Mistake on my Survey.

[houseq]

I have just moved into my dream home. I had a basic survey and a homebuyers survey done, both describe my house as brick built with the brick size stated, I now find it is a timber framed house!!!

[buildersmate]

So is there a question in there somewhere?
Timberframe houses have an inner skin (frame of timber) that supports the roof, and an outer skin of block or brick (or other alternatives).
Rather more common than you possibly imagine on UK new builds these days.

[houseq]

Sorry! I thought it was self explanatory, how can a Surveyor make that sort of mistake. I assumed it was brick built, but surely a Surveyor should have noticed.

[jackthehat]

If your mortgage company did your survey it is likely to be full of such mistakes...............or did you pay for an independent RICS survey ?

[houseq]

Mortage company �400 and paid �750 for a homebuyers survey.

[jackthehat]

The mortgage company survey is just to confirm that the house IS worth more than they are advancing you to buy it.........there will be a huge amount of generalisations and more get-out clauses than you could shake a stick at.

I'm not sure who would have carried out the second survey (HIP ?) bit, again, if there are boxes to be ticked perhaps the choice is limited.........

[buildersmate]

If you've paid for a homebuyers' survey then, yes, I agree that any surveyor worth his/her slat should identify a timberframe house. The report is factually incorrect.
As to whether it changes the price of fish, I'm less sure. Do you consider that you've suffered some financial loss as a result, perhaps?

[houseq]

I honestly don't know. My worry is - if she could not tell a timber framed house from a brick built house, what else has been missed. I would also have liked to consider wheather I wanted to wanted to buy a timber framed house or not.

[jackthehat]

Contact her...............
She may be able to put your mind at rest, or you may be able to negotiate a replacement survey..........

Your decision to buy the house is moot. There will have been many other factors upon which you based your choice.........

[annie0000]

It should be obvious that your house is not traditional build by knocking your hand on the inside of an exterior wall. I would complain to the surveyor, but as for your enjoyment of your home and the value of it, they should be exactly the same. My last 2 houses have been timber frame and aside from having to use different types of fixings to hang pictures, the only difference I have noticed is that they are easier to heat and less inclined to damp - the walls always feel warmer to the touch than brick ones. In terms of compensation, I would expect that you should be due a refund of your fee or resurvey of your property. That's what i would ask for anyway, amd see where that gets you.

[houseq]

Hi again, thanks for the replys.
It has taken till now to get a response from the Surveyor and/or Building Society, and only then with numerous phone calls with everyone passing the buck. We have arranged a meeting with the surveyor (who has personal problems) next week.. I will let you know the results.