Surveys

Why do I Need a Survey?

Buying a new home is an important investment and can incur a huge financial commitment. Before deciding to go ahead with your purchase, it is a good idea to have an independent, professional survey carried out by a Chartered Surveyor. This can avoid unpleasant, and often expensive, surprises after moving in.

The surveyor will be able to report on the general condition of the property, identify any problems or issues found and suggest what action might need to be taken in order to rectify these. In the case of the Homebuyer Survey he will also be able to confirm a reasonable purchase price. In light of the surveyor's findings it may sometimes be possible to renegotiate the price of the property.

If you are looking to take out a mortgage, it is likely that you will need to pay for a Mortgage Valuation to be carried out. However, it is widely advised to have a separate survey carried out by your own surveyor, as the Mortgage Valuation is prepared on behalf of the lender and is designed to answer the lender's queries regarding the security of your loan. It is not prepared for you, the borrower, and therefore will not necessarily answer your queries regarding the condition of the property.

Our Approach

Surveys are a key part of the work of the practice and we aim to provide a friendly, prompt service which is intended to give you a clear understanding of the property you are buying.

If you would like a quote, one of our surveyors can discuss your requirements with you before the survey. We are always happy to discuss the report with our clients once it is issued, to ensure that any issues raised in the report are clear. Most of our clients find this a particularly helpful aspect of our service.

Types of Survey

There are two different types of survey available which can be carried out by a Building Surveyor. These are outlined below.

Building Survey

The Building Survey used to be known as a full structural survey and provides a thorough, detailed report of the construction and condition of any residential property. It is a bespoke service and can be carried out to the client's individual requirements. All aspects of the property will be examined and all defects found will be included in the report.

This type of survey is usually carried out if the property is an older or high value property, has an unusual construction, is dilapidated in some way, has been dramatically altered or where a major conversion or renovation is intended to be undertaken.

This type of survey is also appropriate for commercial property.

Due to the detailed nature of this type of survey, it usually carries a higher fee than the Homebuyer Service.

Homebuyer Survey & Valuation

This is also known as The Homebuyer Service and is a less extensive report than the Building Survey. It is prepared on a standard format and focuses mainly on major or urgent defects which are likely to have an effect on the value of the property. Where any action should be taken before deciding to proceed with the purchase, this is clearly indicated within the report. The Homebuyer Service also provides a valuation of the property as well as a report on its condition.

This type of survey is usually carried out if the property has a conventional construction and is generally in reasonable condition.

Since the Homebuyer Survey is less extensive than a Building Survey, it is usually the more economical option. It is not suitable for commercial property.

A comparison of the main features of these two types of survey is given below:

	Homebuyer Survey	Building Survey
Type of Property	Conventional residential properties in generally reasonable condition	Any property in any condition
Service Provided	Economical service produced in a standard format	A thorough, detailed report in the surveyor's own format that can be carried out to the client's individual requirements
Objectives	To identify any major or urgent defects, to calculate a reasonable price for the property and to help the client decide whether or not to proceed	To carry out a detailed evaluation of the construction and condition of the property and to provide advice on problems and how to rectify them
Valuation	Provided as standard	Can be provided as an extra agreed before the survey