Surveying House - Architect or Engineer?

damoth

What is the difference between getting an architect or an engineer to complete a survey or a house before purchase.

Any advice is appreciated...

Victor

Their priorities will be different.

An engineer will make sure the building won't fall down. An architect would be more focused on how you can use the house and how you can make it look nice. A building surveyor will make sure the overall house is sound.

Depending on your first impressions, you can hire any of them and tell them that if they need the extra expertise to hire it themselves. This should work out cheaper than you hiring two people.

janmc

I'm an architect and I got a structural engineer to survey a house I was interested in buying because there were some cracks I wanted a second opinion on.

The advantage of an architect however is that they can check things like if an extension that was built complied with building regs/was exempt from planning/was built in accordance with planning etc etc. Some engineers may also do this - I'm not sure.

No matter who you get though, try to go with a recommendation from someone else rather than someone you see in a phonebook and gives the cheapest price. I'm always amazed that someone who is spending 300K, 400K will go with someone less reputable for the sake of 100 quid.

Peter Sweeney

Questions to ask before engaging a professional to survey your property.

1. What exactly does the survey cover?

A typical survey should cover settlement or movement in house foundations, movement or cracks in the houses exterior structural walls, condition of roof timbers, roof coverings including flashings, chimneys and gutters, interior attic space, floors, interior walls and ceilings, stairs, windows, doors, ventilation, dampness, insulation, drainage and an overview of plumbing, electrics and heating systems.
If you have any particular concerns bring them to the attention of the professional.

2. Is the professional specifically experienced in surveying residential buildings, is it their core business and how many surveys have they completed?

This is probably the most important question to ask. The professional should be able to provide information about their company and should have referrals from previous clients. Related professional experience is helpful, but is no substitute for training and experience in surveying residential properties.

3. How long will the survey take?

The average on-site survey time is one and a half to two hours for a house, anything significantly less may not be enough time to perform a thorough survey.
Times will vary and are subject to factors like the age of the property, is it old or new, the size of the property and whether there has been significant alterations or extensions carried out.

4. How much will the survey cost?

Prices vary, depending on the location, size, age of the house and the services within the property. A typical range would be €300-€500. The cost of the survey does not necessarily reflect added quality.

5. What type of survey report is provided and how long will it take to receive the report?

Far to many reports are awash with technical terms. It is important that the report is easy to understand by the buyer who in most cases has no technical training. Most professionals will provide a verbal assessment of the property after the survey and a written report within a matter of days.

6. Can I attend the survey?

If you (and your partner) can make time to attend the survey, it is very worthwhile. You will get a greater understanding of the condition of the property. It should also be of benefit if you are considering making any structural alterations or thinking about building an extension. For insurance reasons in particular it is important to let the estate agent know in advance that you will be attending the survey. Most estate agents will not have any issues with the buyer attending the survey as long as they are advised when a survey is scheduled.

7. Is the professional a member of an association whose members are qualified and trained in surveying properties?

8. Is the professional covered by professional indemnity insurance?


Finally, after engaging the professional make sure you read and understand the contents of the report. In particular pay attention to any defects noted in the report and if there are areas of the property or any services that where not examined during the course of the survey.

Problems or concerns mentioned in your professionals report won’t go away and may cost you significant expenditure in the future to remedy.

Your negotiating position disappears after closing, so make sure everything is taken care of before then.

ricman

I THINK a survey is mainly to point out any problems with the house,eg dry rot, lack of insulation , to protect the buyer ,eg if you buy house x you will need to spend x amount on repairs or modernisation. I WOULD not get a survey on a house thats ten years old .Unless you suspect theres a problem with pyrite.

RATM

ricman wrote: »

I THINK a survey is mainly to point out any problems with the house,eg dry rot, lack of insulation , to protect the buyer ,eg if you buy house x you will need to spend x amount on repairs or modernisation. I WOULD not get a survey on a house thats ten years old .Unless you suspect theres a problem with pyrite.

Houses can have underlying problems with them that a buyer will not spot with the naked eye. Its best left to a competent professional even if the house is less than 10 years. Even if the house is still covered by a builders guarantee the last thing a new buyer wants is to find out about is underlying problems after buying.

BDSC1964

You also need to be sure the person or company are insured to carry out the works. If you get an Architect to survey a house for you and later find out there is a structural problem with it I dont think you have a comeback. My experience is that its the hidden problems that you need to know about when buying and it is these that will come back to haunt you over time. These are usually structural problems. If you are wondering about house extension etc you can now get an Architect to look at your house and give you advice on extensions options for free on the basis that you might employ them.