When buying a new home, it can be tempting to cut costs in any way you can. This is understandable as a home is likely to be the single largest purchase you will ever make and the costs associated with buying a new home are very expensive too, however, there is one thing you should never cut back on and that is a home buyers survey.
Valuations and Surveys
One of the main reasons why a lot of home buyers think that they can go without a home buyers survey is because they have had a mortgage valuation. They often believe that this is good enough to see them through. However, a mortgage valuation has absolutely no bearing on the structural integrity of the house or whether the house has any major underlying problems. The ‘Mortgage Valuer’ will not look closely at the structural integrity of the building but will just have a rather general viewing of the house, so things can easily be missed.
However, a home buyers survey is much more comprehensive and will allow new home buyers to find out just how sound their building really is. A good home buyers survey will leave no stone unturned, so any problems are sure to be uncovered.
Repairs
If you fail to have a home buyers survey done before moving forward on the sale of a property, then you could find yourself lumbered with costly repairs when you move in to your new home. It is estimated that the average cost of repairs for those who neglect to have a home buyers survey is a whopping £1,900 and when you compare this to the low cost of a home buyers survey, you can see why it makes much more sense to have the survey carried out than it does to risk buying a home which is in dire need of repairs.
Once you have agreed to the sale of a home, you are responsible for all of the repairs within the house, so if you do not have a home buyers survey and then discover problems, there is nothing you can do but pay for them from your own pocket – there is no liability on the part of the sellers, so the responsible thing to do is always to have a home buyers survey done.