Cost of Full Structural Survey
Are Structural Surveys Worth the Extra Expense?
When buying a new property, it is always recommended by the experts that you have a building survey carried out on the property before you finalise the buying process and become the new owner. In many cases, the survey might be required by your mortgage lender, and its purpose is to ensure that you are fully informed regarding anything that you might need to know about the home before you buy it, including any potential defects or issues that might not have been immediately obvious during the viewing.
There are three main types of survey to choose from, including the condition report, which is generally recommended for fairly new and modern properties, since it is a basic type of survey that will rate each area of the property on its condition using a traffic light system. The homebuyer’s report is the most commonly chosen survey for average properties in reasonable condition and of average age. On the other hand, if you are buying an older or unusual house, a property with obvious defects, or want to carry out significant renovation work in the future, a structural survey might be the ideal choice for you. But as the most expensive type of survey on offer, is it worth the additional cost?
Is the Cost of a Full Structural Survey Worth It?
Despite being the most expensive type of survey, the full structural survey can often also be the most cost-effective choice depending on the type of property that you are planning to buy. While it might not be worth paying for if you want to buy a new-build or a fairly modern property that is in good condition, it can certainly save you a lot of money in the future if you are looking at buying an older house that is likely to have more hidden issues compared to a newer property.
Compared to the other survey types, the structural survey is more invasive and will require that the surveyor is provided with access to areas such as underneath the floorboards, in the loft or attic, and behind the furniture to ensure that they are able to gather as much information as possible about the property to provide you with before you buy it. The report may also include details of the estimated cost for conducting the repairs, which can help you make a more informed decision or negotiate a lower asking price for the property.
When is a Full Structural Survey Recommended?
A full structural survey can be carried out on any property, but it is particularly recommended for older homes, properties with obvious defects and higher-risk properties, such as those that are constructed with unusual materials or an unusual layout. Since the full structural survey will often bring up more information on the home compared to a homebuyer’s report, they are usually recommended to anybody who is looking to purchase a property that they want to conduct significant renovation work on in the future, to ensure that the house is suitable for the work planned.
How Much Do Structural Surveys Cost?
The cost of your structural survey will depend on a number of factors including the prices set by the surveyor that you work with, the size of the home that you want to purchase, and any obvious defects. In short, the bigger the home and the longer it will take for the surveyor to inspect it thoroughly while carrying out the survey, the more you can expect to pay. On average, the price for a structural survey on a home of average size and value is around £900-£1100.
How Much Does a Full Structural Survey Cost on an Older House?
The age of the house will often determine how many defects it has. Since older homes are more likely to have issues compared to newer homes, the cost of your structural survey might rise depending on the age of the home. In general, an older home that has a lot of defects to look for during the inspection will likely take longer to survey and may therefore cost you more. However, it’s worth bearing in mind that this is not a hard and fast rule and is certainly not always the case, particularly where the house has been well looked-after over time and kept in good condition.
How Much is a Structural Survey for a Large House?
The larger the house, the longer it will take for the surveyor to conduct and complete the inspection -so the more you can expect to pay. If you are looking at buying a very large house, it’s worth getting a few different quotes from surveyors to get a general idea of how much the survey might set you back. Bear in mind that there might be other factors that will go into determining the price of the structural survey on the property including the age and any defects that are present, the layout of the home, and ease of access.
How Much is a Full Structural Survey on a House I Plan to Renovate?
If you are planning to renovate the home that you want to buy in the future, a full structural survey is usually recommended regardless of the age or obvious condition of the property. This is because there may be issues and defects that might not become a problem to you while simply living in the property; however, once you begin to carry out renovation work, they might affect you and cause a problem. The full structural survey is especially recommended for older homes that you want to conduct renovation work on since the inspection will look for the presence of materials such as asbestos that could become a major health hazard while working on the property.
In addition, it will also look at the condition of key features like the supporting walls to ensure that the property will be safe to work on and there is no risk of structural damage. Having this survey carried out can help you make the right decisions in the future when it comes to renovation work and ensure that you are going into the project fully prepared. How much you can expect to pay for a structural survey on a home that you plan to renovate will once again depend on many factors including the size, condition, and age of the property.
What is Covered by a Structural Survey?
When performing a full structural survey on a property, the surveyor will look at several different factors. This includes the overall design and construction of the property along with an active search for issues and defects that could be present with the house. This includes whether there have been any alterations or damage to the supporting walls, any damage to or removal of lintels, issues with damp and mould, dry rot and subsidence, and any building work that may have been carried out without gaining the necessary planning permission. The surveyor will also look for any potentially hazardous areas of the property such as the presence of dangerous materials like asbestos. They will carry out an inspection of all the woodwork in the home and inspect the structure and integrity of the roof. They also look at the electrical, plumbing, and heating systems in the home to look for any signs of damage or danger. Finally, they take note of any potential party wall or boundary line problems that might arise for you in the future if you are planning to carry out work on the property. Because of the in-depth nature of this survey, you will need to ensure that the surveyor is granted access to all areas of the property including underneath the floorboards, in the loft or attic space, and behind the furniture.
What are the Benefits of Getting a Structural Survey?
When it comes to the scope of factors that they look at and issues that they find when you are in the process of your home, the other survey options are quite basic compared to the full structural survey. If you are purchasing a property that is likely to be a higher risk, such as an older house or a home with an unusual layout, design or construction materials, a structural survey is more likely to pick up on problems that might be missed on a homebuyer’s report or condition report. In addition, if you want to perform serious renovation work on the property in the future, the structural survey gives you the chance to determine how safe the planned work is going to be for the property and yourself, allowing you to make any necessary preparations before you start. Working with a surveyor for a structural survey allows you to ensure that you are making an informed decision regarding the purchase of the home and may provide you with information that you can use to negotiate a lower asking price with the seller.
While these surveys tend to be at the higher end of the price scale compared to the other options, there are many situations where paying the extra cost for a full structural survey will be worth it.