Why do I need a survey?

A building survey is almost always needed when buying a house as it helps you identify an issues that may not be immediately obvious, as well as telling you whether it is worth what you are paying for it or if you need to budget for any extra work.

Isn’t it the mortgage company’s job?

If you are getting a mortgage, your mortgage company will also ask for a valuation report, however this is not a property survey and will not necessarily find out whether your potential new home has any issues or building problems – it is simply for the bank to check that if you don’t make your mortgage payments, that they can sell the house and recover back their loan (which, remember, is less that the price you are paying because you also have to pay the deposit.)

When considering who organises a survey when buying a house, it is always safer for you to organise the survey yourselves, that way you can be sure that you are getting the full picture before committing to such a large purchase.

What does it do?

A building survey will provide a detailed report of the house, listing what is used in the construction and whether there are any structural issues that need to be looked at, alongside area information such as flood warnings or subsidence.