Homebuyer survey - surveyor won't let me be present

[av185]

Vaud said:

av185 said:

For the reasons already discussed, no surveyor would want you shadowing them during the inspection. Not only is this distracting and extremely time consuming, but it is often better to inspect the whole property prior to giving a balanced worthwhile professional opinion.

Following undertaking a private survey, I find that it is far better to deliver the report to the client and go through it explaining the points in detail therefore giving a far better picture of the property as a whole.

There is a middle ground. I agreed to meet the surveyor on site after his inspection for 20 minutes for him to show the key points only. He was happy, I was happy, it was in his fee, etc.

It's an odd world, MOTs seem to take longer than a house survey that impacts a 20+ year mortgage; not directly analogous but it is a strange world.

A mortgage valuation report is NOT a survey........it is merely to ensure the property is suitable security for a mortgage loan. On an average house, this would take around half an hour.

A survey report comes in various guises......this is essential for most properties, even new ones, where many problems can often be found. It never ceases to amaze me how purchasers think they are saving the say £750 survey fee and subsequently have to pay out thousands £s rectifying even simple defects the cost of which would be revealed in the survey anyway and recommended asking price reduction. You wouldn t dream of buying say a thirty year old Ferrari for £100k without an expert opinion , and yet many buy a £300k+ house of similar vintage without experts opinion or merely on the advice of a jobbing builder mate! For the average house, this could take up to 4 hours and longer if you specifically requested advice on other areas. Speak to your surveyor beforehand and check him out......ask relevant questions including your specific concerns regarding the property......if he is suitably experienced he will comply with your specific instructions and give verbal advice freely about all aspects of the property rather than merely just doing the usual survey, posting you the report and you never hear from him again.......

[Vaud]

av185 said:

A mortgage valuation report is NOT a survey........it is merely to ensure the property is suitable security for a mortgage loan. On an average house, this would take around half an hour.

Oh I agree which is why I had my own done. The bank sells it to you as a survey, but it is as you point out, their valuation report to protect their mortgage.

In our case, the fact that there was land and a standing house was probably enough to satisfy the mortgage amount, the state of the house did not matter - hence a drive by.

[Mr GrimNasty]

av185 said:

A mortgage valuation report is NOT a survey........it is merely to ensure the property is suitable security for a mortgage loan. On an average house, this would take around half an hour.

A survey report comes in various guises......this is essential for most properties, even new ones, where many problems can often be found. It never ceases to amaze me how purchasers think they are saving the say £750 survey fee and subsequently have to pay out thousands £s rectifying even simple defects the cost of which would be revealed in the survey anyway and recommended asking price reduction. You wouldn t dream of buying say a thirty year old Ferrari for £100k without an expert opinion , and yet many buy a £300k+ house of similar vintage without experts opinion or merely on the advice of a jobbing builder mate! For the average house, this could take up to 4 hours and longer if you specifically requested advice on other areas. Speak to your surveyor beforehand and check him out......ask relevant questions including your specific concerns regarding the property......if he is suitably experienced he will comply with your specific instructions and give verbal advice freely about all aspects of the property rather than merely just doing the usual survey, posting you the report and you never hear from him again.......

It depends entirely on the circumstances and the buyer, broadly speaking, they are a massive waste of money for anyone with half a braincell in their head. There may be circumstances when you find a specific problem yourself, and require the services of specialist advice.

Of course it is in the interests of the industry to convince the public they are essential, as it is a cushy job with a massive hourly rate.

[Eleven]

Mr GrimNasty said:

av185 said:

A mortgage valuation report is NOT a survey........it is merely to ensure the property is suitable security for a mortgage loan. On an average house, this would take around half an hour.

A survey report comes in various guises......this is essential for most properties, even new ones, where many problems can often be found. It never ceases to amaze me how purchasers think they are saving the say £750 survey fee and subsequently have to pay out thousands £s rectifying even simple defects the cost of which would be revealed in the survey anyway and recommended asking price reduction. You wouldn t dream of buying say a thirty year old Ferrari for £100k without an expert opinion , and yet many buy a £300k+ house of similar vintage without experts opinion or merely on the advice of a jobbing builder mate! For the average house, this could take up to 4 hours and longer if you specifically requested advice on other areas. Speak to your surveyor beforehand and check him out......ask relevant questions including your specific concerns regarding the property......if he is suitably experienced he will comply with your specific instructions and give verbal advice freely about all aspects of the property rather than merely just doing the usual survey, posting you the report and you never hear from him again.......

It depends entirely on the circumstances and the buyer, broadly speaking, they are a massive waste of money for anyone with half a braincell in their head. There may be circumstances when you find a specific problem yourself, and require the services of specialist advice.

Of course it is in the interests of the industry to convince the public they are essential, as it is a cushy job with a massive hourly rate.

I buy lots of property and still use a surveyor a lot of the time. Their fees are repaid many times over by spotting things that I have missed and also adding professional support for negotiations on price.

[Vaud]

Eleven said:

I buy lots of property and still use a surveyor a lot of the time. Their fees are repaid many times over by spotting things that I have missed and also adding professional support for negotiations on price.

Quite. Mine saved me thousands and I have at least half a braincell.

[av185]

Mr GrimNasty said:

av185 said:

A mortgage valuation report is NOT a survey........it is merely to ensure the property is suitable security for a mortgage loan. On an average house, this would take around half an hour.

A survey report comes in various guises......this is essential for most properties, even new ones, where many problems can often be found. It never ceases to amaze me how purchasers think they are saving the say £750 survey fee and subsequently have to pay out thousands £s rectifying even simple defects the cost of which would be revealed in the survey anyway and recommended asking price reduction. You wouldn t dream of buying say a thirty year old Ferrari for £100k without an expert opinion , and yet many buy a £300k+ house of similar vintage without experts opinion or merely on the advice of a jobbing builder mate! For the average house, this could take up to 4 hours and longer if you specifically requested advice on other areas. Speak to your surveyor beforehand and check him out......ask relevant questions including your specific concerns regarding the property......if he is suitably experienced he will comply with your specific instructions and give verbal advice freely about all aspects of the property rather than merely just doing the usual survey, posting you the report and you never hear from him again.......

It depends entirely on the circumstances and the buyer, broadly speaking, they are a massive waste of money for anyone with half a braincell in their head. There may be circumstances when you find a specific problem yourself, and require the services of specialist advice.

Of course it is in the interests of the industry to convince the public they are essential, as it is a cushy job with a massive hourly rate.

[NewNameNeeded]

Would strongly recommend attending.

Our buyers instructed a surveyor that came recommended by the estate agent to conduct a homebuyers survey for the pricely sum of £650.

I was home when he came round and he was there less than twenty minutes, including talking with me about where we were moving to for more than ten minutes.

An absolute joke.

[surveyor]

Mr GrimNasty said:

Of course it is in the interests of the industry to convince the public they are essential, as it is a cushy job with a massive hourly rate.

I wish.

NewNameNeeded said:

Would strongly recommend attending.

Our buyers instructed a surveyor that came recommended by the estate agent to conduct a homebuyers survey for the pricely sum of £650.

I was home when he came round and he was there less than twenty minutes, including talking with me about where we were moving to for more than ten minutes.

An absolute joke.

I don't get involved in Homebuyers, and am finishing my last 2 valuations. After that I don't ever want to do another. and the less said about brokers the better...

But, I have seen people instruct Homebuyers on 3 year old properties, which frankly is a right waste of money. They have their place, but selecting the right prodc

[Pit Pony]

I was lucky when I last moved as the job relocation package included 2 surveys, so I got to choose the best Chartered Surveyor in the area and discuss the problems and how best I could fix them. The other survey was the valuation survey and summarised what I could have told them from looking at the particulars, and taking a walk around the outside and looking through the windows.

[Issi]

NewNameNeeded said:

Would strongly recommend attending.

Our buyers instructed a surveyor that came recommended by the estate agent to conduct a homebuyers survey for the pricely sum of £650.

I was home when he came round and he was there less than twenty minutes, including talking with me about where we were moving to for more than ten minutes.

An absolute joke.

So he really spent only 10 minutes carrying out a homebuyers survey? I'm sorry but I don't buy that at all.

[Eleven]

Issi said:

NewNameNeeded said:

Would strongly recommend attending.

Our buyers instructed a surveyor that came recommended by the estate agent to conduct a homebuyers survey for the pricely sum of £650.

I was home when he came round and he was there less than twenty minutes, including talking with me about where we were moving to for more than ten minutes.

An absolute joke.

So he really spent only 10 minutes carrying out a homebuyers survey? I'm sorry but I don't buy that at all.

Why is that then?

[NewNameNeeded]

Issi said:

So he really spent only 10 minutes carrying out a homebuyers survey? I'm sorry but I don't buy that at all.

No word of a lie. He took some photos, banged on about three walls, and the rest of the time was chatting with me in the kitchen.

[Chrisgr31]

NewNameNeeded said:

No word of a lie. He took some photos, banged on about three walls, and the rest of the time was chatting with me in the kitchen.

Then of course he had to write up his report, and travel to and from the property. £650 might sound like a lot but there is every chance the surveyors employer didn't get it all anyway.

[NewNameNeeded]

Chrisgr31 said:

Then of course he had to write up his report, and travel to and from the property. £650 might sound like a lot but there is every chance the surveyors employer didn't get it all anyway.

I hope you're not trying to justify that as being good value for money! I'm pretty sure the reports are 'fill in the blanks' type things!

[Vaud]

Issi said:

NewNameNeeded said:

Would strongly recommend attending.

Our buyers instructed a surveyor that came recommended by the estate agent to conduct a homebuyers survey for the pricely sum of £650.

I was home when he came round and he was there less than twenty minutes, including talking with me about where we were moving to for more than ten minutes.

An absolute joke.

So he really spent only 10 minutes carrying out a homebuyers survey? I'm sorry but I don't buy that at all.

Key words highlighted in bold.

If you want a decent survey, hire a decent (independent) surveyor.

[surveyor]

NewNameNeeded said:

Chrisgr31 said:

Then of course he had to write up his report, and travel to and from the property. £650 might sound like a lot but there is every chance the surveyors employer didn't get it all anyway.

I hope you're not trying to justify that as being good value for money! I'm pretty sure the reports are 'fill in the blanks' type things!

Frankly I don't believe 10 minutes. Quickest realistic time for a basic valuation 25 minutes - this is a small no issue modern house. This is probably what the chap was doing - not a homebuyers.

It's swings and roundabouts. I spent an hour on a terraced house (mortgage val) last week. It was pretty bad.

[Eleven]

surveyor said:

NewNameNeeded said:

Chrisgr31 said:

Then of course he had to write up his report, and travel to and from the property. £650 might sound like a lot but there is every chance the surveyors employer didn't get it all anyway.

I hope you're not trying to justify that as being good value for money! I'm pretty sure the reports are 'fill in the blanks' type things!

Frankly I don't believe 10 minutes. Quickest realistic time for a basic valuation 25 minutes - this is a small no issue modern house. This is probably what the chap was doing - not a homebuyers.

It's swings and roundabouts. I spent an hour on a terraced house (mortgage val) last week. It was pretty bad.

And if you were doing a val on a new build, the same as the one three doors down you'd done last month, you'd have been in and out in what? Five minutes?

[surveyor]

Eleven said:

surveyor said:

NewNameNeeded said:

Chrisgr31 said:

Then of course he had to write up his report, and travel to and from the property. £650 might sound like a lot but there is every chance the surveyors employer didn't get it all anyway.

I hope you're not trying to justify that as being good value for money! I'm pretty sure the reports are 'fill in the blanks' type things!

Frankly I don't believe 10 minutes. Quickest realistic time for a basic valuation 25 minutes - this is a small no issue modern house. This is probably what the chap was doing - not a homebuyers.

It's swings and roundabouts. I spent an hour on a terraced house (mortgage val) last week. It was pretty bad.

And if you were doing a val on a new build, the same as the one three doors down you'd done last month, you'd have been in and out in what? Five minutes?

Depends on size, but there is no real time to be saved. Same forms to fill in, same checks to do as short cuts could have been taken etc. You'll be more familiar with the comps, but that's time saved on the report, not inspection.

I actually don't like valuing new homes. Life gets fraught when you dare to down value.

[p1esk]

NewNameNeeded said:

Chrisgr31 said:

Then of course he had to write up his report, and travel to and from the property. £650 might sound like a lot but there is every chance the surveyors employer didn't get it all anyway.

I hope you're not trying to justify that as being good value for money! I'm pretty sure the reports are 'fill in the blanks' type things!

That's how they have appeared to me on three or four Homebuyer surveys I have had done during the past 15 years or so. It appeared to be a standard document from their professional body, edited to suit, with large sections using identical wording. It certainly wasn't a comprehensive report produced from scratch.

[surveyor]

p1esk said:

NewNameNeeded said:

Chrisgr31 said:

Then of course he had to write up his report, and travel to and from the property. £650 might sound like a lot but there is every chance the surveyors employer didn't get it all anyway.

I hope you're not trying to justify that as being good value for money! I'm pretty sure the reports are 'fill in the blanks' type things!

That's how they have appeared to me on three or four Homebuyer surveys I have had done during the past 15 years or so. It appeared to be a standard document from their professional body, edited to suit, with large sections using identical wording. It certainly wasn't a comprehensive report produced from scratch.

Your not paying for the standard form (although the Surveyor is), your paying for the Surveyors skill in recognising the defect. The form is supposed to help present the issues in a standard way and one that is easily interpreted by a purchaser.