Well, there are multiple reasons why you should consider getting a survey, but here's what we think is the top five:

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1) A mortgage valuation does not benefit the homebuyer.

A mortgage valuation just assesses whether or not the property is a good investment for your lender. After all, they’re giving you the money to buy it. They will conduct a basic assessment of the property, but this will be limited. Most of the time this will include a quick review of the age, location and building materials.

Whereas an independent surveyor will be acting in the interests of the homebuyer and will confirm and identify defects which could have significant cost implications, which would not be picked up in a valuation survey by the mortgage lender. An independent survey would also identify potential movement in the structure, long term issues of certain building techniques or other items including potential planning permission implications, non-compliance with Building Regulations, boundary issues or non-confirming structures.

2) Purchasing a property is the most expensive investment the average person will ever make.

With this in mind it’s imperative that a level of due diligence should be completed on the asset you plan on purchasing.  

Typically, when purchasing a property, you may spend 15-20minutes viewing the property. This is far too short to fully understand and inspect the property. Or inspect other hidden sections of the property i.e.basement, roof spaces, drainage etc.

To express our concerns in a monetary value, if the roof space wasn’t inspected, and a leak was identified around the chimney, or a woodworm infestation was found, this could have a minimum financial impact of circa £2,000 – £3,000.  

3) An impartial view and expert advice.

A Level 1, 2 and 3 survey is a marvellous opportunity to receive impartial advice from an experienced and qualified professional. When instructing a registered RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) firm and RICS chartered Building Surveyor, you are safe in the knowledge that the surveyor has received extensive, education, ongoing training, and assessment.Additionally, the surveyor and firm will be sure to comply to current working standards and practices, be adequately insured, and comply with industry regulations.

They will bring a wealth of experience to the table, utilising their specialist and local knowledge of building/construction techniques, ground conditions and inherent common defects systematic to certain types of property. That way, you have the best possible information available to inform your decision-making on whether and how to progress with the transaction.  

4) Identifies large costly defects

Yes, some defects will be obvious to the untrained eye.However, not all defects will be immediately apparent on a short viewing of the property. Some of the most expensive defects a surveyor can help you spot and advise on the cost of rectifying include:

Damp: This can be via a combination of routes including condensation, direct water penetration (i.e. roof leaks), service leaks or through rising damp. Rising damp is one of the most destructive and costly damp issues to rectify, with repairs ranging from £500 - £5,000 or more depending on the extent of the issue.

Subsidence: Is a structural problem caused by the foundations of a house sinking into the subsoil. This can be caused by water leaks, drought, tree roots, mining, and other causes. This can cause cracks in the walls, put doors and windows out of alignment, and ultimately compromise the structural integrity of the building. Although it sounds fairly dangerous, subsidence can be fixed through underpinning, however, this can be very expensive.

Asbestos: This is a harmful material which was commonly used in properties throughout the 20th century due to its good fire protection properties. Identifying asbestos requires a trained eye and sound building pathology knowledge. Its removal requires specialist contractors and can be pricey.  

Beetle infestation: The tell–tale sign is small, rounded holes on the surface of wood, although if beetle infestation/woodworm affects a structure that’s out of sight, the problem might not be obvious.  Removal and treatment of woodworm is often achieved by spraying timbers with an insecticide. This repair can be disruptive to occupants of the property and will incur a large expense.  

5) Piece of mind.

A professional assessment of the property with a trained eye will give the buyer an accurate understanding of the full condition of the property and an educated estimate at the cost of any repairs and future maintenance.

This will provide the buyer with piece of mind and the opportunity to renegotiate on price for potential repairs required. This will still allow the deal to proceed, and the buyer isn’t left overpaying for an asset with unexpected costly repairs. Alternatively, a surveyor may identify the condition of elements of the structure which have a limited lifespan remaining i.e. pitched or flat roof coverings, windows etc. By ascertaining this information at an early stage this will allow buyers on a restricted budget to forecast and budget for future repairs to the property they are purchasing.

In summary, there are multiple other reasons to instruct a surveyor in addition to the above 5 reasons. Survey Network Ltd have extensively trained and chartered Building Surveyors who would be able to assist in the pre-acquisition of your new home and could save you thousands of pounds in unexpected repairs. Furthermore, a survey completed by Survey NetworkLtd will provide you piece of mind and a full cohesive understanding of the property you are purchasing.

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If you have any questions or would like to book a pre-acquisition survey for your property, get in touch here.

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