Who Do I Need - Builder or Surveyor??

[SuzySue]

There's a terraced house for sale which has obvious damp and needs work done to it. I'm not sure who I need to come out and have a look at the place before I buy.

As I mentioned, the house requires obvious work so it's probably not worth paying someone to write up a homebuyers report informing me the house has damp, requires central heating, requires re-wiring, requires plumbing etc as I'm aware it needs this work.

The house has *no* obvious structural problems, at least there's no obvious cracks anywhere. Basically I need to know is the house structurally ok, and a vague indication as to what it's going to cost to repair. In order to know whether it's worth buying at the current price.

So, who should I be getting out? A general builder, a damp specialist, a surveyor?

[take away nojunk]

Probably all 3, how much are you prepared to pay for the house, could be a small investment now will pay dividends later, Tel

[dg]

A building surveyor should give a comprehensive opinion on the whole property.

A builder may be less able to comment on all parts of the property, and more interested in getting any contracts for remedial work.

A damp specialist is just that - only able to comment on damp related issues

The above assumes that each one knows their stuff!

dg

[Richard Faulkner]

In message , SuzySue writes

If I am thinking of buying a house needing a refurb. I have a structural engineers report, and a timber and damp inspection from a BWPDA member, which I pay for.

If it is a major project, where I cant make head or tale of it, I get a building survey by a Chartered Surveyor, or a Building Surveyor, (often the same person).

the rest of it is generally fairly obvious, (to me ).

If I need a mortgage, I have the cheapest valuation.

[N. Thornton]

I wouldnt be that optimistic.

I'd avoid many of those, having had one or two look at things in the past. Neither of them knew what they were doing.

If you want a survey telling you about structural problems, I guess so. But not a homebuyers valuation survey, you'd either need something more serious than that, or to learn to survey it yourself.

Theres a good uk.d-i-y thread stored at google groups covering what to look for when buying a house, its very thorough.

Regards, NT

[Michael McNeil]

I agree with you. However I'd get the surveyor to do a legal whatsit so any whajermacallit is his fault.

Then decide if you want to persue it. If so, post the results on here. Then get a builder for a quote.

[Peter Taylor]

Michael McNeil wrote

Well, this is a pretty mean sort of attitude. You'd get the builder and damp man along, whose only incentives are to try to get money out of you by making things look worse than they really are, and you'd probably believe them. But with the Surveyor, who is on YOUR side, you'd probably rubbish everything he says and be ready and waiting to sue him if he misses anything!

It's litigious people like you who ruin things for everyone. My insurers don't cover me any longer for doing "a quick once-over check" for people (which is so useful, especially before an auction), even though nobody has ever claimed against me. It is up to you to find a Surveyor who knows what he is talking about and gives you correct advice you can trust - there are plenty of them about.

Peter