It's pretty common for people to purchase a house they have been living in for a number of years. Maybe it was a family home you have been living in and decided to purchase or maybe your landlord decided to sell just as you were thinking of buying a home of your own.
Either way, the question of a pre-purchase survey will come up. If you have been living in the home and know the issues, do you still need a surveyor or engineer to inspect the property?
Our very quick answer is yes, and there are several reasons why.
1: The property may have conditional or structural issues you are not aware of
Although most structural or conditional issues are visible, there are some issues which only have subtle signs which are hard to identify. For example, is that door that sticks sticking because it was just badly fitted, or is it because there are structural issues causing the foundation to sink or swell?
A Surveyor will be able to identify these issues and flag anything which is cause for concern.
2: You can become accustomed to issues you have been living with
If you have been living with a drafty room, minor damp etc. you will be used to just getting on with things and dealing with it as you go. In this case it is very easy to overlook something as trivial when in fact it may have a serious cause.
A surveyor is expert in identifying these issues and where possible will list the cause or recommend further investigation.
3: Your solicitor may have some legal questions they need a surveyor to give their opinion on
In most house purchases, your solicitor will have questions around planning permission, boundaries or building regulations that the need a surveyors opinion on. For example, is that porch original, or was it added after the property was built? Does that rear extension needed planning/retention permission or will a certificate of exemption be sufficient?
If this is the case and you choose not to have a surveyor, your solicitor will inform you that you will be proceeding with some risk they advise against.
4: Your bank require a survey
In some cases (depending on the bank), your mortgage lender will require you to provide a survey before the release the funds. This is most common when the property is over a certain age, but can also happen if the property is in an area with known issues or if the lender simply has a suspicion about the property.
A surveyor complete by a registered Building Surveyor, engineer or architectural technologist will be accepted by the lender as verification that the property is a good purchase.
If you are purchasing a house you are currently living in, it is still one of the biggest, if not the biggest purchase you will ever make. Don't take the risk and make sure you hire a good surveyor.
If you want to go with Get House Survey, just go to GetHouseSurvey.ie and click on "Get Survey Now". We've the quickest turnaround in the country and we only work with the best surveyors.
If you have any questions, just drop an email to info@gethousesurvey.ie and we'll be happy to help!