Owning your own home

Also interested in survey costings.

I'm about to buy a place and it's a bit run down so I want at least something that's going to tell me if the damn thing is going to fall down, and if it is, how much it's likely to cost to repair (so I can get the seller to knock it off his price).

Any advice is good

Here's a fee table for Homebuyers surveys through Nationwide:
http://www.nationwide.co.uk/support/support-articles/rates-fees-charges/mortgage-fees-and-charges/initial-fees#xtab:twistyitem1

Could be wrong but I don't think any of the standard surveys are going to give you any indication of costs to fix or make good any problems identified. You're sort of left to pursue answers to any questions posited by the survey yourself (or via your solicitors if more appropriate).

Just generally the surveys tend to be pretty negative so don't expect your seller to be amazingly sympathetic to all the issues raised (within reason, obviously!). For example, the outlet for the central heating flue in my place was missing the metal cage thing which goes over it (about £5 to replace on eBay), this was red flagged and rated as a "risk to persons".

This made me chuckle. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/sep/26/i-finally-own-my-first-house-so-why-do-i-have-buyers-remorse

"Eventually, you get to know neighbours and the house problems get sorted to the point where it's at least functional and habitable, and then one day you wake up and think it's alright here. That's the day when your wife will tell you she wants to move."

Dreading this. She already pulled this move once and we ended up with a second child :/

Good point; I'm mostly after broad ideas like 'the house is damp' or 'the house is sinking into the floor' or 'the house was built on an old indian burial site and the bathroom portal into hell may not count as 'outdoor space''.

Just after a bit of peace of mind that the whole place won't come crashing down around me. Everyone in that block is selling and I don't know why.

I've been using something similar to this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ring-RSP600-Solar-Tricle-Charger/dp/B00C9ZLSE6 on my Porsche for over a year now. So yes, you can use the light. If you have windows it's OK, if not, leave the light on.

From my experience working within the surveying field (not a surveyor myself) is that they will err on the side of caution - They can't exactly guarantee that your house will not fall down in the next 30 years, but will point out things that might need attention immediately or in the future.

I believe there are a few surveyors on here, so please shoot me down if what I have experienced is actually bollocks.

Unless you're buying an old cottage or it is evident the property you're purchasing is going to require a lot of work (which would probably require a Full Building Survey), then it's probably in your interest to plump for a Homebuyers report, which can be conducted alongside your mortgage valuation.

Because we bought a 160 year old mews house we did a basic mortgage valuation to keep the lender happy, but then paid for a proper structural survey to detail everything wrong, and estimated costs to put right. This then enabled us to bargain 40K off the price, and we're now in the process of spending that on fixing those problems. No nasty surprises and a lot of reassuring things, and enormously helpful.

(we use Goldcrest, who were very good: http://www.goldcrestsurveyors.com)

People only want the good news, most of the time, but if you want to blame someone when it goes tits up, you have to expect the woolly assessments.

You can't have it both ways.

Fuck, some of the shit that goes on the reports I do is hilarious.

It strikes me that converting electricity into illumination from an incandescent light bulb then back into electricity via a solar panel would not be the absolute last word in efficiency.

Now you're just adding requirements creep

Awesome, thanks brah. This is just a council block so I don't mind how vague it is as long as it notices anything really outrageous.

Once this is all done I'm taking you reprobates out for thank you beers. I don't think I'd have got through this if it weren't for this thread.

Ha serendipity, these are the exact guys I've just bookmarked - they have great reviews. Will contact them for a quote. Thanks dude.

I know a few dudes, if you want any deets pm me..

Don't mean to scare you but Bridge Court has always been a bit suss to me - the flats there tend to be up for sale for long periods of time even in hot market conditions, and the prices seem too good to be true. I expect part of this is due to the freeholder being useless and/or a ripoff merchant when it comes to maintenance/service charges etc. The stairwells were in a state - obviously used by undesirables, and the outer doors into the street never seemed to be closed or very secure when I walked by. Things may well change as the area as a whole gets spruced up though. Perhaps look at which flats have sold recently and knock on the doors of the occupants to ask about their experiences of the block?

edit: this link implies that the following extra charges could be coming your way - the flat you're buying may not yet have contributed to the major works (you may know all this already!)
Service Charge: £2,000 per annum including sinking fund and building insurance.
Ground Rent: £300 per annum
Major Works: £8,500 for roof, communal areas, doors & security

Ooff, parade well and truly rained upon.

Hopefully @BleakRefs is already aware of all of those potential issues.

Indeed, and when doing the sums the cheaper price of the flats there may well make up for the additional costs associated with the service charge etc.

Pebbledash - anyone had it removed? @princeperch sorted me with a guy who's given me a good quote but just wondering if anyone had been advised

Having done some rough evaluation I reckon 2-5% of house price from brick front vs pebble dash.

The range is relatively big because some of the places which have had bricks cleaned and re-done have also been rennovated, so harder to be sure exactly why more valuable.

Yeah it's a weird space. Thank god there're two blocks there - the one to the street is pretty unpleasant but the one behind is quite nice. Was aware of the service charge / ground rent but hadn't seen the Major Works - will check this one out. Talking to tenants is definitely the next step.

how much approx does it cost? I'd be keen to get that done too.

If the eight grand isn't coming out of the sinking fund, run a fucking mile.

Next thing that will happen is that they'll be redecorating the internals and putting new carpet down etc. I sold my flat 12 months before the freeholder decided to do a major renovation internally which would have cost me (I.e each flat) about 3 grand. I'd also be a bit worried about the service charge. It's likely to be at that level because the building has a poor claims history and is subject to a high excess - check it all out very carefully. The water ingress excess in my old block went from 750 quid to 2000 per claim in the space of 4 years ! Service charge when I sold was 2500 quid and it spiked 10pc just as I left. Fuck that shit.

£2k for the front of the house roughly