A home survey is essential when buying a home – however great it looks! This shouldn’t be confused with a ‘mortgage valuation survey’ which does not cover a purchaser for problems in a second-hand home.

Why is a survey necessary?

A home survey is conducted by a chartered surveyor to identify potential problems or defects in the property you are buying. This will help you to understand any significant costs may will arise when correcting these problems. It is not a legal requirement and you can buy a property without seeing a home survey. But this is not advisable as you risk paying too much for a property with significant problems.

It’s important to send a copy of your survey to your legal representative to check whether additional paperwork is required or further legal work following the surveyor’s report. For example, building regulations certificates for works carried out or planning permission for an extension.

Which survey?

If the home you are buying was built after 1945 and is of a standard construction then you could opt for a Homebuyer’s Survey. If the property was built pre-war or is of non standard construction you should have a full Building Survey.

Homebuyer vs Building survey - What’s the difference? >

New-build properties

NHBC warranties provided on new-build homes do not ensure that all potential problems will be sorted out.  If you are buying a new-build, exchange contracts subject to a ‘snagging’ survey which is a specialist survey for new-build properties, completed by a chartered surveyor.

Find out more about buying:

Get home survey quotes online >

What’s the difference between the different types of home survey >