House sold - buyer arranged 2-3hr survey - structural?

[Fun Bus]

The GF has sold her house and we're buying together a house which our offer has been accepted on. Her house is a 1960's ex-council house and the buyers are having what has been described as a "Home-Buyers" report. This is booked and will take 2-3 hours we are told.

Is this not a structural report?

I've done the usual Google and PH searches but wondering what to expect. It's in good order in my opinion but our worry is the damp patch on the kitchen wall (external) and bedroom wall (inside walk-in wardrobe) - could these be a massive downfall as we're nervous now!

PH help and advice appreciated.

(Oh, and I'm not looking to cover anything up by the way - just want to know more about what to expect).

[NewNameNeeded]

If you've done your searching you'll know there is the valuation survey (drive past as 50 mph, thumb in air survey), Home Buyers survey and Structural survey.

I've only ever gone for Home Buyers surveys and they've typically taken a few hours to complete. They are pretty thorough, we got lots of information back on damp, for instance. Though they are sufficiently vague that it's hard to really pin down what the survey comments mean. Much better to speak to the surveyor when you get the report back and have highlighted sections you want additional clarity on.

Also, if you've ever seena Home Buyers survey they are pretty scary things for the uninitiated. They make a perfectly decent house sound like a disaster waiting to happen (presumably to cover the surveyor to some extent). So be prepared for your buyers to get frightened when they read about possible damp issues, etc.

Most of these issues can be put to bed once they are properly explained, once the buyers are reassured by speaking to their estate agent / surveyor, and perhaps once the price has been renegotiated to factor in remedial work the surveyor sees as being fairly urgent.

Edited by NewNameNeeded on Thursday 23 December 15:50

[JayZ4]

This survey is much more detailed than a basic valuation but not as comprehensive as a full structural.

See here:

http://www.home.co.uk/guides/buying/homebuyer_repo...

[Fun Bus]

I think what I've done is assume it's a structural report because of the time it takes to complete. I'd underestimated how long a Homebuyers report can take from what I've read so far although the above linky does specify a timescale.

[silverthorn2151]

Just to be pedantic, well call them Building Surveys generally now rather than structural surveys.

Essentially they cover the same things in terms of inspecting the property but a home buyers is a report in a standardised fashion whereas a full survey is a bespoke report.

It is in the production of the report that time is saved as I would expect someone to take the same amount of time on site, more or less.

[Piglet]

Just to be pedantic #2.... she hasn't sold her house until completion has taken place and the money has been paid. At this stage she has accepted an offer and there is absolutely no guarantee that the buyer will proceed.

[Fun Bus]

You're not being pedantic Piglet, just stating factually the situation which I agree with. My Father always used to say this during his many years in the property industry.

[Zippee]

Piglet said:

Just to be pedantic #2.... she hasn't sold her house until completion has taken place and the money has been paid. At this stage she has accepted an offer and there is absolutely no guarantee that the buyer will proceed.

To turn it around, likewise neither have you. You're still well within your rights to walk away. We did on a recent proposed purchase, cost us almost 2 grand in lost solicitors fees, and the homebuyer but we found a much nicer house that was well worth the moneytary loss.

[jas xjr]

I accepted an offer on a property, it was lower than my asking but I was happy with it. I accepted the offer on the basis that I would not reduce the price no matter what was discovered on survey.
Survey was carried out and agent rang me to tell me the outcome. Told the agent I was not interested in hearing about the survey as I was only going to complete at the agreed price.
And that is what happened. They wanted that house

[Deva Link]

NewNameNeeded said:

Though they are sufficiently vague that it's hard to really pin down what the survey comments mean.

Their vagueness makes them seem pointless - they seem to be more about the surveyor covering their arse than any rigourous investion of the property.

Absolutely anything the suveyor is unsure about is marked down as requiring
further investigation - what's that betting that in the OP's case the report will suggest a specialist damp survey?

Ours noticed that one of the gutter downspout brackets had snapped but didn't notice that the entire house had blown plaster.

I think the timing in the OP is wrong too - Homebuyers reports are supposed to take 1-2 hrs. One was done on a house a few wks ago on ahouse some people we know are selling and the surveyor was in and out in 45mins.

Edited by Deva Link on Thursday 23 December 22:12