Indeed. I took a friend, who then worked in a museum doing restoration work, to view a listed cottage.
He walked round and said "£10,000 a room, and it will need a rethatch in ten years"
I offered the owner market price, less that, and they said that wouldn't even repay the mortgage.
I walked away.
That's the kind of thing that might be staring you in the face, but if you're not familiar with the cost of drives you might have thought 'ah but it's only a few K' and got the estimate badly wrong.
I'd want both. The surveyor to tell you stuff on site, and then to write you a report afterwards. You can then wave the report in front of the buyer and use it for negotiations. If it sounds like something you made up they might decide you're not serious or trying it on and tell you where to go, while if you have evidence they might take it more seriously.
Similarly you can take your knowledgeable pal round, but how do you know their knowledge isn't 20 years out of date, or entirely lacking in some areas. Does the average pal know about timber frames if they've always lived in brick houses? A professional at least has to keep up to date with all these things, and know what things cost.
Theo
For valuation mostly... i.e. if it goes pear shaped, will they get their money back!
And with projected 'falls' in house prices, most lenders have removed all their 5% deposit deals from sale.
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