Pre-Purchase Structural Survey

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is a “House Survey”?

  A house survey is an objective visual examination of the physical structure of a home, from the roof to the ground. Our engineer’s structural survey report will include an evaluation of the condition of the property’s roof, attic, roof coverings, exterior, grounds, interior walls, ceilings, floors, windows and doors.  Having a home inspected is like giving it a physical check-up.

• Who needs a house survey?

  Anyone who is purchasing or selling a house.

• Why you should choose to have a professional house inspection?

  We cannot emphasize enough the value and necessity of a professional home inspection. Many home purchasers, either in the desire to save the €300 to €400 that a good inspection costs, or due to simple ignorance, have spent enormous sums of money repairing items that any good engineer would have pointed out.

  Do not let anyone, not your family or friends, and especially not the seller or builders dissuade you from having the property thoroughly inspected. Not only will you sleep much sounder after you have moved in, a professional inspection can also give you the ability to opt out of a contract on a defective house. If the contract is written contingent on an acceptable inspection, any defects in the home must be either repaired or monetarily compensated for. If you are not satisfied, you have the option to cancel the contract.

  Be prepared, begin the search for a professional building engineering company to perform your survey before you place an offer on a house. If you only start trying to find an acceptable company at the last minute, the company of your choice may not be able to schedule your survey in the required time frame.  This will leave you with only two choices: to either appoint an engineer that is not your first choice, or to run the risk of not getting the house professionally surveyed at all (which could void any chance of having the seller take care of repairs). Neither choice is an acceptable alternative!

• Why do I need a structural survey?

  The purchase of a home is probably the largest single investment you will ever make. You should learn as much as you can about the condition of the property and the need for any major repairs before you buy, so that you can minimize unpleasant surprises and difficulties afterwards. Of course, a structural survey will also point out the positive aspects of a home. After the inspection, you will have a much clearer understanding of the property you are about to purchase and will be able to make a confident buying decision.

  If you have owned your home for a long time, a house survey can identify problems in the making and recommend preventive measures which might avoid costly future repairs. In addition, home sellers may opt to have a survey on their own home prior to placing it on the market.  This will help them to gain a better understanding of conditions a buyer’s building engineer may point out. Doing this provides an opportunity to make repairs prior to going to market, that will put the house in better selling condition, and contribute to a quicker sale.

• Is a mortgage valuation report the same as a structural survey?

  No, the two reports are very different, and have different functions. A mortgage valuation report or ‘valuation’ as it is often called is carried out by your mortgage lender to only check the value of the property and its suitability for a mortgage.

• The insurance company is asking for a valuation of the property. Can you provide this?

  No. Your valuer / estate agent should be able to provide the valuation and/or the rebuilding cost of the property.

  A House Rebuild Calculator can be found at the website of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland.

• How much does a house survey cost?

  The house survey cost for a typical single-family residence varies. The structural survey cost will depend upon the size of the house, particular features of the house, its age, and possible additional services, such as wells or septic systems.

  However, do not let cost be a factor in deciding whether to have a house survey, or in the selection of your building engineer. The knowledge gained from an inspection is well worth the cost, and the lowest priced engineer is not necessarily a bargain. The companies experience in the area of pre-purchase structural surveys, along with their professionalism should be the most important considerations. If you require a bank valuation you should consult local auctioneers.

• Can I do the survey myself?

  Even the most experienced homeowner lacks the expertise, knowledge and experience that a company has gained from inspecting thousands of homes. A building engineering company would be familiar with all the elements of home construction, their proper installation, and maintenance. They understand how the home’s structure and components are intended to function together, as well as how and why they fail.

  Above all, most buyers find it very difficult to remain completely objective and unemotional about the house they really want, and this may affect their judgment. For the most accurate picture, it is best to obtain an impartial third-party opinion by an expert in the field of structural surveys.

• Can a house fail a survey?

  No. A professional structural survey is an examination of the current condition of the property being inspected. The report will not pass or fail a house, but rather describe its physical condition and indicate what may need to be repaired or replaced.

• How do I find a good company to perform my house survey?

  The best source is a friend, relative or business acquaintance who can recommend a company that they have used and with whom they were satisfied with.  Solicitors and estate agents are also generally familiar with the service and should be able to provide you with a list of companies from which to choose. Whatever your referral source, be sure to verify the building engineer’s professional qualifications and experience.  Always make sure you see a sample copy of a structural survey report, and the terms and conditions covering the survey before you make your selection.

• When do I call in a building engineering company?

  Typically building engineers are called in right after the contract or purchase agreement has been signed and are usually available within a few days. However, before you sign be sure that there is a structural survey clause in the contract, making your purchase obligation contingent upon the findings of a professional structural survey report.

• How do I get a quotation?

  Getting a quotation from Property Health Check is very quick and easy, just fill in a short form and click “Get quote now”.  The form is easy to complete and asks a few simple questions including the age and size of the house.  (The age of the house is generally shown in the BER).  After clicking “Get quote now” the price will be displayed on screen and a quotation is emailed to the client. Clients can advise us online that they would like to make a booking. Our Customer Care Team will then call to finalise the booking.

• How do I book a survey?

  There are several ways to book in a survey:

  • Start the booking process while viewing their quote online by just clicking “Yes – I would like to book now”. Customer Care will follow up to finalise the booking.
  • Click the “book now” link in the quotation email and Customer Care will follow up to finalise the booking.
  • Call Customer Care with your quotation number and they will guide you through the process.

• Can I request a recommended engineer for my survey?

  It is always good to hear that a Property Health Check engineer has been recommended. However, all Property Health Check engineers are experienced and professionally trained. You can be confident that our clients are provided with the same level of quality service regardless of which engineer provides the inspection. Due to scheduling availability a different engineer may be scheduled to perform your inspection.

• How soon can you inspect the property?

  This is dependent on availability at the time of booking and accessibility to the property. Current availability is displayed on the quotation booking page. Customer Care will also provide you with a more specific idea when a booking is made.

• How and when do I pay for the survey?

  Payment can be made by credit card, debit card, and Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT). Payment is taken at the time of booking.

• Who arranges access for the survey?

  All access arrangements are organised by Property Health Check.  We will contact the agency or vendor directly.  Sometimes this can take a little time as the contact person is not always immediately available, and dates and times must be confirmed before scheduling can be completed. Clients are emailed confirmation of the date when scheduling for the inspection is completed.

• Do I have to be present at the survey?

  It is not necessary for you to be present for the survey.

• Can I attend the survey if I’d like to?

  To carry out a thorough inspection, it is preferable that the property is vacant, enabling the engineer to focus on the inspection and carry out an efficient and professional survey.  Our Engineers will always make contact after the inspection to give you an overview of their findings.

• How long will the inspection take?

  Generally, a house inspection takes between 1 and 3 hours depending on the size and age of the property.

• Will the survey report on the building foundations or whether subsidence may be affecting the property?

  The engineer cannot see the foundations, however, the survey will report on any visual evidence of movement that the engineer may see at the time of the inspection. Based on what is seen during the survey, the engineer may recommend that other investigations are required to determine if subsidence (if present) is ongoing or historical.

• Will Utilities (electrical, plumbing, heating, etc. systems) be inspected as part of the survey?

  The engineer will do a cursory visual overview of the utilities at the property. Photos and comments will be included in the survey report where issues are observed which have caused damage to structural components of the property. This cursory overview is no replacement for an inspection of utilities by the appropriate professional, e.g., qualified electrician, plumber, etc.

• What if the report reveals problems?

  No house is perfect. If the engineer finds problems it doesn’t necessarily mean you shouldn’t buy the house, only that you will know in advance what to expect. A seller may be flexible with the purchase price or contract terms if major problems are found. If your budget is very tight, or if you don’t wish to become involved in future repair work, this information will be extremely important to you.

• What do I do if I have questions after the survey?

  If you have any questions following the survey, please email them to our Customer Care team at info@propertyhealthcheck.ie. They will pass on your queries to the engineer, as required.

• Should I revisit the property before closing the sale?

  Your survey reports on structural defects visible on the day of the survey. We strongly recommend that you take a final walk through of the property with the estate agent before signing legally binding contracts and taking possession, to determine that no subsequent water leaks, fire, smoke, storm, or other damage has occurred since the survey was performed. Leaks especially can (and do) occur. Other hidden defects may also be revealed when the house is emptied of its contents. If any concerns are raised during the walk-through please contact Customer Care for advice before closure.

• Does the report contain advice on home maintenance?

  Your survey report includes information on the general/seasonal maintenance of your home and may also include recommendations specific to issues noted in your property. It is very important to follow the recommendations in your report to maintain your property and avoid long term issues developing.

• What if I find problems after I move into my new home?

  A structural survey is not a guarantee that problems won’t develop after you move in. However, if you believe that a problem was already visible at the time of the survey and should have been mentioned in the report, your first step should be to email details to our Customer Care team at info@propertyhealthcheck.ie.

  All companies providing structural surveys should carry professional indemnity liability insurance. The minimum amount of insurance coverage should cover the cost of re-instating your house if the surveyor misses something that he should have reported on.

• If the house proves to be in good condition, did I really need an inspection?

  Definitely. Now you can complete your home purchase with peace of mind about the condition of the property. You will also have learned a few things about your new home from the pre-purchase structural survey report and will want to keep that information for future reference. Above all, you can feel assured that you are making a well-informed purchase decision, and that you will be able to enjoy your new home the way you want to.

• Can I talk to the engineer after the inspection?

  Whenever possible our engineers communicate with clients on the evening of the survey to provide an overview of how the survey went and flag any key issues found. The post-survey discussion will focus on structural aspects of the property.

• When will I receive my report?

  We guarantee that the report, included annotated photo’s, is emailed to clients 3 working days after the inspection is completed, or you get your money back! The email will contain a link to a secure site, where the report can be viewed and downloaded. Reports are provided in colour PDF format.

• Can you share a copy of my report for me with anyone?

  Good communication and sharing of information can prevent delays in the purchase or sale of a property. If instructed, we can share the report with your solicitor.

• Do planning issues form part of the pre-purchase survey?

  No.

  Additional services are available to answer planning queries, see www.propertyhealthcheck.ie or contact our Customer Service team on 0818 787839.

• Do boundary issues form part of the structural survey?

  No

  The structural survey report does not comment on the boundary of the inspected property / site. At quotation and/or booking stage you may be provided with an option to have a Certificate of Identity performed at the same time as the structural survey of the house, which includes examining the physical boundaries of the site and providing comment on other boundary issues. See Boundary Services for more information.

• Where can I find out more information about this survey?

  If you have further questions, please read our terms and conditions.  These are written in layman terms and will explain what is included and not included in your report.  Viewing the sample survey video will provide a visual illustration of how your survey will look and what will be included in it. Our Customer Care team will provide any additional direction required.

• Check out our Terms & Conditions

  Click here to see our T&C’s