3 min read

Is a Structural Survey Worth the Cost?

Buying a home is an expensive process. Apart from the cost of the house itself, the average buyer will need about €6k to €10k in other costs, from Stamp Duty to Solicitor Costs, Valuer costs, Surveyor Costs, Moving Costs and more!

Most of these costs (like Stamp Duty) are unavoidable. However, in most cases, a buyer will hire a surveyor by choice. The only times a surveyor would be required is if the bank ask for a structural survey to be complete. So the question often pops up, "Is a Structural Survey worth the cost".

Depending on where you are in the country, a survey for a 3 bedroom house can cost anywhere from €500 to €1200.

Most people will say it is absolutely worth it and they wouldn't spend hundreds of thousands on a property without hiring an expert to inspect it. We would obviously agree with them and here are our Top 5 reasons why a Structural Survey is worth the cost.

Avoid Unexpected Costs!

A surveyor won't repair any issues or make them magically disappear. However, if there is a list of issues which need to be addressed, even minor issues, you will want to be aware of these before you buy. That way you can budget for the cost and not get any unexpected surprises down the road.

Likewise, larger issues like Structural cracks or issues with the roof can sometimes be difficult to identify and a lot of people can miss them during a few quick viewings. A surveyor will know what to look out for and where to look and in doing so dramatically reduce the changes of you unknowingly buying a home with structural issues and avoiding a headache down the road.

For issues with are very serious or costly which you just do not want to take on, then you will be able to pull out of the sale or try to renegotiate the sale agreed price.

Negotiating Power

When you make an offer on a house, that offer is based on what has been disclosed to you by the vendor/agent and what you have seen on your viewings. However, if issues are identified by the surveyor which were not disclosed to you before you made your offer, many people choose to try and renegotiate a lower price to account for the cost of repairing those issues.

Here is our full post on the topic: Can I reduce by offer is the surveyor identifies issues?

Legal Issues

Just like structural or conditional issues with a property, there are a number of potential legal issues which you need to look out for including boundary issues and issues related to alterations to the property (extensions, conversions, porches, etc.).

Your solicitor will be leading the way on this, but they may have queries which they want the surveyor's opinion on. Regularly, the surveyor will flag issues which the solicitor was not aware of.

Here is our full post on the topic: Most common legal issues identified during a surveyor.

Informed Decision Making

Buying a second hand home is different to buying a new build. You have no guarantees and you have no legal come if there is an issue with the property identified after you sign contracts.

Thats why in this case knowledge is power, so it's important for you to do as much due diligence as possible before you sign contracts. Every second hand property will develop issues and work overtime, but by hiring a professional to inspect the property you are dramatically reducing the chance of buying a property with existing serious issues and it enables you to move forward with a clear picture of the overall condition of the property.

Peace of Mind

So even if the property is in good condition and the surveyor only identifies a number of smaller issues, you can still have the peace of mind in knowing that you've bought a good home for you and your family and done everything within your ability to avoid and unexpected issues.