Survey being done, what should we specifically ask about. We’ll be there

[NigelFaragesTinyConscience]

Hi,

As above really. The Edwardian house will be looked at and we will be asking about structure, things that might effect extensions, timber and damp

Will actually be there when person goes around so anything to ask him/her to focus on. Electrics? Replacement windows etc.

If you live in an older house surveyed what do you wish you could have asked when you bought your property?

My understanding is, you get whatever survey you’ve paid for and you leave them to it. Asking them about things distracts them from the job in hand and they have limited time to conclude their checks.

Let them send you their report with all their findings. Recent experience of a level 3 survey on a large 1864 Victorian semi. It was very thorough and covered everything. Obviously some things are not visible, but they were covered anyway.

What type of survey?

They won't look at electrics, you'll need an electrician for that.

They should spot anything structural. If you have specific concerns regarding anything you have spotted (damp patch, crack in a wall etc) then mention those, but otherwise I've left my surveyors to it.

You can't go round with the surveyor! That would really not go down well. As a PP says, you get what you pay for.

DD just buying, she went for the middle level 2 survey, it was very very stringent and consisted of 128 pages! And this was for a Victorian property.

Agree with the above, ours covered electrics in that it said there was evidence they were aged as sockets on skirting boards etc. and limited amounts of them, but recommended an electrician conducts their own checks if the purchase went ahead.

Months later after buying the house, the electrician said only parts of the house need rewiring and a new circuit board. Extra sockets are currently being fitted along with alarm and electric car point.

Don't be at the survey.
The person is a professional, and knows how to do their job. If there are any major things you want checking, prompt them before the survey date, then leave them to it.
The vendor might be able to answer questions such as "where are the keys for this door" but you will have nothing to contribute. Wait for the report.

Have they agreed for you to be there during the survey? They have a job to do in limited time - you would be better to send through any specific points you want focused on and then discuss afterward.

How well do you do your job with a couple of people standing on your shoulder throwing in random questions?

If you are buying a period property please make sure that you also have an electrician and then a plumber look at the state of the electrics and of the pipes/boiler/central heating. You should also look at getting someone to do a drain survey with a camera to make sure there are no blockages/leak.

I trusted my surveyor to look at everything for the 1930s house that purchased after I paid for the highest level survey and he missed so many problems which are now causing me massive issues.

He reported the house was in good condition and would need only average maintenance. In reality there were issues with the central heating, electrics and now the outside drains. He also missed clear signs of damp...

Please don't make the same mistakes I made to only trust one 'expert'.

Unless you happen to be related to the surveyor, I doubt they would let you be there getting in the way while they work.

Hello

Survey was a specialist survey and took several hours. Chatted to the chap who was fabulously knowledgable and he pointed out some issues and helped us look at fix areas. He continued after we left ,survey was over 2 G, nearer 3 so we felt able to avail of his expert advice.(property is empty)

Thanks for the advice all :-)

Do check your drains at some point. We discovered by luck as were moving kitchen and floorboards were up the same time someone was washing a paintbrush in upstairs bathroom that the water from there was coming up under the new kitchen’s floor.

Paid £260 for camera down drains which identified a blockage at one point which was cleared plus the bottom had fallen off one downpipe plus another drain had a crack in . All sorted now but it has obviously been leaking for years and would have continued to do so gradually causing damage to the fabric of the building. I’d now always have a drain survey on an older property as a matter of course.

Thanks for sharing your experience, OP.

@Seaitoverthere

''Do check your drains at some point. We discovered by luck as were moving kitchen and floorboards were up the same time someone was washing a paintbrush in upstairs bathroom that the water from there was coming up under the new kitchen’s floor.

Paid £260 for camera down drains which identified a blockage at one point which was cleared plus the bottom had fallen off one downpipe plus another drain had a crack in . All sorted now but it has obviously been leaking for years and would have continued to do so gradually causing damage to the fabric of the building. I’d now always have a drain survey on an older property as a matter of course.''

So true!

I am having the camera survey on Friday as I am pretty sure I have leaks and blockages (1930 house)...

Wish I had known to do that as part of the conveyancing/home survey process. From now on I will advise anyone I know who is buying an older house to do this before they commit to anything!

Good tip. Will get the report soon and see if drains are on it

NO report yet!

Have been chasing them . Getting on for two weeks!

I was vendor at a survey and I just left him to it He asked me a couple of questions about accessing parts of the outside and he told me he had a lot to do
It is a detailed job technical job and they do not have time