Should I get a homebuyers survey?

[PanickyBuyer]

We've had an offer accepted on a 1930s semi which is in need of a fair bit of TLC, and which - longer term - we plan to do some renovations/extension etc on anyway. The current owners have been there many years and the whole place could do with a bit of an overhaul.

We viewed the house twice before putting the offer in. My DH is a builder and has had a pretty thorough look round (although obviously not checking under carpets etc, but I don't know if a home buyers' report would include that anyway). The loft has been converted and there is a sort of lean-to at the back of the house that we plan to get rid of and extend at the back (planning already in place apparently, according to vendors).

Te valuation survey is being done next week. My DH thinks it's pointless getting a home buyers' report as well, as "we're going to rip everything out anyway" . I trust his judgement... but I'm a bit wary as I feel like a survey is the "responsible" thing to do on a house of this age. Also although my DH works in the UK now, he's mostly worked overseas and on commercial contracts, so I'm not sure how much he knows about damp (!?) and other things that might be more prevalent here.

Anyway. This is a long winded way of saying: is it worth getting a home buyers' survey in this situation? WWYD?!

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

It's the most expensive investment you'll ever make in your life. Not sure why you wouldn't want to get one, TBH? The valuation survey is just to satisfy the mortgage lenders that the house is standing, not to look at other problems. What if your budget doesn't account for the subsidence, or new roof, or ?

Caveat emptor and all that.

I would always get a proper survey. You are spending a lot of money, you at least need to know that your blank canvas hasn't got anything extra that needs fixing, along with everything else you need to do.
I would also check that planning is in place with the local authority, don't take the vendors word for it. Have a look at the plans; they might not be the sort of thing you wanted to build.

Of course you should.

Thanks all. I'm glad I've had these responses!! I'm just quite an anxious person and so I was wondering whether it was just me being over cautious. Good point about whether there could be extra issues on top of what we already want to do.

I wouldnt bother. They dont check for anyting beyond what is visible and its easy to stick a settee in front of a damp patch or a cupboard infront of a problem wall. They cant move anything. If you have a husband thats a builder I wouldnt worry in the slightest! If youre an anxious person too it will only flag up ever possible scerio and issue known to man! Ultimately its up to you, but its not a given that everyone has to!

I wouldn't bother.
Waste of paper they are written on in my experience.

They don't even look in cupboards or lofts

Of course you should!! They look at any potential structural problems, things can could stop you putting up your extension or make it very expensive - absolutely Do it

I wouldn't bother either. My last survey cost around £600 and told me nothing I couldn't see with my own eyes ( and the eyes of a builder friend)

Get a full survey, not a home buyers. Think how much money you are investing & what percentage it is.

I wouldn't bother personally. I didn't for my last two purchases. The only house I did get one for - a proper survey as opposed to a homebuyers report ignored any areas he had no thorough access too ie. Didn't look at staircase in cupboard understairs as there was stuff in there. Shame he didn't as he would have seen it was balanced on a brick on an earth floor. This is one of many things he didn't bother with. It cost us a grand and this was 25 years ago and was useless. There were lots of get outs like - recommend electrical survey, recommend damp survey, recommend a drain survey, they don't lift carpets or look behind any sofas....

The next purchases we didn't bother - 17th century granary we converted, 17th century farmhouse, 16th century cottage, French farmhouse x 2, 1930s Art Deco House. We took a builder to one tricky one we didn't buy, but that was burnt down (deliberately) before we decided to buy it. The builders rule of thumb was, don't worry about a crack unless you can get your elbow into it

Just look for bulging exterior walls, check chimney stacks, look for big cracks, joins at floors & ceilings, check all windows & door open & close easily etc. Use your nose, flush the loos etc. Dry rot is hard to spot, but your house buyers report won't find that.

If your husband is a builder you should be fine.

We just knocked off several thousand pounds following the results of our homebuyer survey. If you find a good surveyor they are well worth it.

Thanks everyone - now I'm undecided again!!

Notwiththeseknees that's exactly what my DH said about cracks in walls

Sorry - that sounded sarcastic and wasn't meant to!

Thanks for all your views. Lots to think about...

Why are you not getting a full structural survey for a house of that age? Surely you need to know about things now to make a proper decision about whether it is fit to buy?

Not sure if this will help your decision but we paid for a survey on a 1930's house which needed some tlc & usual new kitchen/bathroom. The report was very in-depth. So much so the seller pulled out afterwards as the report highlighted the house was riddled with woodworm and we would need to renegotiate on the offer- he wasn't willing to.

The survey was a blessing for us personally.

I would as it may flag up other issues. I did on last house and got £10k off after full survey which paid for the £1k cost plus gave an extra £9k for work. This house we didn't bother but have since found out there's a rethatch needed which will cost £30k. Having said that I don't think they would have budged on price, took them 4 days to agree to full asking price, and we would still have bought at that price anyway as we love it so much. Husband is an engineer and tests cracks for safety and he's quite fussy with them. I also found it useful to know if we sold a house in future what issues are likely to come up, in last house surveyor said you wouldn't get a mortgage on it.