Survey or not?

[cherrytrees123]

We have had an offer accepted on a property, but did not intend to have a survey done. The house has had an extension built in recent years and is in very good order. Are we being foolish? It is not an older property. I am used to the Scottish system with home buyer reports, haven't bought in England since 2002.
Also, is it feasible to get a house sale through in eight weeks? The seller is buying a property direct from someone else without advertising, but I don't know the position of the seller of that property. If it falls through we are stuffed as nowhere to go!

Definitely get a survey done! Unless you don't mind potential nasty surprises after moving in - or you're a property expert in some way .

Personally, I would never consider spending hundreds of thousands of pounds without a survey. Our last one was extremely helpful in that the surveyor was able to verbally give a steer on how much of a problem things might be and also on what might have caused it.

Why are you thinking of skipping it? Is it about saving money or time?

Oh, and if it's been extended, I would definitely get a survey done - you want to make sure any alterations have been done properly and nothing has cropped up after it's been signed off by building control.

My recommendation is to ALWAYS get a survey. It could save you thousands of pounds in the future for the sake of a few hundred and can pick up all the gremlins that aren't obvious to our inexperienced eyes. We've moved twice in the last 2 years and have Hd surveys on our property and the ones we were purchasing and moved within 6 weeks and over Christmas! Where there is a will there's a way! Best of luck.

Thanks - I am extremely stressed and trying to make all the decisions here. Suddenly realised this is very stupid. How much does a survey usually cost?

@cherrytrees123
You can just get quotes from local firms. I used good old google. Our surveys have cost us around £600 if I remember correctly. It feels like a lot of money but you are paying for reassurance and I always needed a lot of that when moving house. So stressful!

There are circumstances where a survey is pointless, ie the most basic homebuyers one tells you precisely nothing. On the other hand, the most expensive ones are so detailed and cautious they frighten you to death.

I’d get the survey. It’s worth the cost for peace of mind.

You’d be very lucky to get a purchase through in 8 weeks though especially if the vendor is buying somewhere else. Our searches alone took almost that long and the entire thing, with our buyer, us, our vendor, top of chain will have taken 15 weeks when we finally move - and our estate agent is counting that as a fast chain.

I’d always get the full survey. Both times for me have been ~ £1200.

I would most definitely have the survey done.
I recently did a survey with iHome.co.uk and it was £460. They were quick and I was happy with it. I think they are nationwide.

Mine was a homebuyers survey btw.

We got full RICS Survey and it was £600....the report was very very detailed and 46 pages long!
Think of it this way you wouldn't buy a 2nd hand car without at least driving it so why a house?

Make sure your surveyors are RICS

This link may help with info www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/a-guide-to-homebuyer-surveys-and-costs

I didn’t with mine purely because if they miss any thing and you find out katerndown the line there is no come back on it either!