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Engineer's Report - A necessity?

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  • 13-08-2014 11:17pm
    #1
    youngblood
    Registered Users Posts: 1,770 ✭✭✭


    Just wondering if people generally get an engineers report done when buying a second hand house?

    House about 14 years old, semi detached. No known problems (pyrite, subsidence, flooding etc) with any of the houses in estate.

    Any info appreciated


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    #2
    johndaman66
    Registered Users Posts: 4,097 ✭✭✭johndaman66


    I would imagine most people do get one done irrespective. I went sale agreed on a house towards the end of last year and got one done....and I can be a right tight git:D. Having said that the checks that he did weren't by any means rocket science and he did have a good name and came highly recommended (I was with him doing the survey). Only real equipment used was a damp meter and very large measuring tape for measuring site boundary. I'd imagine if I seen him do a 4 or 5 of these surverys I'd be competent enough to do one myself. It seemed a handy €400 for circa 2 hours work... As it happens sale fell through as I was gazumped in the end.

    I'd suggest low water getting a competent builder to give the place a look over. Also you mention flooding....I reckon a surveyor wont be in a position to provide you with a definititive answer on this. At best i their repor they will most likely say something like there is a stream running in close proximity to the house....this may be a cause for concern or check out flooding history in the area....unless they are very familiar with the area and history of flooding there in which case they may have more insight...


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    #3
    youngblood
    Registered Users Posts: 1,770 ✭✭✭youngblood


    Yea Im hearing that the majority of checks are visual etc no testing for pyrite for example.... the house in the estate in question has no known problems etc


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    #4
    Victor
    Registered Users Posts: 78,421 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    Something you think is 'grand' might actually be a serious problem. It doesn't need to be an engineer, but having someone inspect the property is important. It's a few hundred euro out of probably €100,000+. Would you buy a second hand car for €5,000 without having someone check it out?
    youngblood wrote: »
    Yea Im hearing that the majority of checks are visual etc no testing for pyrite for example.... the house in the estate in question has no known problems etc
    You could ask for a pyrite test, but I'm not sure the vendor would agree.


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    #5
    Eldarion
    Registered Users Posts: 484 ✭✭Eldarion


    Why wouldn't you get it done? This is a huge investment you're undertaking, probably the biggest you'll make in your life. Do your due diligence.


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    #6
    youngblood
    Registered Users Posts: 1,770 ✭✭✭youngblood


    Eldarion wrote: »
    Why wouldn't you get it done? This is a huge investment you're undertaking, probably the biggest you'll make in your life. Do your due diligence.

    Does anyone have an idea of the criteria they use for assessment?
    How indept are these reports?
    Can't see much info online of standard practice
    I'm a little reluctant at the moment given
    its a relatively new build,
    there are no known problems according to neighbours and
    From what other people have said online regarding inspections they just seem to be visual checks, slants/dips of floors, eaves of roofs, rafters, damp etc, maybe this is the norm and maybe there's more to it that I haven't heard or found out


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    #7
    BeatNikDub
    Closed Accounts Posts: 603 ✭✭✭BeatNikDub


    Yes, get one. You just never know and it is better to be safe than sorry and save money now rather than down the line when it is too late.
    If it is Dublin pm me and I can send on some good guys :)


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    #8
    youngblood
    Registered Users Posts: 1,770 ✭✭✭youngblood


    BeatNikDub wrote: »
    Yes, get one. You just never know and it is better to be safe than sorry and save money now rather than down the line when it is too late.
    If it is Dublin pm me and I can send on some good guys :)

    That'd be great


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    #9
    cpoh1
    Registered Users Posts: 1,605 ✭✭✭cpoh1


    youngblood wrote: »
    its a relatively new build,

    Even more reason to get a report! I would be more nervous buying a house built between 200-2006 than something from the 70's/80's. Some of the tat and quality of labour during the Celtic tiger years was nothing short of a disgrace.


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    #10
    okiss
    Registered Users Posts: 698 ✭✭✭okiss


    A home is the largest purchase you will make. Yes there may be no problems with the other houses in the area that you know of but spending a few euro now could save you a lot of money.

    I have friends who looked at a nice house in a popular area which they liked a lot. This house was only a few years old. They got an engineer's report and found out it had a number of problems which would have cost somewhere around €15k - €20k to fix.
    They adjusted there offer down to take this into consideration. The vendor would not accept the offer. Within a few months they got a far better house.

    An engineer's report can show up a problem/problems so you can decided yes I will buy this house for x amount rather that y when you know it will cost z amount to fix the house. If you find out there is major problems it gives you a chance to walk away rather then ending up with house that will cost you a fortune to fix.


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    #11
    youngblood
    Registered Users Posts: 1,770 ✭✭✭youngblood


    Cheers for that Okiss,

    Yea Im getting structural soundness checked out, thing I'm little annoyed with is if there's evidence of maybe an old leak etc its viewed as a minor issue and will probably be expected as the house is second hand and being sold as is. This means the vendor is not obliged to make good any item requiring repair.

    So I wouldnt get reduction in sale price but would still have to fix it myself?
    This the norm?


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