3 Ways You can Buy your next Home at the Right Price
1. Find out with a Structural Survey if there are any property defects
Why have a Structural Survey?
Always have an independent structural survey as this will highlight any property problems. Caveat emptor means buyer beware and is why you need to have a building survey to find out if there are any problems within the property; the estate agent certainly will not advise you of any! English law has the emphasis on the buyer finding anything wrong with the property therefore it is essential that you have an Independent Building Surveyor provide you with a comprehensive Structural Survey to ensure you know if the house has any costly defects.
Remember the Independent Building Surveyor that you employ will be the only person working for you with your interests at heart.
3 Ways You can Buy your next Home at the Right Price
2. Use a Structural Survey to negotiate the right price
Get a Free Quick Quote Today!
5 Reasons Why a Structural Survey is Essential
Identifies urgent problems before you commit to buy | ||
Quick Surveys so You can make the right decision | ||
Money saving Structural Surveys so no costly surprises | ||
Hundreds of Free Property Articles | ||
Meeting your Surveyor at the house will enable you to discuss any future extension plans |
3 Ways You can Buy your next Home at the Right Price
3. A Structural Survey will identify property problems so that you can negotiate with the vendor to complete the repairs before you move in at their cost not yours.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Full Structural Survey?
As the name suggests a Full Structural Survey, sometimes known as a Building Survey or House Survey, is a detailed survey report of a property. A Full Structural Survey is always preferable to a Homebuyers Report as it comprehensive detailing any property defects or potential concerns as well as giving anticipated costs for building work. Although more expensive than a Homebuyers Report a Full Structural Survey is value for money with the Surveyor inspecting all areas including roofs, chimneys outbuildings etc. If the building survey identifies costly property problems this can be used to negotiate on the price of the property or if extremely high may result in you deciding to look at alternative properties.
What happens on the day of a Full Structural Survey?
On the day that the Full Structural Survey is carried out the Chartered Surveyor will arrive at the property and spend approximately 4 hours (depending on the size of the property) carrying out a full inspection. All areas of the property are inspected including roofs and surveying equipment is used to check for dampness and thermal qualities of the building. You will be able to meet with the Surveyor to talk about any concerns or plans you have for the property.
During the survey the Building Surveyor will identify if alterations have been made such as removal of internal walls, damage to timbers – for example in the roof space roof timbers are inspected for any issues, evidence of subsidence and highlight any evidence of damp and associated issues.
Will the Surveyor advise on the condition of the roof?
Yes, Our Building Surveyors will view the roof of your property by either accessing via long ladders or hiring a cherry picker or scaffolding tower. Our Building Surveyors will also inspect the underside of the roof and the roof timbers to give a thorough report on the roofs condition.
What is the difference between an Independent Surveyor and a Surveyor?
Independent Surveyors are always best as they are 100% impartial and have your best interests at heart. Independent Surveyors are not owned by banks, building societies, estate agents or any other financial or corporate institution and are free to give independent property advice.
Independent Surveyors work for you and only you.
Can you tell if there are problems with the foundations?
A good Surveyor should be able to spot if there are problems with subsidence on the foundations or heave or any sort of structural defect by viewing the property. A good building Surveyor will be able to identify not only where the problem is but also give an indication as to what caused the problem.
If you want advice regarding foundation problems call us on freephone 0800 298 5424.
My building survey says there is damp in the property is this a major problem?
During an inspection of a property for a Full Structural Survey a Surveyor will take damp meter readings from the walls to measure damp. Often there is nothing to be alarmed about as in older properties there will be a level of dampness naturally and will be considered a characteristic of the property. Many properties may have higher than average levels of dampness in high humidity generating areas such as kitchens and bathrooms, which can be helped with the addition of large, humidity controlled extraction fans.
If you want to find out more about dampness click here
What can I do if the Surveyor finds a problem with the property I want to buy?
A Surveyor will provide a written Structural Survey report, which will identify any property issues. Prior to exchanging contracts a potential purchaser can either:-
- Ask the vendor to correct the property issues at their expense.
- Ask for a reduction in the purchase price to cover the cost of resolving the property issues.
- If the issues are substantial and costly you may wish to withdraw from purchasing the property.
How can I get a Full Structural Survey?
Free phone 0800 298 5424 today to speak to our friendly Building Surveyors and book a survey. We provide free survey quotes with no obligation – call us for a chat about your house, flat or bungalow today.
Alternatively fill out our Quick Quote form and we will call you.
Remember don’t buy a problem property buy a survey.
Thank You
and
Good Luck
Thank you for reading our Structural Surveys web page, which we hope you have found helpful.
We wish you well with finding your perfect Home - if you have any questions just call us for a friendly chat on
Free phone 0800 298 5424
We literally have hundreds of examples of houses we have surveyed and
will send you one similar to the age, type and style you are looking to buy