Why you need a property survey: avoiding DIY disasters when buying a home

With the plethora of property and design shows on television over the years, offering an insight into ways of sprucing up the home, comes a salutary warning: if you don't have the requisite skills and are then likely to cause more damage as a result of the work, don't do it yourself! In the long run, it might be better to ask a professional to come in and do the work instead.

Of course, this raises the question about how you gain the skills to do certain jobs if you don't at least try, but generally speaking, the more difficult the job you are thinking of undertaking, the more likely it is that there will be some bodging done to cover up any of the problems created. Take a course, take advice from a skilled professional and perhaps ask to be involved in any work so that you can learn. Or be prepared to start all over again until you get it right!

The reason for raising this point is that, when it comes to the sale of your property, your prospective buyer will probably organise a chartered surveyor to come to the property to check its condition and structural integrity. That surveyor will be experienced and skilled in identifying all sorts of problems, and particularly in quickly seeing where there are bodies to cover up a DIY disaster.

The same applies when you are buying a property: it's strongly recommended that you pay for that peace of mind by taking out a suitable home survey so that you know what issues you are likely to be facing and to make an assessment of whether you can (and want to) afford rectifying them.

This isn't suggesting that cosmetic problems such as uneven application of paint, wonky wallpaper (that isn't a deliberate artistic statement) or even some minor irregular tiling, can't be sorted out without spending a lot of money. The point is that some people will readily try their hand at anything from plumbing to roofing, and, if not done properly, can be storing up all sorts of problems in the future.

So, whether it is uneven plastering, questionable strength of timbers used to replace joists or roof trusses, your chartered surveyor will be experienced enough to raise points of concern, suggesting remedies and potential costs so that you have the facts to hand in making your decision whether to continue with the purchase or not.

While the surveyor will not take gas and electrical systems and appliances apart, they will visually inspect them for anything that is likely to be of concern. Gas work must be completed by a registered installer but this doesn't stop some people from attempting fixes themselves or changing the gas fittings in some way - this is not only illegal but may be dangerous and cause significant problems.

Although work on electrics and water can be done by the enthusiastic DIYer, again it must be done properly to prevent future problems, and it may require certification to prove its satisfactory completion.

In addition, when it comes to building work, certification may be required to verify its safety and conformance to regulations. Where your chartered surveyor has concerns in these areas, they will highlight the points for the attention of your conveyancing solicitor to verify the existence of the required documentation, and to take action where it is not.

One final point to consider is that bodged DIY work may well invalidate the buildings insurance so rectifying it will come out of the current owner's pocket rather than via the policy terms. When you are planning on buying a property, your lender will usually require that you take out buildings insurance (to protect their future investment) - the findings of the survey may invalidate part or all of the policy, which makes the survey an essential piece of the moving kit.

Having said all that, when you are the seller, there are certain DIY jobs that it is worthwhile carrying out, such as filling minor cracks, touching up paint and so on, that will go a long way in presenting the home to its best. You might even think about replacing cracked tiles or shower trays, glass panes and so on, but this starts moving towards needing a skilled person to perform the task.

Getting a detailed survey gives you that peace of mind for a very reasonable price, helping you to understand the condition and problems that you'll be taking on with any purchase. Professional chartered surveyors are trained to identify all kinds of problems, including the impact of prior flooding on the structure of the property and signs of amateur repairs that could cause future issues.

For professional survey advice and quotes, call to discuss your property concerns.