hoping for quick purchase - do i really need a full structural survey?

[schipo]

after all the great advice you all gave me about walking away from last house I was buying i have another question.

we did find another house :D (or more precisely one we'd missed out on earlier came available again just at the right time) it's nicer cheaper smaller and has everything we want. It's been in same hands since 1982 and well looked after without having any drastic unregulated changes.

the thing is there's no chain at their end and we're completing on sale of our flat on March 1st. With our lawyer and mortgage all ready we could probably make things happen quickly enough so that we move in without having to go into very expensive short term let.

Question is do we really need a full building survey? It is another victorian terrace, and the wiring probably needs an update, and there's more than likely a bit of damp in basement.

I can't remember what the point of full structural survey is anymore if its not likely to affect the offer price or our likelihood of buying the house..can someone remind me please?

You don't have to have a full structural. For the mortgage you could just get a valuation survey, then arrange a full survey once you've moved in and have time. Off course, if something comes up you will have to bare the brunt of the cost because you can't go back to the vendors and knock money off.

Its entirly up to you but I think I would go for the expensive short term let as I recon that would be cheaper than anything large picked up by a survey.

Can't you go for the 'Homebuyers' survey. When we were buying a few years ago this was the middle option so a bit more than the surveyor looking at the house from the front and deciding it is ok (valuation) and cheaper than the full structural one.

Problem is, if there is a problem picked up on the valuation, they won't look into it and will just tell you to get a more detailed survey anyway (happened to us when buying a Victorian house with damp and mild subsidence).

Do you know any good builders you can take round to check it over?

We went for a "homebuyers" survey recently for £700+ and I was shocked at how little info it gave - really nothing noticeably over what the cheapo valuation survey would have given. I don't think in fairness there was anything very scary for it to pick up on, but I do think a valuation survey would pick up on any major stuff too. If you're not going for the full structural, I would just go for a valuation survey and then ask around for a reputable local damp firm who would probably go in and cost up any damp work free of charge.

I don't mean to hijack this thread, but do the council give grants for damp, even in in privately owned homes?

not heard of any grants.

But, someone on here posted an excellent link not long ago to some very interesting debunking videos on damp in period homes (no, no really trust me! they're fascinating!) here