Do I need a house survey when buying a home?
In this guide
Do I need a survey?
Getting a survey done isn’t compulsory. But it can give you some peace of mind in your investment.
Surveys vary in scope and cost. How much you’ll pay depends on the size, location, and value of your home. You’ll need to weigh up all your options to decide what’s best for you.
What is a survey?
A survey is a report that can give you additional information about the home you want to buy. They're carried out by a professional surveyor.
It can highlight any hidden issues before you commit fully. If the survey finds problems that will be costly to fix, you can:
- Renegotiate your offer.
- Walk away from the purchase (though be mindful of any costs you've already committed to).
Survey vs valuation: what’s the difference?
A valuation is carried out by your lender. They do this to check the property is worth what you've offered. It's for the lender's protection - not yours.
A survey is for your benefit. It's an independent assessment designed to give you information about the condition of the property. It can give you peace of mind about the property, or help raise any red flags.
The different types of surveys
There are three main types of survey:
-
Homebuyer’s report
These are typically suitable for properties under 50 years old. Some lenders will give you the option to get a homebuyer’s report carried out at the same time as their basic valuation.
-
Full structural survey
These are usually more relevant for older properties. Full structural surveys are much more detailed and tend to be more expensive. But they will give you very detailed information about the property.
-
Snagging survey
A snagging survey pinpoints defects and any unfinished work. One of these is usually enough for a very young or brand-new home. You can negotiate with the developers to get small snags fixed before you move in.
- Getting a mortgage
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