House structural survey

[housemover]

We are having to have a full structural survey on our home due to someone else in the area having suffered subsidence. Can anyone tell me in brief what else they look for and approx how long it takes? Thanks

[n00dles]

Hi housemover

Depends a lot on size and situation of said building. Some will take 2 hrs or so to cover all necessary points in a structural survey. Access can sometimes delay the surveyor from studying all in the remit. It is not just the outside that they are checking. They have to view internally in order to see if there has been any structural changes made (however long ago). Some will use ladders, others binocculars(!) in order to see the state of the roof and chimneys (if present). The paperwork they you receive from the surveyors is usually quite a number of pages, covering all aspects of their 'search'. cont./

[n00dles]

*that* not they.....

You might be aware that all is not as black as it appears to be painted in a survey report! Surveyors have to show caution on their findings, so as not to be (dare I say it on here) sued for not pointing out something which 'comes to light' after the purchase goes ahead. If I was to take on board/except all that our survey revealed, I don't think we would have proceeded with the purchase. Of course, the surveyor has to be honest in what he sees, he is working (or should be) for you and your interest alone, not the vendor. He will not be swayed by anything the vendor might suggest or mention to him which reflects on the saleability of the property. He might mentally note all this, but his findings are what he will relay to you. Don't be put off by all that the report says: it has to be critical, and quite often there are ifs and maybe's.

I might be wrong about the time scale, because ours is a very large and old property - not to mention the p**t who lived here and gave the surveyor grief the whole time!

This building had subsidence, some time back but had the necessary ********sorry my mind has gone blank doh! to the term for correcting the problem. Subsidence can make a difference with insurance, as the companies are very wary of it, even as in our case.

Hope this helps xXx

[n00dles]

Sorry housemover,

Have just re-read your Q and maybe I was swayed with your username, perhaps your not moving - or worse still - your the vendor!! Oops ☺

[housemover]

No, thats great, thanks for your help. Do they go to the lengths of searching through drains and undr your carpets etc etc?

[n00dles]

If they find it necessary to look under the carpet, then they can only hope that the tenant will allow them (it cannot be presumed that they have that right). In lots of cases this is not possible because of moving furniture etc. In our case the surveyor states "Where the corners of the fitted carpets/floor coverings could be pulled back elsewhere no obvious defects of a serious nature could be seen to the surface of floor boarding so exposed."
"However no comments can be passed regarding the construction, adequacy or present condition of concealed floor boarding, joists, plates etc - further investigation including extensive opening up would be necessary in order to pass meaningful comments regarding same."

Usually, the breakdown of all that he surveys is given, with comments, and then *alerts as to what should (if necessary) be dealt with immediately or in the near future. So it will give you the bottom line on the most important facts and figures to consider.

Yes the rainwater goods (their term) are inspected as well....No stone unturned!!

There is quite a few "mights" in the journal, because where he was unable to examine certain areas, he had to make an assumption based on the age of the property.

So don't go thinking that he is going to decimate your house in order to look for defects, he will respect your presence/wellbeing/rights!

[n00dles]

Hey, you asked for this in brief - hate to see what would have been the long version.............................

[buildersmate]

Surveyor ought to look inside any accessible manholes on the site. On rare occasions they might push a camera up the drains from a manhole - but only if a problem is suspected.

[n00dles]

"No stone unturned"

[housemover]

Thanks very much for all that......