D. J. Napper, FRICS - Chartered Surveyors

01372 452456

01903 232821

With over 35 years experience of the property market in the South East, D.J. Napper Chartered Surveyors was established in 1992 as an independent company offering balanced and independent advice on a range of property matters throughout Surrey, West Sussex and North East Hampshire.

For the majority of people buying a home is their largest personal transaction and they are torn between checking all is well on one hand and cutting costs to a minimum on the other. In the midst of the various expenses, and particularly if a building society valuation is to be carried out, the temptation to economise by dispensing with a building survey is strong. Sometimes the gamble pays off, but there are few properties without some shortcomings and all too often the modest saving on the survey fee is greatly outweighed by the cost of remedial work. Armed with the report prepared by a Chartered Surveyor it is possible to persuade the vendor to reduce the purchase price to meet the repairs.

Prospective purchasers are now more and more aware of the shortcomings and differences of a mortgage valuation compared to a building survey but there are still many differences in expectations and the reality of what can be achieved during a survey. Many vendors believe their properties are in good condition with only routine maintenance being necessary. Unfortunately there are many properties with defects which are not easily visible and emerge only after a few months of occupation. For example, a property being sold in the summer might suffer from rising damp which makes itself apparent only in a wet winter, or the foundations might be defective causing severe cracks in dry summers. The list is endless but the critical point is that there are a host of possible defects and few properties are without some shortcomings or other. Problems are not merely confined to older properties for, in general, the standard of building has dropped rather than the reverse. Even with a new house, where the problems of inspection are considerable because of new surface finishes and decorations which can conceal faults in construction it is not unusual to find a significant number of faults.

What is included in a building Survey?