Buying
· 5 min read
How to read a survey in an evening
Forty pages of jargon, three that matter. Where to look first and what to ask next.
IH
Imogen Hale
Partner, buying
The survey lands on a Friday and your offer expires on Monday. This is how to read it between dinner and bed.
Start at the summary
The last page tells you what the surveyor was worried about. Everything else is evidence.
Separate urgent from interesting
Urgent means water, structure, electrics or gas. Interesting means almost everything else. Ask your surveyor for a cost range on every urgent item.
A survey is not a verdict. It is a negotiating document.
Use it to negotiate
A credible estimate from a surveyor is the strongest argument you have for a lower price or a seller credit. Be polite, specific and quick.
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