I have just gone Sale Agreed, do I have to provide my own surveyor?
Yes. In Ireland when buying a second hand home you are buying the home as is. The vendor or estate agent are not required to disclose any defects or issues to you.
This means it is entirely your responsibility as the buyer to do your own due diligence. Part of this is hiring your own surveyor to conduct a pre purchase survey and produce a report on the condition of the property.
How much will a pre purchase survey cost?
This depends on where you are located, size of the property etc. But for a common 3 bed semi detached home of approx 110sq m, prices range from €500 + VAT to €1200 + VAT. With the average being around €650 + VAT.
Are all pre purchase surveys the same?
No. There is a very wide range in the level of detail in a survey and what is included/checked. Before booking you should request a sample survey and a list of what is included.
Who can conduct a pre purchase survey?
A "Surveyor" is a role that can be carried out by multiple professions once they have the correct education, experience and credentials. These are Building Surveyors, Engineers, Architects and Architectural Technologists.
It is also vital that the person you hire has specific experience carrying our pre purchase surveys on residential properties. For example, you can have an Engineer who is technically qualified, but has not carried out a residential survey since their training.
What should I look for when hiring a surveyor?
1) Registered Professional
They should be a Building Surveyor (registered with SCSI), an Engineer (registered with Engineers Ireland) an Architect (registered with RIAI) or an Architectural Technologist (registered with RIAI).
This is vital so that their opinions and reprt can be accepted by your solicitor and bank (if they bank request a survey).
2) Insured
They should hold Prefessional Indeminty Insurance with a minimum cover of €1m.
3) Sample Survey
They should be willing to share a Sample Survey and a list of everything included so you can see the level of detail they will go into and if there are any additional costs.
If a surveyor is not willing to share a Sample Survey, this should be considered a major red flag. A surveyor who produced a high standard of survey would have no issue showing their work.
4) Reviews
They are either well reviewed online or you have received a personal recommendation from a friend, family member or colleage who has used them.
Google Reviews will give you good insight into how they operation and deal with customers.
Booking your Survey with GetHouseSurvey.ie
At GetHouseSurvey.ie we specialise in conducting pre purchase surveys for buyers. We meet every standard listed above and our surveys are some of the most detailed in the industry.
To book your survey now, simply:
1) Pop over to GetHouseSurvey.ie
2) Scroll down and select the property type (house, apartment, duplex)
3) Complete the booking form
If you have any questions, give us a call on 015392688, email info@gethousesurvey.ie or Whatsapp 0870322230
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