At Follwells we understand that buying a house is an exhilarating time, but it’s essential that you have a comprehensive report on the condition of your potential home.
Most lenders will send someone to ‘have a look’ at a property but read more to see why that report might not be enough!
You can trust our ‘hands on’ local Surveyor to ensure your Home Sweet Home doesn’t turn out to be a House of Horrors.
A Valuation is NOT a Survey
Newcastle based local Surveyor Tom Follwell explains if you’re buying a house why you need a Survey:
If you’re having a mortgage, then the lender will probably have sent a valuer to inspect the property. However, you should know that this is a very limited inspection to help the mortgage provider confirm they are willing to lend on the property. Remember it’s a Valuation NOT a Survey.
In a RICS Home Survey, a RICS professional conducts an in-depth visual inspection of the property. The report provides an expert account of the property’s condition and highlights any problems in clear and easy to understand ‘traffic light’ ratings. The RICS HomeBuyer Report is ideal for the majority of conventional properties and ensures you know exactly what you are buying without any nasty surprises; it will
• Describe the construction and condition of the property on the date of the inspection
• Identify any problems that need urgent attention or are serious
• Identify things that need to be investigated further to prevent serious damage
• Tell you about problems that may be dangerous
• Show up potential issues and defects, before you buy
• Help you decide whether you need extra advice before committing to purchase
• Enable you to budget for any repairs or restoration
• Advise you on the amount of ongoing maintenance required in the future
• Provide a reinstatement cost to help you avoid under or over insuring
• Provide a market valuation to be sure you’re paying the right price
Don’t be daunted by a survey report, it is written in plain English and if there is anything you don’t understand or need clarifying, pick up the phone and speak to your Surveyor.
Things you may not have considered or want more information on may include Red Ash, Damp, Structural Movement, Building Regulations, Mining Reports.
