Surveys

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We are selling our first home and buying a new one.
We know the new house really well, it is on the same road we currently live and is the same house (but has been extended and is a semi detached so larger plot and gardens, driveway etc).

Other than the mortgage valuation survey, husband doesn't want to pay for any other survey on the house. He's a tradesman and is taking an electrician and builder friend to look around the property in a week or so.

For that reason, he says a survey is pointless.

What are your thoughts?

(For info: we didn't get a survey on our current house because we purchased it at a time when home information packs were around and took a chance).

I'd probably agree in your situation. But what trade is your dh, builder? If he's a mechanic then that's not so helpful!

If the house seems in reasonable condution for its age i agree that going round with a builder/electrician is a good idea. Dont forget to look at the roof too. In my experience surveys just point out what to get checked out by professionals in any case - and sounds like you are doing this. Save your money.

@FFSJake he's a painter and decorator.

Hhmmm yes. I'm coming around to his way of thinking.

We have just sold our first house and moved into our next one. Our full building survey (cost £560, included no valuation but our lender did their own valuation) picked up on a few areas of concern like potential full re-wire, potential blocked drains, potential cavity wall tie corrosion, potential failed damp-proofing course, the kind of things we would have overlooked. This led to further surveys and one thing I would highly recommend is a CCTV drain survey, ours cost £80 plus VAT. It shows not only blockages but any cracks in the drains which most properties have. They are costly to repair (two cracked pipes lined plus de-scale cost us £1,300), so you could potentially negotiate the price down. This is not as costly as you not knowing the pipes are cracked until they burst and need to be excavated. It did transpire that we do also definitely need a full rewire, some wall ties replaced, wall cavities cleared where debris has accumulated above the damp proofing course, and also a full re-plumb which the structural survey did not pick up and which is going to be costly :( In our case the surveys were worth it. It is a 1930s property that looks nice at a glance but who knew so many things could be wrong.

@aisteb sounds like it was worth it! We are already factoring in a full rewire as dh has noted an old electrical system which is why he wants to walk it through with the electrician.
I like the idea of the cctv for drains though. I'll look into this, thanks.

This is a question that bands around fairly regularly

At the end of the day a surveyor is trained to pick up faults, including things such as the roof timbers spreading and insufficient support to areas of the house after a wall has been removed.

A builder may pick up on such issues or not, however you have no come back if the friend gets it wrong or just doesn’t see an issue that perhaps a surveyor would have noticed straight away

If it’s an older property and it’s at the point of needing a rewire there are going to be other issues. And unless your builder friend understands the type of structure your purchase is you may get wrong advice, even if intended well

Yes a surveyor May refer you off to a specialist but that is no different than the GP doing the same if you need an operation

If the property is relatively expensive surely a survey will give piece of mind? And is a fraction of the purchase price

On the flip side of it’s a newer house and nhbc etc in place having a friend builder etc to check it out seems sensible and likely to cover it

Dadsussex yes you make relevant points. I would hate a friendship to go sour because we would assume he would pick something up when he didn't.

I might just do something fairly basic. It's expensive stuff this house buying malarkey; so what's another few hundred pounds? 🤷‍♀️🙈

Tbh that is so true

Literally everyone wants £500 for this and £1000 for that

Will be worth it in the end!

Best of luck