structural engineer report for bank sale

africates

Hi,

We are in process of buying a house in Lohunda, Dublin 15 and solicitor suggested we need full structural report (by registered engineer?) as it is a bank sale and there are no usual warranties, etc.

There is no Gas / Electricity connected at the moment - is there any point doing a survey without these? What can be checked if engineer won't be allowed to drill through the wall etc?

Would you recommend anyone and what are the prices?
This is small (82sqm) semi detached house with no other buildings, no attic conversion, no extension.

thanks
p

Calahonda52

africates wrote: »

Hi,

We are in process of buying a house in Lohunda, Dublin 15 and solicitor suggested we need full structural report (by registered engineer?) as it is a bank sale and there are no usual warranties, etc.

There is no Gas / Electricity connected at the moment - is there any point doing a survey without these? What can be checked if engineer won't be allowed to drill through the wall etc?

Would you recommend anyone and what are the prices?
This is small (82sqm) semi detached house with no other buildings, no attic conversion, no extension.

thanks
p

big difference between the two: it is just a visual survey, nothing more, with maybe a look down the sewer AJ's to make sure they are connected

BryanF

Get the survey.

Get 3 quotes.

Buying & house: Buyer beware

africates

ok, theybsay i need Full structural report not survey... anyone here doing these? or any recommendations?

Gumbo

africates wrote: »

ok, theybsay i need Full structural report not survey... anyone here doing these? or any recommendations?

Are they allowing you to carry out invasive and destructive works?

africates

nope but solicitor said it has to be proper check not usual visual survey...

Gumbo

africates wrote: »

nope but solicitor said it has to be proper check not usual visual survey...

How will a proper structural survey be done?
I'd want to open the foundations, so that means digging up around portions of the external walls.

You would also would want to see the rafters sitting on any wall plate.

External wall build up also.

I don't see how this can be done without invasive works.

africates

I understand this fully so not sure how I will benefit from visual survey which would cost me 400 + VAT

Metric Tensor

An experienced surveyor can spot things with a visual survey that can be indicative of underlying problems - it is what has to suffice for most house purchases and is a lot better than Joe Punter taking a stroll around himself and kicking the skirting board in a few places.

However, as kceire says, a full structural investigation of a building cannot be done without serious invasive works. I have only ever done these on buildings that were for sale in an already "gutted" condition.

Calahonda52

africates wrote: »

I understand this fully so not sure how I will benefit from visual survey which would cost me 400 + VAT

You may but clearly your legal guy does not, but then again I suspect he is covering himself:
make sure he is as rigorous in the work he has to do on title and full planning compliance: the latter is what he may have in mind for part of the survey so you need to clarify who is doing this bit.

Compliance with Building regs is a bit harder as it will be at be best a heavily qualified opinion.
You can always ask someone to do a "structural survey", however the
"I did not do/examine/inspect/open up/measure/etc" sentences will form the bulk of the report:D