what does a building survey look at?

Question

im buying a house and worried about the brick work and structure, will a building survey tell me this

Answer 1

Basically yes. However a lot depends on what sort of survey you asked for. the free one that comes with the mortgage is VERY basic. But if you pay for one it does the check more thoroughly. On older property i would recommend the expensive survey that gives you a huge pamphlet of results but it means if you find a problem later you can go back to them and complain. The building survey is basically to tell the mortgage lender that the property is worth the money they are lending you so that they know their investment is safe. Please make sure you get a written survey for your own peace of mind.

Answer 2

There are different grades of survey. A simple Mortgage Valuation will basically look at nothing, it involves a quick walk round the house to see if it worth the asking price.
A FULL structural survey will entail most things, including the general state of the brickwork. However, it Won't cover things like the chimney being closely inspected.
You might want to have a full Damp and Timber survey done. This will include checking for a damp course, any damage made by damp and whether the timber beams of the house are structurally sound.

Answer 3

I have moved nine times. I started having surveys and then saw how many things the surveyors missed or did not move things to look at. Because they are covered against any comeback on their work. They don't do the job well enough. The only good reason might be to negotiate a better price, or a valuation for the insurance company. My advice is get a good local builder and ask him to give it the once over for £50. They know what to look for and how to put it right, but only use one that is qualified.

Answer 4

Sure, You have to employ a Quantity Surveyer or an Architect or a Civil Engineer for this job. There are consulting firms do this job too.