Property Survey - home purchase

[Lillybobs86]

Are there people out there that haven't instructed Surveyors when purchasing their house?

I don’t understand why you would risk it?

We sold our house recently, it was a new build 6-7 years old and our cash buyer did not have a Survey. We did have one on ours as 1930's.

I read somewhere that more than half of buyers don’t.

I’ve twice paid for the more expensive survey and found it missed important things. Wouldn’t bother in future . I’ll have a very careful look around including in the loft sand ask the owner to move furniture to get into corners.

I’m having this debate at the moment - am buying a 5 year old house and thinking whether it’s worth spending £550 on a survey for. Most surveyors don’t seem to do the more basic level 1 at all these days.

I bumped into a retired surveyor friend last week and asked him. He said he wouldn’t bother!

I didn’t on my new build (you can get separate snagging surveys if you wish that list everything you can go back to the builder with).
I wouldn’t get a survey on anything sold with 4 years or more of a NHBC remaining.

I've always had surveys but often they don't pick up things. I think they are important though so you don't end up with a money pit and my nerves couldn't take it.

I moved 6 weeks ago, I had a survey on my onward purchase, my buyer didn't & said they haven't never had surveys on any house they purchased. TBF I did think about not bothering myself, because at the end of survey report, it always says, if you do A, B & Z, no reason not to purchase.

I had a survey done on house I’m buying & regret it tbh. House built in 1890s wasn’t informed by the surveyors it’s not their expertise. Everything (doors walls floors windows ceilings roof chimney steps gas electric) in red highlighted as risk to health & life needing urgent repair. Feels like a total waste of money. I’ve got the gas & electric certs, aware the windows are low & floors uneven etc the report is top level arse covering. I’m sending a contractor up to check chimney & roof. Really wish I’d saved my money and just sent the contractor out.

We’re currently on the market and worrying about having a survey done on our house. The roof needs refelting and windows on the front a couple of blown, but it’s all liveable and not a major thing that needs doing right away. I’m just scared it’s going to scare any potential buyer off ! I believe the surveys are worded a certain way which makes it seem these things MUST be done right away ?

Our buyers didn’t have a survey on our 10 year old house. Or if they did, it was a drive by.

Windows blown is obvious so a buyer putting in an offer should factor that in on the price they offer. If they brought it up after the survey I’d think they were a CF and tell them to go whistle.

I didn’t on my current house, but I did bring my builder to look at it, as I was planning on having work done. He said he’d buy it if I didn’t, so I bought it and haven’t had any problems.

The couple buying my previous house didn’t get a survey either.

our buyer is having the survey done on Friday, we are nervous! Only bought the house 8 years ago, and there wasnt anything major that we didn’t sort then. We aren’t bothering to get a survey on the house we are purchasing, it’s 30 years old and in great condition.

Ahh thanks for this. We have priced for a quick sale and to reflect some things need doing like internal doors need changing. We’re not prepared to put any more money into the property, we just want to sell now and upsize.

My buyers did have a RICS 2 on my 1970's build house - their comments - it didnt pick up anything they were'nt aware of. TBF I had the house priced to reflect this. I am purchasing a new build 10 years old and not bothering - most likely changes are new boiler at some point - replace fences and new front door. Dont need a surveyor to tell me this.

Yes we did, but were lucky as we've recently sold & they had a really in-depth survey & all fine.
Yet we were going to purchase a house recently as we're moving, sooo glad we had a surveyor look (it was just someone we know who is also a great surveyor), the whole house had problems, like really bad problems. Whew!

So I'd at least have a builder to view a house & one you trust, or look to a lower level survey.

No I didn't and it's an old house. Most surveyors do arse covering . There may be damp, I suggest you get an expert in it. It may need rewiring, I suggest you get an expert in, blah blah. Cost a fortune and they do miss stuff. Loads of people don't bother

I have a great surveyor who’s saved me from buying two properties that then didn’t sell to anyone as there were a lot of hidden nasties. He writes very clear reports categorizing issues as 1-3 with only 3 being a pricing issue and gives a valuation opinion.

He is worth his weight in gold. I recommend him far and wide.

A surveyor that won’t do the above and instead provide countless pages of ‘check for this before you buy’ (because I CBA) is not worth using as a vague survey can collapse chains by prompting time wasting or falling into the hands of an inexperienced buyer or agent.

In an ideal world we’d all just be forced to pay for a clear survey on our own homes with a RICS valuation and hand that over to an agent who can show people round and then on to the solicitors for contracts. I wonder why it isn’t so.

They can be read as ‘must do now’ if they’re not properly written with clear opinions on what is a valuation issue and what to expect maybe to have to do in years ahead.

I need to get rid of a ridiculously vague survey my FTBs believe is a negotiation tool (it isn’t) and possibly the only way to do so is to pull out with these buyers.

I would only agree another offer, if things come for this, if buyers ensured the survey was done to RICS guidelines.

That would be a stupid thing to not have the house surveyed. I strongly recommend you have an architect inspecting the house, to advise on potential for future extensions

I would get one. Our house is 8 years old and a lot of issues only showed themselves at around 4/5 years. We were naive first time buyers and didn’t even get a snagging survey.

We do in Scotland - the buyer has to get the survey done and it’s part of the particulars when you go to look at a house.

It increases the cost of selling, but it I think it’s a much better method than the English way of doing it.

We didn't on our purchase of a 200 year old house. We figured if it was still standing after 200 years, it wasn't going to fall down any time soon. To be fair, the drains needed to be replaced and the boiler too within the first month, but these aren't things that would have been covered by a survey anyway.

Would a survey not check a boiler ?