Building Survey

[B17NNS]

I am looking at buying a property with a view to developing it.

Nothing too complicated, just a 2 bed terrace in a nice area at what seems like a very reasonable price.

To my eyes the property needs the obvious things, new bathroom, new kitchen, central heating, new windows/doors, possible re-wire and re-decorate.

I obviously don't want to get hit with any major structural issues so need a survey.

What kind should I request, what options are available and what should I be paying?

Thanks in advance.

[lord summerisle]

full building survey is generally the most in depth..

search for the royal society of chartered surveyers for info and a listing of local guys in your area

in general uless organised before hand roof inspection will be from ground level with aid of binoculars and possible 'if reasonable access' via loft is available, dap readings taken, look for evidence of structural movement or other major problems.

probly wont lift floor coverings or move furniture unless pre arranged, same with sub floor. visual inspection of electrical and gas fittings only unless a more detailed survey is requested.

looking at around 200 - 400 for a cheap place with a quick survey to around 600 upwards for a detailed survey - figures from the halifax booklet on mortgage surveys next to me.

[B17NNS]

much obliged.

just dont want to spend on doing the place up for the future purchaser to turn around and say the roof needs replacing, it needs a DPC, there is damp, structural cracks etc.

[nonegreen]

The survey will say all kinds of stuff might go wrong and will probaly suggest you get the gas installation checked by a qualified person etc. In general surveys are arse covering excercises.

[Mrr T]

i am with nonegreen on this. building surveys are all about ass covering. if you want an opinion that counts get a builder u trust.

Mr T

[Gusto]

Agreed. In a lot of cases you will find the disclaimer is longer than the survey report itself. Waste of cash if you ask me, if, of course, you have someone you know who can cast an eye for you...

>> Edited by Gusto on Friday 6th January 08:29

[rsvmilly]

nonegreen said:

The survey will say all kinds of stuff might go wrong and will probaly suggest you get the gas installation checked by a qualified person etc. In general surveys are arse covering excercises.

(1)

There will be plenty of caveats such as 'employ a qualified electrician/plumber/structural engineer'

Still worth getting a survey of some description since they'll check things that may not occur to your builder.

[JoolzB]

I'd imagine that if you're going to get a mortgage you'll have to get a survey done anyway, if you're not its still worth getting a surveyor to look over it first. When I view properties I always take my dad who's a building surveyor and it's amazing what he identifies just from a visual inspection and what to look for for the age of house etc. The last property I viewed needed some major structural work done that I'd never have spotted, the estate agent was then only too happy to talk about the problems, 20k+ of repairs was enough to put me off.

So I'd say def worth it if you're serious about the property, as somebody said get someone from the RICS to look it over before you part with your hard earned.

[johnniem]

If you are looking for a surveyor who is fully qualified I would suggest the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. You should be looking for a Chartered Building Surveyor and I would suggest you choose a local one who has experience of the area local to the property and any detrimental ground conditions that might prevail where you are buying. The list of what the surveyor needs to look at is far longer than just whether or not there are obvious cracks in any walls which might suggest movement.

You would be advised to let him know the reason for the survey and especially any specific questions you might have in respect of the conversion you are proposing. Are you just redecorating and adding a new bathroom and kitchen or are you removing walls or adding an extension? Is the property listed or in a conservation area? If it is an old property is the plaster on the walls sound? Removing wallpaper from Victorian walls can result in plaster falling away and replastering can really damage your profit! 1930's houses often have cement on the walls which makes chasing for new electrics very hard. etc etc etc!

You will need building regulations approval if you are adding bathrooms and building extensions. If it is a large extension you may even need planning permission and/or listed building consent.

Anyway, you are welcome to e-mail me directly with your queries and I may be able to direct you. FYI, I am head of building surveying in a central london property consultants.

[B17NNS]

Thanks John

Building is not listed, or in a conservation area. Victorian 2 bed terrace. No major works planned (no extensions, new openings, removal/addition of walls etc.)

Hopefully a relatively quick in and out, new bathroom, new kitchen, new windows/doors, central heating, possible re-wire and decorate.

Main conerns (although I have no evidence to suggest any problems) are DPC (or lack of one), any damp, dry or wet rot, structural problems/movement and roof integrity.

I know the purchase price, can reasonably estimate the sale price and price of works and assuming nothing nasty crops up should be well worth the effort.

[themaskedavenger]

if you want to cover yourself against big issues I would say get a structural engineer to do a survey as well. They wont check for damp or stuff but will tell you if a crack is serious or can be plastered over.

So step 1 get a good chartered surveyor in then if there are things that need attention such as cracks etc get a structural engineer but for a small terrace jobbie should be fairly stable.

[smirnoff]

I would go for a structural engineers first off, the report is about half the price of a full survey. If it is damned by structural probelms walk away. As said before surveyors cover their arses too well and tell you to get everything checked by a specialist. Electrics, Plumbimg, Heating, Damp and woodworm all need a specialist even trees near the property. You can get the damp and woodworm checked for free (sometimes £100).

[Wacky Racer]

Don't pay any attention to comments such as The roof was in generally fair condition, that is too vague, does not mean anything and is a complete cop out, it's either OK or it isn't.

[minimax]

B17NNS said:

I am looking at buying a property with a view to developing it. Nothing too complicated, just a 2 bed terrace in a nice area at what seems like a very reasonable price. To my eyes the property needs the obvious things, new bathroom, new kitchen, central heating, new windows/doors, possible re-wire and re-decorate. I obviously don't want to get hit with any major structural issues so need a survey. What kind should I request, what options are available and what should I be paying? Thanks in advance.

without reading the thread (at work!) there are three different levels of survey:

1. basic survey. (known as lenders valuation) cost varies, assuming a 100k house anywhere between £150 to £330 just one sheet of A4 with 5 sections and a few lines describing different parts of the property. it's paid for by you and is solely for the benefit of the lender, you may not even be provided with a copy of it. it does not cover you at all - all it does is confirm to the lender that they are likely to get their money back if they need to take possession.

2. homebuyers report. generally a 10-20 page A4 booklet prepared by a RICS chartered surveyor and solely for your benefit. it remains your property and nobody has any rights over it, least of all the lender. it gives a full and thorough breakdown of the state of the interior, exterior and land attached to the property but it is non-invasive - they won't go into the loft or lift any carpets/floorboards etc. it will usually contain photos of the property and photographic evidence of any faults or areas of concern. these reports are in the region of £320 - £660 for a 100k house. they are very useful tools for negotiating a reduction on the initially agreed purchase price if they highlight any work that needs doing (for example, an unsafe roof). if a fault later develops within a reasonable timescale from the date of the report that is not highlighted within same report then you have the potential right of recourse against the surveyor but a lawyer can tell you more about that. the homebuyers report is carried out by a surveyor appointed by the lender and the fee will include the fee charged by the lender for the basic valuation as this is still carried out.

3. structural survey. as above, but even more thorough ie it's invasive and expensive...perhaps £800 or more. only really necessary if you're unsure of the structural integrity of the property, or if it's a barn conversion or basically anything that's had any kind of structural alteration.


hope this helps

edit: prices for survey vary depending on your lender

>> Edited by minimax on Friday 6th January 10:49