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Original poster

Would I be mad not to have a survey done on house we are buying?

30 replies

crokky · 09/07/2007 18:30

Hoping that you can help me out...

We are buying a house and we are not sure whether to get a survey done. The house is only 8 yrs old and on an estate where there are hundreds of similar houses that locals consider well built (still has NHBC guarantee for 2yrs). It is a cost we could do without - would we be mad not to get a survey done?

TIA - I may be rushing around!

OP posts:
TutterJane · 09/07/2007 18:31

yes

i always would

purpleturtle · 09/07/2007 18:33

I think it's required for a mortgage, isn't it? Just a basic one.

muppetgirl · 09/07/2007 18:33

Yes,
ALWAYS have a survey you can buy youself a whole ot of trouble if you don't.
Mnetters may come on here and say 'Well it was fine for me and I didn't' but with that amount of debt -are you sure you want to take that chance?

NAB3 · 09/07/2007 18:33

It might be a cost you could do without but it may end up costing you a lot more if it turns out something is wrong. It is a neccessary expense imo.

muppetgirl · 09/07/2007 18:34

Would you buy a car without taking it on a testdrive?

TheBlonde · 09/07/2007 18:35

Depends, if the survey was bad would you change you mind and not buy the house?

hertsnessex · 09/07/2007 18:35

we had more probs with a newish build that had a survey than we did with the 300yr old house i live in now - its certainly built to last.

i dont think age matters - i think you def ned a survey - just in case.

cx

RubberDuck · 09/07/2007 18:39

Get a survey - I'm on a new(ish) estate and there's a house over in the next road that has subsidence problems... the house is 10 years old.

Pruners · 09/07/2007 18:41

Message withdrawn

Original poster
crokky · 09/07/2007 18:41

Sorry forgot to say, yes, the mortgage does require the mortgage company to do a brief survey, but I do not know whether to get a homebuyers survey as well. By the looks of the responses, I should!

OP posts:
muppetgirl · 09/07/2007 18:50

I live in a brand new house -definately get a survey!!

moopymoo · 09/07/2007 18:53

tbh i would be happy with the mortgage co one and not bother with a homebuyers. i buy quite a bit of property and would think that with nhbc cover for another 2 years, and if you have seen paper work to this effect,plus having a good look round - maybe wit ha handy type mate, this would cover it. but thats just me and i am fairly confident with this stuff

LIZS · 09/07/2007 18:54

The mortgage company one may give it a cursory look , may not even go inside !

moopymoo · 09/07/2007 18:55

when i was an estate agent, some years ago granted, i accompanied many surveyors whose homebuyers reports were not much more than that.

LoveAngel · 09/07/2007 22:47

Get a survey. Don't even think about getting a mortage on a property without one.

bewilderbeast · 09/07/2007 22:47

you'd be mad not to

stealthsquiggle · 09/07/2007 22:50

Yes you would be mad.

Buyers of our old house (about the same age)didn't, because they didn't need a mortgage. Now they are bitching about problems they found (not that we actively hid them) - their mistake.

Get a survey - proper one, not just valuation. IMHO.

Twinklemegan · 09/07/2007 22:51

I think subsidence, damp, leaky roof, defective brickwork etc. would probably also be costs you could do without, don't you? Also you can use the results to negotiate the price down if necessary.

yomellamoHelly · 09/07/2007 22:55

It's probably the biggest investment you'll ever make so yes I think you would be mad. Witnessed the cheapest type of survey being done on our old flat and was shocked by how cursory it was - it wouldn't have had anything to report. Would definitely recommend more.

pyjamaqueen · 09/07/2007 22:55

Yes, you'd be mad not to.

silkcushion · 09/07/2007 22:56

Hi

You would be crazy. The mortgage company does a survey but it doesn't really involve anything but ensuring the property is worth at least what they are lending you. They don't check the condition of the property at all. Their survey is for their purposes not yours (even though you pay for it).

You should ALWAYS have a homebuyers report as well. I had a new build and there was lots of problems that came to light after 4/5 years.

Ps you can add the cost of the survey to the mortgage normally so you don't have to find the cash up front.

silkcushion · 09/07/2007 22:57

oh dear sorry for bad grammar - I meant "there were lts of problems"

silkcushion · 09/07/2007 22:58

lots!!!

What's wrong with me????

aviatrix · 09/07/2007 23:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

NannyL · 10/07/2007 21:39

yes you would be inane to even think about not having a survey IMO

Its likely to be the biggest expense of your entire life and your most vauable asset and you dont even want to check it first