Our home survey said: it’s worth getting one!

You've decided to buy your next home. You've done all your homework on the area you want to move to and considered the types of property that might be available for your budget. You've whittled down the number of options that the local estate agent has sent to you to a shortlist of possibles. And you've included a couple of possibilities that offer a lot of what you want of your priority list, but it seems quite cheap.

Is there an obvious reason for that? Or, despite the pictures in the estate agent's particulars that show it off to its best advantage, other than needing a bit of attention here and there, is there something that will be quite expensive to rectify that you only discover once you've completed on the home and moved in?

Quite often, because the whole business of buying a new home is stressful and expensive, buyers will always be looking for ways to cut costs. There are some things that are a necessity - the transfer of ownership of the property, for instance - and some things that are not only necessary but also a financial drain - for example, the payment of the stamp duty if the property's price is over the specified thresholds.

But getting a survey that looks at the structure of the building is often low down on many buyers' lists and, when money is tight, is likely to be one of the first casualties, particularly since it's not a legal requirement to get one done. However, this should be reconsidered before that decision is made because it may cost you dear in the long run.

Not only does a survey give you a clear idea of the problems that might exist within your home, it will also give you some direction on the action you will need to take to remedy the issues, particular if they are at a critical point. 

The information you receive from a qualified chartered surveyor will give you the information you need to understand whether it's worth continuing with the purchase or not. It will also provide the necessary details for you to enter into a discussion with the property's seller in any renegotiations on the agreed price or the agreements on meeting the bill for any serious problems identified.

You don't need to worry about not understanding some of the information the report that's provided, because, if you choose to go with Surveyor Local, your surveyor will be happy to talk you through any of the points raised in their investigation of the property.

The report is presented in an easy-to-read traffic light system:

• Green - no problems identified, or the inspected areas are in sufficiently good order
• Amber - problem identified, and although it doesn't require immediate resolution, remedial work will be required soon.
• Red - work to rectify the problem needs to be carried out immediately

The chartered surveyor will also provide an assessment of the type of work to be done and the likely cost so that you are in a better position to make decisions on the next steps.

And that property that looks ideal but is surely too good to be believed for its asking price? In addition to assessing the state of the building's structure, its building materials and highlighting the level of problems found in the survey, your chartered surveyor will also provide a valuation as part of the report.

You'll have all the information about the property that you need to make an informed decision regarding our next steps.

Are you thinking of buying a new home? Are you thinking of forgoing spending money on a survey, but worried about what you might find once you move in?

At Surveyor Local, we only work with chartered surveyors who are members of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, ensuring the survey you get is always professionally delivered.

They will work hard to identify all kinds of problems, including the impact of plants like Japanese knotweed, and their possible causes, as well as providing guidance of possible remedial action.

Where a survey does reveal any issues with a property, the buyer is then armed with knowledge that can allow them either to renegotiate the price, have the seller carry out the repairs or pull out of the purchase altogether.

That's where it is really worth contacting Surveyor Local! 

Call  to get your no-obligation survey quote started, or to discuss your concerns with the acquisition of your planned property.

Or you can get a quick quote, using Surveyor Local's easy-to-use quote generator. Simply input your name, postcode, email address, phone number and an approximate value of the property (usually the agreed price), and we'll give you an instant quote for the work (with an email copy). 

We'll do the rest once you confirm your acceptance of the quote.