Surveyor's report lacking

homeOwner

I had a surveyor look at a house i am buying. I was especially concerned with the attic conversion and a shed in the garden.

He wrote a detailed 24 page report.

In the section that dealt with the attic that he could not do a detailed investigation as there was too much stuff in the attic obstructing his view. He went on to say that he suspects it doesnt conform to modern building standards or the height standards for a bedroom and wants the solicitor to get the documents from the vendor etc....He advises that I get a structural engineer to check out the roof for problems due to the conversion.

He says about the shed that the max size it can be without planning permission is such and such, but then goes on to say the he didnt measure it so the solicitor is to ask the vendors if there was planning permission.

I thought that is what I was paying him to do. Is it acceptable to say the attic was obstructed so he couldnt do his job? And is it also acceptable to say that he didnt measure the garden shed, even though he suspects it is larger than the guidlines for not needing planning permission?

What's a structural engineer going to do that he couldnt do? I thought I was paying him for all this info?

Can anyone shed some light on what is acceptable in a surveyors report?
This is from a reputable firm of surveyors and cost me €544.

antoinolachtnai

I would say he was reasonable as regards the former but not as regards the latter.

propertysue

I think that's alot as I just got a structural report which does list in a part that he couldn't report on roof inside because there was no access to the attic, but he did give a full report on structure, condition of all windows doors walls, stairs and also confirmed boundry of land with exact measurments and also measurment of floor space and this cost me 354 euro but that was in Roscommon so might be cheaper