What is the purpose of a house survey?

In Ireland, a pre-purchase house survey is designed to give you a professional opinion on the overall condition of the property so that you can make an informed decision on whether or not to proceed with the purchase and sign contracts.

What do I do with my survey once I receive it?

When you receive your survey, you should share it with your legal advisor as there will be elements in it that they need to be able to fully advise you. Then spend some time reading through the report and take particular note of any condition rating 3s on the report as they are issues that require immediate attention. When you have read the report, you should have a good understanding of the condition of the property and any potential issues you need to be aware of. This should give you enough information to make a decision on either proceeding with the purchase, pulling out of the sale or renegotiating based on any

What does a house survey include?

Q: What does a house survey include?

When you purchase a survey, you are paying for a professional surveyor to visit the property, inspect it and then produce a written report. The written survey will include: A summary of the property, including the overall condition, opinion on suitability to purchase, approximate year of construction, a reinstatement value (cost to rebuild), approx year of any extensions or conversions, number of rooms, comments on energy efficiency/insulation levels, heating type (gas, oil, heat pump, electricity, solar, etc.), description of water services (mains, well, septic tank etc.), comments on the location, gardens, and any environmental concerns. As part of this, the surveyor will also include any structural issues which could be identified during their inspection and any other issues caused by poor maintenance or general wear and tear of the property. Another important element of the report is where the surveyor will flag any notes which your solicitor should be aware of, these include: Any alterations to the property and if they need a planning compliance or planning exemption certificate. Any issues with the boundaries where a boundary is not clearly marked or if there are any potential encroachment issues. If any of the services (septic tank, well, oil tank etc.) are not located within the boundaries.