Homebuyers survey or would we need a more comprehensive one?

I've just bought a 1930's bungalow and had a full structural survey. Does he think the kitchen tiles might have asbestos?

This is it we’re not really sure, can I ask is a full structural survey a lot more expensive than a homebuyers ?

Hi, a Homebuyers report doesn't allow the surveyor to do much other than take a look. They don't remove, test, or dig around for anything, It's basically just to let the mortgage company know the property is worth what they are lending. It's alway wise to have a full structural survey. If your son feels the property is structurally sound but he is concerned about asbestos, there are specialist companies that will specifically inspect for asbestos. Might be cheaper than a full structural survey.

Out of interest, I had a google around - this article describes the difference between the two, and states that a Homebuyer's report should look at asbestos:-

www.propertyroad.co.uk/difference-between-a-homebuyers-report-and-a-structural-survey/

I paid £600 for my full structural survey on a 100 sq m three bed bungalow. I wanted to budget for the maintenance and know my surveyor well, luckily he reassured me that there weren't any major problems. Bay window brickwork ties need attention, wouldn't have come up in a Homebuyer's report.

Your son can find out the build date if he downloads the Title plan from Land Registry, it's £3.00 and can be downloaded instantly once payment is made.

Thank you both....??

I'd always go for a full structural survey for an old house I was going to live in. As well as giving peace of mind that there is nothing very wrong with the property, it will give your son a checklist of more minor things he can do when he has the funds to make it both more comfortable and more saleable at a later date.

I had a Homebuyers report and said the artex ceilings (which I hate) could contain asbestos and not to mess with them.

Asbestos is not a problem until you remove it and then you need specialist contractors. We have an internal garage with a sheet asbestos ceiling. We put 2 coats of thick ceiling paint on it when we moved in and haven't touched it since.

I have mixed feelings about full surveys. We paid a lot of money for one on one house and all we got was a survey listing every cracked windowpane and door panel and a suggestion we might have dry rot in one cupboard - we didn't.

The houses we bought that we should have had full surveys on were the two new ones. They were riddled with faults and it took years of hassle to get the builder to remedy them all.

I’d always have a full survey. A few more hundred when your spending in the hundred thousands is well worth it. A homebuyers survey only judges whether the lender can get his money back.

The survey would highlight if theres the possibility of asbestos and then you would need a specialist firm to take samples. Asbestos isn’t to be messed with and it was used very extensively in that era. Whole bungalows were built with it and then clad in wood or brick.

Lots of people don’t know their ceilings contain asbestos.

My daughter worked for a specialist firm and tested for asbestos in a lab. The firm sometimes had to deal with very sad cases of whole families who had unwittingly disturbed asbestos in their homes.

For a bungalow I’d have though a full structural survey was needed for peace of mind.

I once had a ‘Homebuyer’s report’ on a flat in a 1950s block - complete waste of money since it didn’t tell me anything I didn’t already know, i.e. it needed total renovation.

We always go for a full structural report, at least you are aware of any problems and can then make an informed decision about whether to buy or not.
Last year a friend of DD1 was going to buy an old school house and the structural survey showed serious problems that had been ‘hidden’ by the owners, although the survey was expensive, the potential costs of putting the problems right would have cost £thousands, she asked the sellers to drop their price, they refused, she later found out that a previous sale had not gone through for the same reasons but the EA hadnt told her.

We also have had full surveys but they will not tell you if it's asbestos just that it could be. They will simply advise you to get it inspected.

Thank you all, lots to think about then.....

Chances are that any original floor tiles in the property are asbestos.

I emailed somebody today about the asbestos and this is the reply I got so definitely think to take this up if the surveyor notices anything or even if he doesn’t I suppose....

If your son gets the asbestos survey done ther are two pluses.

One: if it’s bad he doesn’t buy a bungalow that endangers his health or needs thousands of remedial work

Two: if there’s no asbestos he has the survey and paperwork for any future purchasers.

I think it’s well worth the money, even before a house buyers survey

Thank you Peasblossom....?

I've finally remembered that I meant to recommend the moneysavingexpert House Buying, Selling and Renting forum to you Shinamae. Lots of buyers/sellers/renters post on there, I've learnt a lot

Always a full survey then you know what you're getting into.

Many thanks. ?

I agree. Nowadays I always have a full survey.

I did pay for a full survey back in 2003 when I purchased a 1930's house. It was pretty useless, so many paragraphs just stated that proper check was unable to be carried out due to floor coverings, etc. etc. Told me it would be advisable for me to get a separate electrical report - not that there was any sign of any problem, but this did not include that. Warned me to ensure no trees were planted too close to the property. Told me there was evidence of a recent water problem from the bathroom (as anyone could see the stain on the ceiling below there). Told me that when the external patio door step had been installed it had not got any air holes ( which I had noticed when viewing the property). TBH, was a total and complete waste of money to me. Think it cost me around six hundred pounds back then.
Perhaps my experience was an unusual bad one!!!!