Ok - for those of you who might know about moving house...

[PoppiesMum]

Do we need to get a survey done if we are buying a new house?

DON'T see why, just have it as part of valuation for mortgage.

Yes, we did.

Message withdrawn

how old is the house?

Brand new - just built.

does it have the 10 year guarantee?

Unless the house is less than 10 years old (and therefore covered by NHBC protection) always always always have a survey done. If you just get a valuation done you have no idea what state your house is really in. We have a few properties and always get more than the basic valuation done. For my own house I would never get less than a full structural survey. You just can't tell if what you're buying is a crock of sh*t - a simple valuation may end up being a massive false economy and a huge mistake.

New as in from the builder ? or New as in less than 10 years ?

If you need a mortgage you'd have to pay for the minimum valuation one anyway (ours was just under £500) which would highlight any obvious flaws. For that you only get the bare minimum of comment re location, structure and any problems which may affect its value as an ivestment. We're hoping to buy a hosue about 12 years old and our valuation report suggested damp in the roof space which we are having investigated.

If you are buying new new (iyswim) you would also need to go around with the builder before exchange to create a Snagging List of things that need rectifying before completion - ie. marks on paintwork or walls, doors not hung correctly or windows not opening, things in the wrong place according to the plans, cracked/chipped tiles and fittings etc.

I wouldn't bother on a brand new house

Yes, it has the full 10 yr guarantee. So general opinion is it doesn't need any more than the basic valuation then? We were going along the lines that we wouldn't get one done.

Sorry, x posts - yes it's new from the builder, we'll be the first occupants.

The house will alreaady have been inspected by the nhbc inspector who should know mroe than most surveyeors anyway.

I paid extra for the expensive survey with this house and they missed loads of stuff - like the chimmney having a huge crack in it and having to be rebuilt!

tenbygirl - was that a brand new house?

if has 10 year guarantee and builders are members of the master builder federation then I'd only get a valuation done (for mortgage) and not full structural

but I'd be careful of any little things that haven't been finished and make offer subject to a full list of (even minor) corrections

there's a word for this .. I just can't think of it atm

Snagging List Twig !! lol

that's the one .. snagging

bump

Legal requirement in Scotland on brand new house afaik, at least that's what our sols advised when we bought our last house brand new.

Is it a legal requirement in England?

Don't think so yet but if you are borrowing the money your lender will insist upon it.

if you are getting a mortgage, you will need to have a valuation survey done, costs about £250. if you are not borrowing anything, the no, if you are happy with the asking price.

as the house is new and still under the nhbc guarrentee, i wouldn't bother with anything more detailed than that. the next level up for surveys is called a homebuyers report, costs about £500, not worth the paper its written on, waste of time. full structual will cost at least £800, and def advisable for older property

MY parenbts didn't bother with a house still under it's 10 year NHBC warrenty. I was horrified....

any more experiences?