Right, let’s talk about something that most people ignore entirely when they’re buying a house – getting a proper survey done. We know, we know, it’s another expense when you’re already hemorrhaging money on legal fees and deposits, but hear me out.
So What’s a Building Survey Actually About?
Think of it like an MOT for houses, except way more thorough. A proper surveyor – and we’re talking qualified professionals here, not your mate who’s handy with a drill – goes over every inch of the place looking for problems.
They’re checking the foundations, roof, electrics, plumbing, and looking for damp, subsidence, dodgy extensions, and the lot. Basically, all the expensive stuff that can go wrong with houses, but that you’d never spot during a quick viewing when you’re too busy working out where your sofa would fit.
Building surveys for homebuyers aren’t just about finding problems, though – they’ll also give you a realistic idea of what maintenance you’ll be facing over the next few years. Quite handy when you’re trying to budget for your new life as a homeowner.
The mortgage company will send someone round to do a basic valuation, but that’s to check the place is worth what they’re lending you. That doesn’t protect you from buying a money pit.
Why Bother When You’ve Already Decided?
You’ve found “the one” – that perfect house that ticks all your boxes. The last thing you want is a surveyor raining on your parade by finding problems. But those problems are there whether you know about them or not.
At least if you find out beforehand, you can actually do something about it. Maybe negotiate the price down. Perhaps walk away if the issues are too much to handle. Or just budget for the work that needs doing instead of getting a nasty shock later on.
“It’s only a leasehold flat, what could go wrong?” you might say. Turns out, quite a lot. The communal roof can leak like a sieve, and your share of the repair bill can get up to eight thousand pounds. You could prevent that entirely with a proper survey.
Working Out What Type You Need
There are three levels of survey, and picking the wrong one is almost as bad as not getting one at all.
The most basic is a condition report – a traffic light system showing what’s green (fine), amber (keep an eye on it), or red (sort this out sharpish). It’s cheap, but quite superficial. Better than nothing if you’re buying a newish property in decent nick.
Then there’s the HomeBuyer Report, which is the middle option. More detailed than the condition report, and it includes maintenance advice. It also works well for most normal properties that aren’t ancient or weird.
At the top end, you’ve got full building surveys. These are the proper, detailed jobs that go into everything. Essential for older places, listed buildings.
When You Really Can’t Skip This
Some situations practically demand you get the full works done. Anything built before 1900 definitely needs a thorough going-over. Victorian and Edwardian houses are beautiful, but they’re also full of surprises – and not always good ones.
Listed buildings are another category where you don’t mess about. The restrictions on what you can alter mean you need to know exactly what state everything’s in from day one.
If a place has been empty for ages, shows obvious signs of problems, or has had loads of DIY done to it, you want someone qualified to take a proper look. Estate agents aren’t exactly known for highlighting problems, are they?
Let’s Talk Money
Survey costs vary massively depending on what you’re getting and how big the place is. You’re looking at anything from a few hundred quid for a basic report up to over a grand for a complete structural survey on a big old house.
Seems like a lot when you’re already spending a fortune, but compare it to what major repairs cost and it’s peanuts. A new roof can easily be fifteen grand. Rewiring might be eight thousand. Sorting out subsidence? Don’t even ask.
The surveyor gives you a detailed report afterwards, highlighting problems and giving rough costs for fixing them. They’re dry documents – surveyors have to cover themselves legally, so they flag up everything, even minor stuff. The trick is working out what’s actually serious.
What Happens After You Get the Report
Once you’ve got your survey back, you need to decide what to do with all that information. If there are serious problems, you want to get specialists in for more detailed reports.
Then comes the fun part – negotiating with the seller. You can ask them to fix things before completion, reduce the price, or provide guarantees about certain aspects. Sometimes the problems are so bad you just walk away, which is gutting but better than buying a disaster.
Getting It Right
For thorough property surveys across London, Peter Barry Chartered Building Surveyors have the expertise and local knowledge to give you the detailed insights you need. With their experienced team covering the whole capital, they’ll help you make confident decisions about your property purchase.