With surveys playing an important part in the house-buying process, it’s important to understand what surveyors look for and what they don’t. No one likes a nasty surprise, particularly not when it’s a necessary and expensive home improvement.

In this blog, we share our understanding of what surveyors look for, as well as how to read your survey report and what to do if a fault with the property is overlooked.

What do surveyors look for?

Surveyors look for issues relating to the structure, safety and environment of the property you are hoping to buy. 

They inspect the structure of the property, including walls, ceilings, the roof as it appears from the ground, windows, doors and outbuildings. highlighting areas that are either already unsound or unsafe or may become so in the future.  

Surveyors also look at environmental factors, like whether the property is on a flood plain or the impact of nearby trees. 

Drains will be looked at, but only if they’re easily accessible and visible. 

If you are hoping to buy an old, listed or greatly altered building, it’s a good idea to choose the most detailed type of survey (RICS Level 3). However, a good surveyor will be able to tell you the best option for your property. 

It’s important to note that drains and electrics are not tested, but you can arrange to have these surveyed separately if you think there is likely to be a problem. For example, if you’re buying a house in an isolated area, or which has been empty for a long time, it might not be connected to the National Grid or might have its own arrangement with the water company. In this case, you might feel more comfortable knowing that its utility connections have been checked. 

Understanding the survey report

Of course, most surveyors are good at their jobs and will give you a report that is both accurate and useful. A good surveyor will discuss his or her findings with you and make sure you understand the recommendations in the report. 

However, you should take into account weather conditions, e.g. if the house was surveyed during the summer and damp doesn’t appear until winter, the surveyor could not possibly have found it.  

It’s also important to take on board phrases like, “may require investment in the future.” You might be able to use this to negotiate a lower price for the property. 

Surveyors only inspect accessible areas

An important matter to note is that surveyors only inspect areas of the property that are accessible, e.g. they will inspect a loft space that has a pull-down ladder, but not one where complicated gymnastics are involved! 

Similarly, if outbuildings (e.g. garages, garden rooms, workshops) form part of the property, the surveyor should inspect them. However, if these outbuildings are, say, tumbledown sheds covered with brambles, they are unlikely to be included in the survey. 

For this reason, you might find you have no means of redress if a serious issue appears in an area that the surveyor couldn’t reasonably access. 

What to do if your surveyor misses something

If you find the property has a problem that the surveyor really should have picked up, you can complain. Either complain to the firm of surveyors or to the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

Buy and sell property in Guildford with Cobbles

If you’re buying or selling property in Guildford, we hope you’ll consider Cobbles. As local estate agents, we have a network of surveyors, conveyancers and other professionals who can help with the property buying process. Explore our site to find out more, or get in touch today on 01483 457 000.