Structural Engineers Report

sydneygolfdude

well folks. In the process of buying a house in Dublin. Anyone have any recommendations on a Structural Engineer/Company to carry out a inspection for me. Thanks in advance.

Calahonda52

Plenty threads on this already: Why an SE? It will only be visual

sydneygolfdude

that what I have been requested to produce, a registered structural engineers report? sorry don't know much about this. is there a particular body I should request to carry out the building report?

seamus

You want a survey. They're basically a cross between a valuer and a structural engineer. They'll have a good deep visual inspection to find out all of the things you're likely to have issues with, but obviously can't tell you what state the wiring and plumbing is in unless it's sticking out of the walls.

While some of the people who do these are qualified structural engineers, any chartered surveyor can do this inspection.

Who has requested an engineer's report? Is there something specifically funky about the house, such as an extension?

sydneygolfdude

Calahonda52 wrote: »

Plenty threads on this already: Why an SE? It will only be visual

Structural Survey. A full structural survey is the most comprehensive type of building surveys. A firm of structural engineers will carry out a detailed structural survey of the property from top to bottom. In this structural inspection, they will look at all aspects of the building structure (for example: the types of materials used, the condition of the roof, the state of the foundations and the integrity of the walls)
When carrying out a structural survey, structural surveyors will actively search for potential problems and building defects – even if they are not immediately obvious! Once the survey has been completed, you’ll receive a detailed structural survey report which will identify any problems found.

This what has been requested.

sydneygolfdude

seamus wrote: »

You want a survey. They're basically a cross between a valuer and a structural engineer. They'll have a good deep visual inspection to find out all of the things you're likely to have issues with, but obviously can't tell you what state the wiring and plumbing is in unless it's sticking out of the walls.

While some of the people who do these are qualified structural engineers, any chartered surveyor can do this inspection.

Who has requested an engineer's report? Is there something specifically funky about the house, such as an extension?

thanks for the reply. this is exactly what I am looking for? Sorry I am original from Australia and things work a little differential there, hence the stupid questions. any recommendations of Building surveying companies in Dublin or is google my best friend here?

Gumbo

seamus wrote: »

While some of the people who do these are qualified structural engineers, any chartered surveyor can do this inspection.

Just to clarify, they don't have to be Chartered, Registered Building Surveyors, Engineers or Architects or Technicians with the relevant PI Insurance can do the survey.

Their competency will determine if they are good or not.

sydneygolfdude wrote: »

Structural Survey. A full structural survey is the most comprehensive type of building surveys. A firm of structural engineers will carry out a detailed structural survey of the property from top to bottom. In this structural inspection, they will look at all aspects of the building structure (for example: the types of materials used, the condition of the roof, the state of the foundations and the integrity of the walls)
When carrying out a structural survey, structural surveyors will actively search for potential problems and building defects – even if they are not immediately obvious! Once the survey has been completed, you’ll receive a detailed structural survey report which will identify any problems found.

This what has been requested.

Foundations, wall build up and wall fabric cannot be determined without destructive works, trial holes or trial pits. These will not be done unless the vendor gives explicit approval, and you will have to make good the finishes afterwards.

Gumbo

sydneygolfdude wrote: »

thanks for the reply. this is exactly what I am looking for? Sorry I am original from Australia and things work a little differential there, hence the stupid questions. any recommendations of Building surveying companies in Dublin or is google my best friend here?

www.scsi.ie
See if there's any located near the property you are buying.

Calahonda52

sydneygolfdude wrote: »

Structural Survey. A full structural survey is the most comprehensive type of building surveys. A firm of structural engineers will carry out a detailed structural survey of the property from top to bottom. In this structural inspection, they will look at all aspects of the building structure (for example: the types of materials used, the condition of the roof, the state of the foundations and the integrity of the walls)
When carrying out a structural survey, structural surveyors will actively search for potential problems and building defects – even if they are not immediately obvious! Once the survey has been completed, you’ll receive a detailed structural survey report which will identify any problems found.

This what has been requested.

Are you sure this is whats requested: this reads like a sales pitch? I have never seen an exclamation mark in a survey request.
I acknowledge you are not from these parts so am not " getting at you"

sydneygolfdude

Calahonda52 wrote: »

Are you sure this is whats requested: this reads like a sales pitch? I have never seen an exclamation mark in a survey request.
I acknowledge you are not from these parts so am not " getting at you"

That's what the estate agent stated to me in the email when I asked them to confirm what is involved in the engineers report that they request.

Gumbo

sydneygolfdude wrote: »

That's what the estate agent stated to me in the email when I asked them to confirm what is involved in the engineers report that they request.

What is an estate agent doing requesting an engineers report?
Is this estate agent working for you or a vendor?

Calahonda52

kceire wrote: »

What is an estate agent doing requesting an engineers report?
Is this estate agent working for you or a vendor?

exactly:)

sydneygolfdude

kceire wrote: »

What is an estate agent doing requesting an engineers report?
Is this estate agent working for you or a vendor?

I am buying a house. SherryFitz the estate agent is selling the property on behalf of the vendor. Id assume they are looking for me to carry out the structural report so the can continue with the sale, if something dodgy comes up in the report obviously will have to consider going ahead with it and the agent will have to go to the market with it again. As I said before this is all new to me so don't have all the answers.

Metric Tensor

Have you a solicitor OP?

A good one will provide you with guidance as to what you need.

Ask your Irish friends if they know a good solicitor they can recommend. Like all professionals it needs to be a good one rather than a box ticker.

You 100% do need a survey but you should not be taking advice on what you need from people who work on behalf of the vendor.

I read that exact wording somewhere before so I think the estate agent copied and pasted it from somewhere.

sydneygolfdude

Metric Tensor wrote: »

Have you a solicitor OP?

A good one will provide you with guidance as to what you need.

Ask your Irish friends if they know a good solicitor they can recommend. Like all professionals it needs to be a good one rather than a box ticker.

You 100% do need a survey but you should not be taking advice on what you need from people who work on behalf of the vendor.

I read that exact wording somewhere before so I think the estate agent copied and pasted it from somewhere.

Yes, it does very much look like a standard copy and paste job. Yes my partner knows a recommended solicitor so we are meeting with her today. I have also got in touch with a recommended building surveyor so I am now sorted there. Hopefully there is no major head aches when he completes his inspection :eek::eek:

Gumbo

sydneygolfdude wrote: »

I am buying a house. SherryFitz the estate agent is selling the property on behalf of the vendor. Id assume they are looking for me to carry out the structural report so the can continue with the sale, if something dodgy comes up in the report obviously will have to consider going ahead with it and the agent will have to go to the market with it again. As I said before this is all new to me so don't have all the answers.

Engage a Solicitor on your side here.
They will guide you.

Do not listen to the Estate Agent with regards to what's required for the buyer.

MixedMessages

kceire wrote: »

What is an estate agent doing requesting an engineers report?
Is this estate agent working for you or a vendor?

Know of a number of sales where auctioneer, when only a few bidders remaining, stalled the process and would only take bids from those who had completed structural surveys.

In one instance, the vendor agreed to reimburse any unsuccessful bidder the cost of survey.

Explained to bidder that vendor was now happy with price and did not want sale falling through due to something that might appear a month later on a structural survey- in that month other bidders may have gone elsewhere

Gumbo

MixedMessages wrote: »

Know of a number of sales where auctioneer, when only a few bidders remaining, stalled the process and would only take bids from those who had completed structural surveys.

In one instance, the vendor agreed to reimburse any unsuccessful bidder the cost of survey.

Explained to bidder that vendor was now happy with price and did not want sale falling through due to something that might appear a month later on a structural survey- in that month other bidders may have gone elsewhere

That would be very uncommon practice. Did each vendor get it in writing that their survey reports would be refunded?

I have never heard of a single sale going like that.......

DOCARCH

MixedMessages wrote: »

Know of a number of sales where auctioneer, when only a few bidders remaining, stalled the process and would only take bids from those who had completed structural surveys.

I see this happening a lot in south Dublin!

EA will simply not take an offer, from a potential buyer, without the house having been (at least) viewed by an engineer or architect for the potential buyer.

MixedMessages

kceire wrote: »

That would be very uncommon practice. Did each vendor get it in writing that their survey reports would be refunded?

I have never heard of a single sale going like that.......

Only heard of one instance where offer of refund of survey fee if unsuccessful.

Was speaking with bidder as he was appointing engineer. Expect not written, knowing of auctioneer. But similarly knowing of the auctioneer, would expect honoured.

Gumbo

I suppose it does weed out the tyre kickers.
Not a nice market to be in though, buying your first home. You could possibly have to pay this fee 10+ times!

AndrewJRenko

DOCARCH wrote: »

I see this happening a lot in south Dublin!

EA will simply not take an offer, from a potential buyer, without the house having been (at least) viewed by an engineer or architect for the potential buyer.

Sounds like a great way to drum up business for their surveying buddies to me. Why doesn't the seller get a single survey done and make it available to ALL bidders?

sydthebeat

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Sounds like a great way to drum up business for their surveying buddies to me. Why doesn't the seller get a single survey done and make it available to ALL bidders?

Because the "picture perfect" style system leads to a multitude of litigation cases in court.

https://www.google.ie/amp/s/www.irishtimes.com/business/personal-finance/if-you-want-the-full-story-you-need-to-commission-a-survey-1.1842509%3fmode=amp

AndrewJRenko

sydthebeat wrote: »

Because the "picture perfect" style system leads to a multitude of litigation cases in court.

https://www.google.ie/amp/s/www.irishtimes.com/business/personal-finance/if-you-want-the-full-story-you-need-to-commission-a-survey-1.1842509%3fmode=amp

How does the seller paying for one survey instead of buyers paying for multiple surveys change the likelihood of litigation? This is a survey coming from a chartered engineer or chartered surveyor, with PI insurance in place.

For the record, I'm not suggesting that you buy a house without commissioning your own survey. But do you really, really need to a survey before you bid?

sydthebeat

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

How does the seller paying for one survey instead of buyers paying for multiple surveys change the likelihood of litigation? This is a survey coming from a chartered engineer or chartered surveyor, with PI insurance in place.

For the record, I'm not suggesting that you buy a house without commissioning your own survey. But do you really, really need to a survey before you bid?

Im in agreement with you, this was a huge issue at the height of the tiger and I remember guys like Shane Ross bringing it up at high level.

However nothing ever came of it, surprise surprise.

I can see how it could lead to an increase in litigation though. These surveys are very much opinion based, and when there is subjectivity, he who pays the piper calls the tune. What's to stop the vendor commissioning a few reports and picking the one which doesn't spot the structural crack down the chimney in the attic for example.

Gumbo

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Sounds like a great way to drum up business for their surveying buddies to me. Why doesn't the seller get a single survey done and make it available to ALL bidders?

Because if I was selling my house, I’d provide the most basic non intrusive opinion based survey I could get.

There could be liability if the something is discovered after the sale. For the very same reason, a private sale of a car comes with no guarantee. You buy what you see. It’s up to you as a purchaser to carry out due diligence and inspect it with a professional.

AndrewJRenko

sydthebeat wrote: »

I can see how it could lead to an increase in litigation though. These surveys are very much opinion based, and when there is subjectivity, he who pays the piper calls the tune. What's to stop the vendor commissioning a few reports and picking the one which doesn't spot the structural crack down the chimney in the attic for example.

So the winning bidder will get their own survey done AFTER the bidding war, instead of multiple bidders ALL getting surveys done beforehand.

kceire wrote: »

Because if I was selling my house, I’d provide the most basic non intrusive opinion based survey I could get.

There could be liability if the something is discovered after the sale. For the very same reason, a private sale of a car comes with no guarantee. You buy what you see. It’s up to you as a purchaser to carry out due diligence and inspect it with a professional.

I don't think the car analogy holds, given the relative costs. You don't usually get into a bidding war with a car. There is no question about the necessity of a good survey. The question is about the timing - and whether it makes sense to have multiple bidders carrying out multiple surveys prior to bidding.


THere has to be a way to ensure that a survey meets a basic standard set out by the respective professional societies, regardless of who commissions it.

QBee

Hi - we have been quoted for a pre-purchase site survey and the company are looking for the payment up front - is that normal practise?

Thanks,
QBee

Gumbo

QBee wrote: »

Hi - we have been quoted for a pre-purchase site survey and the company are looking for the payment up front - is that normal practise?

Thanks,
QBee

Will depend company to company.
I'd say a lot got burned by buyers who suddenly decided not to buy the house before receiving the report.

Doop

Its the only way I can see that the Building Surveyor can ensure payment. Not much power after the survey has been issued, a solicitors letter to chase would cost more than the fee the surveyor has charged.

The valuers doing bank valuations do the same.

QBee

Thanks for the replies

Bawnmore

Doop wrote: »

Its the only way I can see that the Building Surveyor can ensure payment. Not much power after the survey has been issued, a solicitors letter to chase would cost more than the fee the surveyor has charged.

The valuers doing bank valuations do the same.

Our valuer invoiced after valuation, so probably varies there too.