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11 Things You Need to Know to Pass Your Home Buyers

Survey

While home buyers are as individual as the homes they plan on purchasing, one thing they share is a desire to ensure that the home they will call their own is as good beneath the surface as it appears to be.Will the roof end up leaking? Is the wiring safe? What about the plumbing?

These and others, are the questions that the buyers looking at your home will seek a surveyor’s help to answer.

According to experts, there are at least 33 physical problems that will come under scrutiny during a homebuyers survey.

We’ve identified the 11 most common of these and, if not identified and dealt with, any of these 11 items could cost you dearly in terms of repair, or worse still, the loss of your agreed sale.

In most cases, you can make a reasonable pre-inspection yourself. And knowing what you’re looking for can help you prevent little problems from growing into costly and unmanageable ones.

“According to

industry experts, there

are at least 33 physical

problems that will come under

scrutiny during a home buyer

survey when your home is being

inspected for your buyer’s lender.

Here are 11 of the main ones

that you should know about

BEFORE you put your

home up for sale.”

Defective PlumbingDefective plumbing can manifest itself in two different ways: leaking, and clogging.

A visual inspection can detect leaking, and a surveyor will look at water pressure by turning on all the taps in the highest bathroom and then flushing the toilet.

If you hear the sound of running water, it indicates that the pipes are undersized. If the water appears dirty when first turned on at the taps, this is a good indication that the pipes are clogged, which can result in severe water quality problems.

Damp Wet BasementsA Surveyor will check your walls for a powdery white mineral deposit a few inches off the floor, and will look to see if you feel secure enough to store things right on your cellar floor.

A mildew odour is almost impossible to eliminate, and a Surveyor will certainly be conscious of it.

There is no point trying to paint over damp areas – It might look okay for a few weeks, but it won’t defeat the Surveyor’s moisture detecting damp meter.

It could cost you £200-£750 to seal a crack in or around your basement foundation depending on severity and location. Adding a sump pump and pit could run to around £500-£750 and complete waterproofing, or “tanking” (of an average 3 bedroom home) could amount to £3,000 - £10,000.

You will have to weigh these figures into the calculation of what price you want to achieve for your home.

Home Buyers Want to Know Your Home Inside And Out

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I wi l l fix the leak

Inadequate Wiring and ElectricsYour home should have earth bonded wiring and a trip switch consumer unit (fuse box). Surveyors look for dated switches, or old fuse boxes as a reason to recommend a full electrical survey. A full re-wire can cost between £3,000 - £5,000 for a typical 3-bed home and you’ll have a substantial decoration bill on top.

Make sure that any work is carried out by a Part P qualified electrician and that you get a certificate for the completed works. Your solicitor will need the electrical certificate as part of the conveyancing process.

Poor Heating & Central Heating SystemsInsufficient loft and cavity insulation, and an inadequate or a poorly functioning central heating system are the most common causes of poor heating. Given high gas and electricity costs, monthly bills will be higher and it will reflect in a lower Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating.

Loft insulation can be improved simply by adding more lagging for a few hundred pounds.

While an adequately clean boiler, without rust, usually has life left in it, a surveyor will be asking and checking to see if your boiler is over its typical life span of 15-20 years.

Older boilers come under more scrutiny, because they are less energy efficient, particularly compared to modern ‘A’ rated condenser boilers. A new boiler, including installation could cost you £1,500 - £3,000.

Remember that all gas installations must be carried out by approved Gas Safe engineers. Keep the installation certificate, because your conveyancer will need it later.

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Roofing ProblemsWater leakage through the roof can occur for a variety of reasons such as broken, missing or slipped roof tiles or structural damage from a wind storm. When gutters leak and down pipes allow water to run down and through the exterior walls, this external problem becomes a major internal one.

Roof problems are often easy to remedy and in most cases are not very expensive compared to the damage that they cause. That’s why it’s important to sort out any roof repairs as soon as they are spotted.

Rotting WoodThis can occur in many places (door or window frames, trim, joists, decks and fences).

The building surveyor will sometimes probe the wood to see if this is present – especially when wood has been freshly painted. It’s best to get it replaced using a joiner, or if the rot has been caused by an infestation, get it chemically treated first and keep the installers warranty.

Damp Loft & Attic SpacesAside from basement dampness, problems with ventilation, insulation and vapour barriers can cause water, moisture, mold and mildew to form in the attic. This can lead to premature failure of the roof, structure and building materials. The cost to fix this damage could easily run over £1,500.

The best way to improve this is to increase your ventilation. This can be done by using re-cycling air vented systems that remove internal stale air and replace it with external fresh air.

Masonry WorkRe-pointing and masonry work can be costly but, left unattended, these repairs can cause problems with water and moisture penetration into the home which in turn could lead to a chimney being clogged by fallen bricks or even a chimney which falls onto the roof. It can be costly to rebuild a chimney or to have it repointed.

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‘Sort out any repairs now, to make the selling easy - It will help your buyer fall in love with your home’

DampIf any part of your ground floor is below the ground surface level around your home, you could be faced with ‘rising damp’. This is where water is absorbed into the walls and damages plaster and decoration.

You’ll need to get a damp specialist to treat affected areas by chemical injection (to remove moisture and block re-occurrence) and then redecorate the treated areas. Make sure you keep any guarantees for your conveyancer.

Adequate Security and Safety FeaturesMore than an alarm system, any buyer will look for the basic safety features that will protect their home such as proper locks on windows and patio doors, dead bolts on the doors, smoke and even carbon monoxide detectors on every level.

Even though pricing will vary, these components will add to your costs.

Before purchasing or installing, you should check with your local experts.

Structural/FoundationProblemsAn inspector will certainly investigate the underlying footing and foundation of your home as structural integrity is a fundamental requirement.

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When you put your home on the market, you don’t want any unpleasant surprises that could cost you the sale.

By having an understanding of these 11 problem areas as you walk through your home, you’ll be arming yourself against future disappointment.

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TIME

WASTERS!

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Get Your Free Expert Valuation for Your Home to Make Sure That You Get the Best Possible Price Selling your home is a very important decision. Making a mistake can cost you thousands of hard-earned pounds. That’s why it’s crucial that you get expert advice when getting your property valuation. This does not mean that you should go with the highest valuation. The oldest trick in the book is to ‘over value’ and promise the earth only for you to find yourself locked into a straight jacket contract. The simple truth is that you’ll get DOUBLE the interest and exposure the first time you list a property. So you have one chance at making that crucial first impression. You need to enter the market with a bang! If you accept bad advice you’ll miss the boat and have to drastically lower the price to make up for lost ground. The good news is that our Branch Manager knows your local market and won’t ‘pull the wool over your eyes’. They will give you up to date and accurate information. The service is completely free, without obligation, and totally transparent. You’ll get a copy of all of the research comparable data used when arriving at your valuation.

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After having my house on the market for over a year with another agent, I switched

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I had my property on the market with a popular local estate agent for almost six months

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