How to avoid buying a money pit

8th March 2019

It’s often said that when we buy a home, we do so with our hearts and not our heads. It’s always advisable to have a structural survey done by a professional surveyor, as they will take an objective view of the property, and report on any problems that might be expensive to fix.

Structural checks

Surveyors will spot things that you might not notice, like a sagging roof, missing tiles, warped window frames, wonky walls or sloping floors. They will investigate any cracks that could be a symptom of subsidence or other structural problems. They will also look for signs of any water damage, and check if damp or condensation might be a problem.

It also makes sense to get boilers and central heating systems checked out. If defects go undetected, they can be expensive to put right and could be a major inconvenience when you move in.

Getting the price right

If your surveyor finds problems, they will give you an approximate figure for putting things right. If you still want to proceed, you can use this as a bargaining tool to ask the seller to reduce the price.