What kind of survey did you have?

[Smizzlediz]

I'm sorry if this has been discussed a lot before, I can't find anything specific and google is scrambling my brain so I thought I'd turn to Mumsnet (I'm a long term lurker!) I'm just trying to work out what is the norm for surveys...

DP and I are first timers, buying (trying to anyway) a small mid-terrace house built in about 1910. We were going to have a Homebuyers report done through the mortgage lenders, but the estate agent has asked me whether we're having our own separate survey done, which I hadn't even thought about. I'm also starting to wonder whether for a house of this age we need a full building survey, but that's probably another matter!

Basically I'm feeling very naive so I'm curious to know- what kind of survey did you go for? Did you have an independent one or just one through the mortgage lenders? If anyone would like to tell me what you'd do in my situation too I would love more opinions!

We went through our lender, but one up from a simple valuation.

I'd only go for a full survey if there were obvious cracks or problems or if it looks too run down or too recent work done.

We found that we could talk to the surveyor as if we had contracted him directly, which in a way we did, because we paid him, only through the bank.

Full structural.

We were buying without a mortgage and a very old property. He was very thorough. We have had several builders round since to quote for things and they've spotted what he noticed too without being prompted. Been here a good while now and no problems, except what was noted.

However, we did a full structural on a previous purchase and that (different) surveyor missed something major. The people who bought that property also used him and he missed the same issue again. (It was one of the reasons we were selling).

So I'd say it's less the type of survey you buy and more the quality of the person doing it that counts.

I'd have done homebuyers through lender.

I have got home buyers survey, mine is 1930's mid terrace

I would get the full survey done if it is an older house (which this is).

We were in this exact position, same era house in fact and everyone was saying we're just wasting our money, but it was the best £5xx we ever spent !
It alerted us to so many problems that we wouldn't of ever noticed, some of it was due to our inexperience and we would spot it now, but some of it you would just never ever notice.
In our case, the vendor had actually tried to cover some issues up, and was clever in putting in a new door, kitchen & decorative things to divert some of the attention from the issues so I think the surveys are worth it if you have a thorough surveyor.
Needless to say we pulled out and although it is a lovely property, we wouldn't of afforded to fix all the issues we knew about

Ahh thank you everyone! I was starting to lean towards a full survey and it sounds like it's definitely worth the money, couple of hundred doesn't make much difference when you're spending this much I guess.

Can I ask those of you with more experience- do you think it's better to go to an independent surveyor? We're thinking of going with the lender's but wondering whether I need to do more research and choose one myself. I could do with being more decisive I think!!

I don't know. I think having the opportunity to speak directly to the surveyor is key.

You can ask them to look at anything you've noticed of concern in the house. It may be worth researching the issues late Victorian properties can face. Damp will prob be one (most have that tho, so unless v bad not a biggie) windows, the join between front and back portions of house if it's that common layout those terraces often have. Knotweed if it's in London. Ours went into the roof. Get them to get as good a look as poss at any walls that form part of a boundary and give on to neighbours.

I would go for an independent surveyor myself, and I would have a list of questions to hand to ask them over the phone to ask what they cover, maybe look for a recommendation too as like someone else said, it would be particularly useful to be able to meet with the surveyor as you will learn much more this way.