Surveys/Homebuyers Report

[B17NNS]

What is the difference?

What will each of these tell me?

[wanty1974]

I believe the mid-level survey is called the Homebuyers Report as a good descriptive name. You get the valuation survey (no useful information); the full survey (incredibly thorough with possible too much information which will lead to you not buying the house!); and the middle one, the Homebuyers Report, which gives you a very good report on the condition of the property with anything that might need seeing to, without going over the top.

[a2z]

Valuation report - Just the value for mortgage purposes and possibly highlight any glaring defects not worth it for condition.

Homebuyers - General condition audit. Will look in attic, roof from street. Non invasive, i.e. wont lift floorboards or even heavy furniture. Adequate for many houses.

Structural - Full invasive survey, will get an in depth report. Usefull on old, large, special construction or problem area properties

[Zod]

I made the mistake of getting a homebuyer's report rather than a full survey last time. Never again.

[clubsport]

I had the benefit of a full structural survey when i bought a property that someone else had recently taken out. I was very glad I hadn't paid out the 1200 quid for it.

It was a help, but reading through some of it, I found things like the surveyor not happy with parts of the roof....ascertined by looking through binoculars from the ground.

I find it better to take a (relaible!) builder along to quote for any work that might need doing.........got more than the money for a new roof back!

[minimax]

not sure if any surveyors have posted or industry people but the descriptions given above are pretty spot-on

unless new build (and even then maybe, depending on reputation of builder) I advise homebuyers in all cases, they are what a survey ought to be IMHO - although the reason a mortgage valuation is brief is that the requirement from the lenders point of view is basic.


edit: structural surveys for barn conversions, old extensions, flats converted from houses etc...need to exercise judgement really as a homebuyers and a combination of a trusted builder/damp proofer will sort most cases out



>> Edited by minimax on Monday 6th March 12:04

[wanty1974]

Yes - even Homebuyers surveys can return stuff that might make you think twice about buying the property. One previous report we had for a very solid 1900s miner's terrace listed problems which made the missus worry but our local builder thought nothing of them. If you're buying such a house, probably every house in the street has the same 'problems'...

It comes down to the gaff you're buying. If you're going for a do-it-up wreck from auction, full structural is a must, a year-old new build may only need a valuation.

[DieselJohn]

I only have very limited personal experience but I regretted paying for the homebuyers survey. The information I got was at best incomplete and sometimes inaccurate or trivial. Doing it again I would either just get the boggo one if it was a house I was comfortable examining myself or pay for the proper one on anything a bit risky.

As with anything I suppose it depends on the quality of the guy doing it as well, maybe mine wasn't much cop.

[xm5er]

Before getting a survey on our current house, I had a chat with the surveyor about the levels of detail in the various kinds of survey he offered. I told him about what I already know to be wrong with the house and he advised getting the midle range survey as the top of the rnge was pretty much the same results but with a longer written report. In other word the same inspections but without 20 pages of text describing the outcome, he was also quite happy to discuss the survey report in detail after it was done.

Structural reports, electical testing etc are all done seperatley and you are better off saving the cash from the more expensive survey to pay for these.