Making the decision to sell or buy a home is a huge step for most people. For sellers, once the decision is made to sell, then making your home marketable should be your number one goal, especially if you want to stand out against all the other homes in the area that are also for sale!
House prices in most parts of the country are continuing to fall. Gone are the days of listing your house and its sells quickly. With the changed market, buyers are increasingly more sensitive to property condition and using building surveyors reports to hammer the vendor down on their price.
Our How to Survey a Property checklist makes available to both buyers and sellers of homes exactly what a Building Surveyor will be looking for when he comes to survey a property. The how to survey a property guide educates both parties on the condition of the property which will be or has been placed on the market, and lets them know what minor and major issues and potential expenses that will come to light when their property is surveyed.
By following our Property Health Check guide, a seller can decide early on what to do in order to improve the condition of their property. The checklist allows the seller to anticipate any potential problems in the structure, attic, roof, grounds, walls, floors and services such as heating, electrics and plumbing- and head off most potential “deal-breaker” issues.
By following this guide will put you in a much better position and will reduce the likelihood of your potential buyer coming back to you trying to reduce the price after their building survey in carried out.
Exterior
The following will undergo a visual inspection from a member of our property health check team. You can book a property health check at any time with your local Richardson & Starling team.
- Guttering and down pipes
- Condition of external timbers
- Condition of external timbers
- Inspection of Pointing/Render/Masonry condition
- Condition of flat roofs
- Condition of pitched roofs
- Condition of windows and doors
- External Ground levels
Interior
- Check for damp using an electronic damp meter
- Check assessible roof and floor timbers for Rot and insect attack
- Check sealant around baths sinks and work tops
- Check condition of window and door timbers
- Check Air Humidity
- Check basement condition
- Check general fabric condition
When to perform a Property Health Check
- You are buying a new or older home and want to know its true condition, and not end up with a money pit.
- You are buying a brand new home and require a structural building regulation review to know that the property meets current building regulation standards.
- You are selling your property and need a certificate on compliance with exemption from planning permission and/or compliance with planning permission and building regulations.
- You are thinking of converting your attic, or building an extension, and need independent professional advice.
Where to Survey a Property Checklist:
- Grounds
- Outside Sheds / Garages
- Septic Tanks / Secondary Treatment Systems
- Private Water Wells
- Exterior Finishes and Components
- Roof Coverings
- Attic Space
- Structure
- Fireplaces
- Bathrooms / Ensuites
- Kitchen
- Utility Room
- Living rooms
- Hallway
- Kitchen
- Bedrooms
- Electrical
- Heating
- Plumbing
- Insulation
- Window Defects
- Door Defects
