Which type of survey for a new build house?

[LaFlottes]

Hi - we are looking into buying a new build house. What type of survey would we need? I see there is a condition report, then a homebuyer survey and then a structural survey.

It will have a 10 year guarantee but I was thinking a homebuyer survey might still be best?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks!

I wouldn't bother with a survey on a new build.

The builder will have to rectify any snagging faults then the NHBC warranty is in place.

Housebuying is expensive enough without throwing money away on a survey on a new build.

Ah okay thanks very much. I guess the mortgage company will do a valuation so we will at least have that too.

Out of interest, I'm wondering what type of survey we should have had on our current house which we are selling. It's a 1970's end of terrace house and we had a Homebuyers. Should we have had full structural?

Sorry - Am clueless about these things and DH is working away!

There's no right or wrong survey to have- it just depends on the property and your view of the risks.

Surveys are generally arse covering exercises which list every possible eventuality and don't really add a great deal of value in many instances.

I'd only consider a full structural survey if there was something about the structure I was concerned with but I'm quite philosophical about the fact that an older house is going to have gremlins.

I’d have a basic valuation assuming the guarantee is underwritten if the builder goes bust.

Thank you that's great to have your thoughts on this. It sounds like I was about to waste my money!!

I will check that regarding the guarantee.

We bought new last year, didn't bother with a survey as PP have said, builder had 12 months to rectify any issues we had anyway.
Lender did a 'drive by' valuation based on the show-home as we bought off plan and our house only had foundations when they did it.
NHBC guarantee is separate to the builders anyway, on the completion date you get the NHBC certificate and all their contact details.

I would very much do a survey!!!!

We moved out of our 'New Build' in June into rented accommodation due to major structural defects in our new build.. so much so.. that all floor joists need to come out and the roof needs to be replaced.

Was promised we would be back in by Xmas but work has not started yet.

...and yes.. the builders after a years battle are fixing it but the stress has been awful. NHBC don't want to know til 2 years after the build is complete.

You need someone professional to check the finishing, the floors, the brick work, the damp proof course is correct etc.

...google for new build problems and you will see there are a lot!

I generally think have the best survey you can afford. Just because it's new build and guranteed (for a year? It's not a washing machine) doesn't mean it's well built.

I'd go for anything which has managed to stand up for 30+ years in preference and I'd have a survey on that too. (Currently live in a Georgian town house so full structural survey was a must. Gives you an idea of how much more you're going to have to shell out....)

Get a survey if you can! NHBC will wriggle out of paying out where ever possible!!