in the first place, after all.

    To a point I concede that woodworm should have been mentioned if it was easily visible without the need to remove carpeting etc, however we don't have the full facts over whether it's a live infestation or historic and the builder who has quoted the costs to rectify isn't stripping everything out unnecessarily or just to make it cosmetically aesthetic.(or even to provide stability to underfloor heating which wouldn't be needed if underfloor wasn't the object of what the OP wanted.)

    Whether you are a FTB or not IMO you don't need to have a trained eye to spot bad plastering,poorly executed grout or cracks in walls and ceilings,and if you do you discuss your concerns with the surveyor you choose to carry out the inspection.

    Poor communication between buyer and surveyor whom the buyer instructs is not subsequently an automatic cause to demand redress.

    more of lesson learnt.
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  • Davesnave
    Davesnave Posts: 34,741 Forumite
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    silvercar wrote: »
    Building survey or full structural survey?

    A building survey would only show up major defects. A FSS is more likely to comment on every item.
    The buildings survey is what many people erroneously call a 'full structural survey.'
    http://www.rics.org/uk/knowledge/home-survey-suite/rics-home-surveys/
  • Smodlet
    Smodlet Posts: 6,976 Forumite
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    To needananswer, (hate this @; who wants to be talked @ rather than spoken to?) I concede your point regarding whether or not the woodworm was visible to the surveyor however, were it not so, perhaps they should not have said the floor was fine without even looking at it. Maybe it is high time RICS were held accountable for the shortcomings and inactions of their members; they are paid enough, after all.
  • kp039
    kp039 Posts: 16 Forumite
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    need_an_answer wrote: »
    OP What is the age of the house?

    It is 1935 built semidetached bunglow
  • kp039
    kp039 Posts: 16 Forumite
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    AdrianC wrote: »
    Was that floor bare boards, no carpet, when the survey was carried out?

    It is wood flooring so he did not have to lift anything to have view.
  • kp039
    kp039 Posts: 16 Forumite
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    need_an_answer wrote: »
    To a point I concede that woodworm should have been mentioned if it was easily visible without the need to remove carpeting etc, however we don't have the full facts over whether it's a live infestation or historic and the builder who has quoted the costs to rectify isn't stripping everything out unnecessarily or just to make it cosmetically aesthetic.(or even to provide stability to underfloor heating which wouldn't be needed if underfloor wasn't the object of what the OP wanted.)

    Whether you are a FTB or not IMO you don't need to have a trained eye to spot bad plastering,poorly executed grout or cracks in walls and ceilings,and if you do you discuss your concerns with the surveyor you choose to carry out the inspection.

    Poor communication between buyer and surveyor whom the buyer instructs is not subsequently an automatic cause to demand redress.

    more of lesson learnt.

    Flooring expert has said it is live infestation and amount he quoted is not installing under floor heating but to replace(will remove current flooring and if needed will have to replace joist for floor support). He is yet to quote for underfloor heating
  • Mr.Generous
    Mr.Generous Posts: 3,379 Forumite
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    Can you see little piles of dust by the woodworm holes to indicate a live infestation?
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