Buying your home is probably the biggest purchase you will ever make and one that you will be paying for for many years to come. Make sure you don’t spend more than you need to do by getting the right checks done upfront to ensure the property that will become your home is in good condition.
Home survey
When we buy a property, we know we should get a survey to show any current issues or things that may become an issue in the future; however, a new-build will be covered by a builder’s guarantee, so surely there is no need to get a survey?
While the doors and windows might be protected by the NHBC standards, there are other reasons to have a survey carried out. A guarantee doesn’t mean there are no issues.
What does the survey look at?
When you buy a new-build, you are expecting a high standard. There might be some snagging issues, which means the property isn’t quite finished or at least not finished to the expected standards. Examples include scratches on wood or plastic frames and loose tiles or floorboards.
A survey could pick up things you wouldn’t necessarily pick up yourself, such as a breached damp course or a waste pipe that is not connected correctly. This is where a home survey conducted by a professional surveyor comes into its own.
Whereas a guarantee could be taken quite subjectively, a survey measures elements against agreed standards so that there is no wiggle room. Sadly, the builders’ guarantee does not mean there will be no issues.
Consumer group Which? goes into more detail about the home buyers survey.
When you are ready to proceed with buying a home, instruct a specialist conveyancing firm such as Sam Conveyancing. They will be able to guide you through the process and request searches and surveys on your behalf.
We recommend choosing a house that is not the first on the development. However experienced the builders, a house that has seen several ‘practice’ houses built before it likely to see fewer issues with the build. At the other end of the scale, fittings might be rushed when the builders are keen to finish and move on to the next development, again leading to errors or things that aren’t quite right.
