Thank you, for clicking on today’s Property Surveying blogpost. Today, we are going to be looking at prepurchase surveys and in particular the most comprehensive prepurchase survey that can be undertaken, a full Building Survey.
The RICS classifies a full Building Survey as a Level Three survey, which is the most comprehensive prepurchase inspection that a RICS surveyor can undertake.
Prepurchase surveys are all-important as they will give the purchaser the opportunity to fully understand from an experienced and qualified RICS Building Surveyor’s perspective exactly what they are buying into.
While properties, in many cases, may appear to be in good order on face value, it is not uncommon for there to be hidden defects lurking within.
The aim of a prepurchase surveyor’s inspection and report will be to not only identify these defects, but also advise the purchaser/their client of them, so that they can make a fully-informed purchase decision.
A full Building Survey will see the surveyor inspect both internally and externally, going from wall-to-wall, and room-to-room, to ensure that they are fully-abreast of the condition of the property, noting any issues that they find, as these can have a significant financial impact on the buyer once they exchange and complete on a property.
Here at Stokemont, we are often asked about the need for a prepurchase survey. It is important to note that while the bank or mortgage lender will undertake their own assessment and valuation, this is nothing more than a very basic visual inspection. In some cases, being classified as a drive-by valuation.
A drive-by valuation is very much the surveyor simply visiting the external parts of the property, and then preparing a valuation based off that.
The banks or mortgage lender’s concern, is to ensure that their finances are protected, so while they will be concerned about the overall price point of the property, they are not going to be looking for, or concerning themselves with the condition or defects that make up the property.
Typical Building Survey Defects
We are now going to look at some of the typical Building Survey defects that we commonly find during and throughout our prepurchase surveys, both RICS Homebuyer Reports (Level Two), and full Building Surveys (Level 3 surveys).
Damp
Damp is by far one of the most typical issues that we find.
A surveyor’s go-to tool to locate damp will be a damp meter. While a damp meter is calibrated for timber or wood, it is generally speaking the industry-accepted standard to locate damp that rests within walls, floors or ceilings.
The damp meter works by two electrodes being placed into the surface being tested. These electrodes will then confirm the moisture humidity, using a simple traffic light scale, thereby informing the user and surveyor of exactly what type of damp issue exists within the property.
Damp tests are usually taken to the perimeter of the property, both internally and will often include internal partition walls.
On a scale of 1-10, one being in good order and 10 being in bad order, generally speaking, damp is found nearer towards the No 10 on the scale.
Structural Issue
Another typical defect that our surveyors here at Stokemont see on a daily basis is structural issue.
With the vast majority of properties within England and Wales being made up of solid construction brickwork, noting this was a typical and common form of construction during the turn of the century, structural movement or historic issue is usually an easy one to spot.
It is easy to see movement in the mortar joints, historic making good, or cracks running through the brick faces themselves.
While the property construction processes were well-meant in the turn of the century, hindsight and better construction understanding now confirms that they were ill-conceived.
This is mainly because the majority of properties built around that time will be supported by corbel footings.
Corbel footings are effectively an assemblage of bricks beneath the ground, which act as the property foundation.
These are susceptible to movement, especially when there are underlying issues or factors to the perimeter of them such as trees, drains, differences in land heights or busy roads, railways or motorways.
All of these issues will lend themselves towards movement and structural damage.
Pests
Another very typical issue that our surveyors see on a daily basis is pests.
Pests are far and wide and can be as severe as timber pests, however, equally can be as minimal as wasps.
If indeed, the surveyor locates signs of wood infestation and timber pests, the first logical point will be to determine if their infestation is live or historic.
The reality of this is the only way the surveyor will be able to determine this, is by locating frass, which is indicative of an active and ongoing infestation.
One of the main issues with this, is that a seller can very easily obscure frass, knowingly or otherwise, simply by keeping the property in a good state of repair and well-cleaned.
Equally, if it is an issue such as wasps, it is a relatively easy fix and resolution. All that needs to be done is a considered and planned approach to the pest control.
Full Building Surveys are an invaluable part of the prepurchase process. Ultimately the investment that is being made into the property is likely going to be substantial.
Buyers will want to be rightfully reassured that they are purchasing a property that is not only at the right price, but free from defect.
The last thing any purchaser wants to do is purchase into a property, to then have to invest significant sums of money in bringing it back to the condition that they thought it was when they bought it.
Here at Stokemont, it is not uncommon for us to locate issues that both buyer and seller are unaware of.
If indeed, you find yourself in receipt of a report of this nature, first and foremost we would advise that you open discussions with the seller and agent.
Ultimately, the agent is going to want to ensure the sale progresses, so that they can achieve their all-important commission.
However, equally if the seller plays hard-ball or does not engage in discussions in respect of price reduction, it is only a matter of time before a new surveyor visits for a new buyer, likely noting the same issues.
This will not only mean that they have an extended lengthy period of void while the property is re-marketed and new offers are entertained, but equally means that they are only going to be back to the same point in a few months.
Building surveying is at the core of all of the services we do here at Stokemont. We are very proud to be building surveyors by training and profession.
If you would like to discuss your prepurchase surveying requirements, and in particular full Building Surveys, please feel free to give us a call today, and we will be more than happy to assist and advise you.
You can also pop us an email, confirming the location and agreed price of the property, and we will then be able to provide you a fixed-cost quotation and some timings in respect of the inspection and report turnaround.
If you would like to discuss Party Wall Surveying procedures with us, and hear a little bit more about the roles that Party Wall Surveyors play in respect of the proposed works, give us a call now and we will be more than happy to assist you.
