Property viewing checklist for first-time buyers
Buying a home is a nerve-wracking time. That statement is even more true if it’s your first time venturing into the property market.
Don’t worry, though. With a sensibly cautious approach, you’ll have enough understanding to ensure you’re not making a mistake.
For expert advice and guidance, consider instructing a chartered surveyor to undertake a home survey. They’ll conduct a detailed inspection and give you all the help you need as you get started.
This article briefly summarises some common problems you should watch out for when viewing a property.
Signs of damp
‘Damp’ is an umbrella term meaning ‘moisture in the air’. Now, we live on an island with some of the most humid weather in Europe. That means there’s always going to be water somewhere, and there’s nothing we can really do about that.
Damp in homes comes from stationary moisture. Usually, with good ventilation, it’s harmless. The problem usually comes from a lack of airflow (although there could be burst pipes, leaking drains, or roof/gutter issues).
Common signs of damp include:
- Condensation on windows, mirrors, and other metal surfaces
- Mould
- Noticeable damp patches under the plaster
- A damp smell
- No ventilation in bathrooms and kitchens (such as extractor fans)
- Sticking wooden windows (the wood swells as it takes on water)
Subsidence
Subsidence is one of those scary words, especially if you’re a first-time buyer. It’s when the property foundations rise and sink with the ground underneath. This puts excess stress on certain parts of the structure. When subsidence affects a home, you’ll notice the following symptoms:
- Cracks in the brickwork
- Cracks in the plasterboard (walls and ceilings)
- Doors and windows don’t close or open properly
- Sinking floors
- Sinking (or cracks in) driveway, path, garden, etc.
- Skirting boards separating from the walls
Subsidence is relatively common in the UK but particularly prevalent in the South East and London. These areas have high clay content in the soil. If a surveyor does find evidence of subsidence, getting a mortgage may be more difficult (but not impossible).
Common appliances
Ask the estate agent or owner (whoever is showing you around) what – if any – appliances will be included in the sale. Most people take everything they own, but some might leave a washing machine or dishwasher.
While it might not sound like much, having good quality, working appliances can save you a significant amount of money. New kitchen or utility machines range from £300 to £1,000. It all adds up.
As you walk around, consider how much you might need to spend on new appliances, kitchens, bathrooms, living spaces, etc.
Asbestos
Asbestos itself is difficult for most people to spot. A chartered surveyor should certainly be brought in to check for it in any home before 2000 (1999 and earlier).
However, you’ll almost certainly be familiar with Artex. Those swirly patterns (usually on ceilings) can be found in pretty much any house. Artex contains trace amounts of Asbestos. You should take note when Artex is covering all the walls and ceilings. It isn’t a dealbreaker necessarily, but it will need removing if you want to run pipes, wiring, or even hang pictures. Many people ignore this and simply drill through it, but it’s a severe health hazard.
Removing this substance is expensive and requires a specialist. Expect to pay around £15 to £20 per square metre for Artex removal, plus disposal costs. If plasterboard needs to come down too, this will add to the removal cost. In serious cases, total costs could rise to over £80 per square metre.
Woodworm
Woodworm, despite its name, is actually a form of beetle larvae. The eggs hatch on the timber, and the larvae grow by eating their way through the sap. This forms tunnels in the wood and eventually damages its structural integrity.
When the beetle larvae reach maturity, they burrow to the surface and fly away, laying eggs elsewhere to start the process over again.
Woodworm isn’t usually easy to spot, although you might see it in exposed beams in the roof or in historic properties. Watch out for small holes in dry wooden surfaces. These holes will be a couple of millimetres apart and surrounded by frass. Frass looks like sawdust but is actually beetle faeces. Yuck.
Check the roof
The roof is something most people naturally forget to look at. Yet without one, we’d all be in serious trouble. You can look at the roof from the outside and ask to see the loft from the inside too. Be on the lookout for the following:
- Damp
- Broken gutters and eaves
- Missing tiles
- Damp-proof course issues
- Ventilation problems
- Structural faults like damaged beams or woodworm
Let us help
At GB Home Surveys, we’re always glad to help anyone out. We know that buying a property for the first time is terrifying. That’s why a home survey is so important. It means another professional set of eyes looking over your potential future home and reassuring you that you’re putting your hard-earned money into a high-quality, long-lasting building.
GB Home Surveys has dedicated offices in Three Counties, Devon, the Cotswolds, Bristol and Bath, Taunton and North Somerset, South Wales, and the West Midlands. If you’re hoping to buy a home in any of these areas, we’d love to hear from you.
Get in touch with us using the form below for a friendly, no-obligation chat. We look forward to hearing from you.
