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Home buyer survey - advice please

10 replies

Caramelisedbiscuitbutter · 12/05/2023 13:51

We are buying and selling at the moment but our current home was the first we bought and as it was a new build, a survey wasn’t required.

The house we are buying is about 50-60 years old and has had a fairly large extension with a flat roof added at some point (more than 10 years ago) and an en suite installed into the master. We should get more info/certainty on these from the vendors’ solicitors soon but we are aiming for a quick process so trying to plan ahead.

The property has been rented out for about 10 years so things like the boiler and electrics should be in decent order.

The mortgage lender (a hight street bank) say they don’t need to do a valuation as the desktop one came back much higher than our offer price. However, the house had been on the market a long time for the area (>6 months) and we think the desktop one is a bit off.

We want to instruct a level 2 home buyer survey, with our main concern being the roof on the extension. It is extremely unlikely we would use the survey to negotiate on price (or walk) as think we are getting a good deal; it’s really just so we can plan for any immediate work and not go in blind. Having said that if there was anything thrown up that was really unpalatable then I’d never say never.

Having never instructed a survey can anyone advise please? Does this sound sensible and if so, is there any danger that we might spook the vendor just by instructing it? Or would you expect any buyer to instruct one on that type of house? (Our buyers are not having a survey done but our house is only 5 years old). We really don’t want to lose the house but I think I’m overthinking it.

OP posts:
thaisweetchill · 12/05/2023 13:56

You are overthinking it. Home buyers surveys are common.

Just a word of warning though, they do scare monger so make sure you read it throughly. They will put a warning next to electric and gas, purely because they're not gas or electric engineers so they can't give a correct answer.

They're more for checking the roof and things like that but they will put you in the direction of getting a contractor who specialises in that.

SJ89SJ · 12/05/2023 13:58

Don't overthink it! We are buying and selling too and our buyer had one booked within 2 days of offer. We have arranged one for our onward too. They are just sensible things to have when spending so much money, to protect yourself against anything awful. Most surveys bring up small things I'd guess and we are having one just to provide reassurance not because we think there's anything wrong with the one we are buying.
Don't panic!

MintJulia · 12/05/2023 14:20

A full survey is normal. I won't risk what is basically half my life savings without having a house properly checked, and have always had one done.

In the past they have shown up a bowing roof where roof ties had been removed to create a dormer bedroom (I walked away from that one), and various smaller issues that still needed fixing immediately (a blocked flue etc). I have then been able to schedule them in for the first day or two in the house.

A vendor with nothing to hide won't mind at all. It shows you are serious.

DappledThings · 12/05/2023 14:22

Survey is totally normal. It isn't going to spook the vendors unless they are idiots.

Bimbom · 12/05/2023 14:35

Our house is 60 years old. If we were selling it and the buyers didn't instruct a survey that would spook me! I'd worry that they weren't serious about the purchase.

We had a full building survey done when we bought it despite it having recently been flipped and looking in great condition. Came back fine and wouldn't have used it as a bargaining tool unless something serious had turned up, which we were fairly sure wouldn't happen. Think people are crazy not to get them when they're spending hundreds of thousands of pounds

MarinatemysoulinSprite · 12/05/2023 14:36

I would be more spooked by buyers who didn't have a survey.

We are currently buying (cash) so technically don't "need" to have a survey, but it would be mad not to.

Caramelisedbiscuitbutter · 12/05/2023 15:27

Thanks all, I knew I was overthinking it really! Will get one instructed once our mortgage offer is through.

OP posts:
Persipan · 12/05/2023 15:54

Yep, definitely overthinking. Watch out when you get the survey back that you don't overthink the stuff on it, too - there's always a laundry list of bits and bobs.

Caramelisedbiscuitbutter · 13/05/2023 10:52

Me again! Any advice on whether level 2 is sufficient or would level 3 potentially be better value for money?

OP posts:
Bimbom · 13/05/2023 11:25

Get a level 3

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