On Dec 13, 11:03 am, "Duncan Di Saudelli" wrote:
Hello

We're buying a detached house, built in the 1960-69 period. It's standard
construction as far as I can see (bricks, don't know about cavity wall,
tiled roof)and is on an established housing estate. There's been an
extension built at some stage, ading an upstairs bedroom and a downstairs
dining room. The extension seems well-done to me, and there are no obvious
signs of cracks in the brickwork etc. but note that I know almost nothing
about building houses or extensions.

I suspect that a standard "homebuyer's survey" would have sufficed but I
decided to be extra sure, hence going the extra 250 quid for the building
survey. Apart from asking the surveyor to pay particular attention to the
electrical wiring and the flat roof that makes up the attached garage and
utility room area, what other things might you suggest that I ask the
surveyor to highlight? I have only ever had a homebuyer's survey done
before, so I don't know how much extra detail I should expect for my outlay
or what I should be entitled to ask for specifically.

TIA for opinions based on your experiences

DDS

IMHE not worth bothering with the extra - they don't move anything to
get a proper look and will almost always "recommend" you get a sparks
in to check the wiring, a roofer to check the roof etc if there's any
wiff of a problem.

What they do say is usually obvious even to the average person, they
ask more questions than they answer, use lots of weaselly words that
leave you unable to sue them when they say things that turn out to be
wrong.

Seriously I'd just pay the smallest survey fee you can i.e. to get the
mortgage - anything extra is just lining some "professional"'s pocket.

Ask lots of questions on here if you are worried about anything you've
seen in the house - you'll learn what you need to do.

JimK