We got a full survey when we bought our house in 99; it is a 1932 red brick
semi. I had is good and bad points, guy said he didn't check the drains
because he couldn't locate a man hole; it's in the middle of the frelling
drive! When we tried to get buildings insurance a lot of companies refused
us because we live in an area with subsidence, supposedly, I live in York so
it's not like we are over an old mine or something. Anyway Tesco were the
only ones to take us on and we had to send a copy of the survey as is said
there was signs of settlement but no signs of subsidence so for a house of
this age it was normal.



From what other posters have said surveyors are in a "auto cover arse mode"
and will say things to protect themselves from legal action so like any
service you pay for, price and quality can be anything. A friend of mine
has just had a survey done on a house, a full one, very good and thorough
listing about £15K of work that will require doing in the next year. Mine
said get a new roof within the next 10 years and that was about it but on
the whole I though my surveyor poor quality for the £600 I shelled out.





Cheers

Jonathan