Which Property Survey Should I Get?

A survey seems to be one of those things that can really unnerve people but there’s nothing to fear. It is important to understand what each survey involves before deciding which ones suits you best.

There are 3 types of survey

Valuation Survey

This involves a surveyor looking round the property on the lenders behalf to spot anything which might affect the security of the mortgage lenders loan. That’s the key point. It’s a mortgage requirement to have one of these but it is the buyer who pays for it. This report doesn’t detail anything about the structure of the property.

Home Buyers Report

This report involves a more thorough look around as well as valuing the property for the open market. It’ll focus on urgent matters that need attending to like damp or damaged timbers. It will recommend specialists further reports if required. A Scottish homeowner is required to be in possession of a home report before they place their property onto the open market, so it is paid for by the seller.

Full Structural Survey

Also known as the building survey. This is a very comprehensive inspection of all accessible parts of a property and you can tailor it to your needs and what you want to find out. So, if there is a particular concern you have with a property you can ask the surveyor to pay attention to these and report to you formally. Building survey reports are extremely detailed and will provide suggested repairs and estimates on cost.

Once you receive your report, if there anything that worries you, give your surveyor a call and ask them to talk you through what they’ve found.

If the report highlights essential repairs, get a recommended builder round to take a look and give some comparison quotes.

If there are significant works needing carried out, try to negotiate these against the property price.

If you are thinking of selling a property, you’ll need a Home Report. Get in touch to arrange an appointment by calling us on 0131 608 0175 or email info@homereportcompany.co.uk. We are regulated by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), Home Report Company specialises in providing Home Reports, Energy Performance Certificates and Property Surveys.