Structural problems - get another survey or pull out?

[Wishingaway]

After finally finding a house we like an initial survey has come back on the property highlighting a structural problem - a crack in a wall which may/may not account for a downward shift in the wood frame of the house.

We now need to decide if we want to continue and spend £2000.00 on a full survey.

If we don't get a full survey we won't know how serious the problem is or if we can negotiate the price down with the vendor. However, if we get the survey and then pull out we'll have lost all that cash.

Anyone else been in a similar position?

Why oh why is buying a house such a horrible experience?!

How old is the house?

I am afraid that I would never buy a house without a full structural survey - sorry I know that wasn't what you wanted to hear!

Can you not just find a surveyor to look at that specifically rather than a full structural. In the end you'd rather it cost you 2k than 20.

You have a choice of full structural survey or pulling out of the transaction. I would not buy a property without a full structural survey either. Is there a history of subsidence in the area. Surveyors often panic due to nothing.

I'd definitely go for the survey - sorry. The problem is your buildings insurance might not cover you for any structural issues relating to the crack if you knew about it when you bought it...

Thanks for all your comments - you're right, if we are serious about the house we have to proceed with the full survey whatever the outcome.

Depends how much you love the house. We had this and we pulled out - the vendor then offered to pay for the structural survey.. we did still pull out though because we didn't want to then feel we had to buy because he paid for the survey regardless of the outcome

I have always had full structural surveys done. I am not good with the unknown - also they often pay for themselves in terms of giving you ammo for negotiation!

£2k sounds a lot though, unless the house is huge or unusual construction. As Lizs suggests, you could ask them to look at that specific issue. A full structural survey will look at everything from the plumbing to the electrics to the state of the kitchen. You don't need all that.

Hi pinksancerre - interesting that the vendor of the house you wanted offered to pay for the structural survey. The estate agent marketing this house suggest's it may be in the vendor's interest to get their own structural survey because if we pull out other interested parties will simply come across the same issue.

That may be a way forward, like others have said 2k seems steep, although think we were looking at £800 9 years ago. Think the sticking point will be how much you want the house

Can you get a structural engineer to simply investigate the crack and maybe 50-50 the cost with the vendor?I have done this in the past he spent a couple of hours investigating a crack in the loft room and cost about £175 iirc 4 yrs ago

We had a Structural Report on our previous house due to initial survey picking up on movement and subsidence. I can't remember exact cost but was well under 1k.

Report showed that movement was historic and there was no further risk of subsidence so we ended up buying the house (bad move but this is another story and nothing to do with the subsidence....!)

Wood frame of the house? So its not a conventional brick built house? I guess its old?

Talk to the vendor and agent, show them the results of the inital survey, make them understand how serious your are and ask that they share the cost? Its worth a try.

Of course I dont know the details and I am not a structural engineer but 'downward shift in the wood frame of the house' sound serious.

Get more information, verbal if necessary, especially if the surveyer wont commit to writing, about the crack and feeling of the surveyor.

i would get a structural engineer out. we had the same problem recently and he came out and inspected as we needed it for the insurance. he charged £750 so not as much as a full survey. if you like the house that much it will be worth it!

good luck!

So it's a timber framed house? How old?

You do need to be aware that most places won't insure timber framed houses - not that this is a problem, simply a limitation on your buildings insurance. We're with NFU Mutual who've been very good.

If it's an older house, I'd go for the full structural survey, and still not expect for them to find all the problems that are waiting. [face of experience]