Congratulations! If you’re reading this blog, you’ve likely gone sale agreed on what could potentially be your new home. You’ve gone through the mortgage approval process, potentially won a bidding war, commissioned an engineer’s report, and are now looking at a detailed survey that you are having a hard time understanding. We completely understand your confusion. Structural surveys, sometimes called engineers’ reports or home buyers’ surveys, can be technical and detailed, which is what you want when you are about to invest in a property, but can be incredibly hard to understand, especially to the untrained eye.
In this guide, we will break down what a house survey covers and explain the structure and content of common reports. Our team at BCE Consulting Engineers has 25 years of experience providing detailed structural surveys for buyers in Cork. We understand that these reports can be confusing, which is why we are available to answer your questions and clarify any uncertainties. To start, read on for a breakdown of a structural survey report.
What Is a Structural Survey Report?
A structural survey report is an in-depth examination of a building’s structure, conducted by a qualified engineer. The report covers everything from the exterior of the building to the interior, including everything from the condition of the internal structure to the roof, pipes, insulation, and foundation. It is generally used by buyers before they finalise a purchase to give them a clear understanding as to the state of the building they are going to purchase. This type of survey is also often required by lenders.
The best way to make an informed decision when purchasing a home is by commissioning a structural survey. If you are wondering, “What type of survey do I need when purchasing a house?” This is it. No other type of survey will give you a clearer picture of the condition of the second-hand home you are planning on buying.
What Does Your Structural Survey Report Cover?
While structural survey reports may vary slightly depending on the engineer carrying them out, they tend to follow a similar format and include the same elements. Here’s a breakdown of what you can typically expect to find:
Summary of Findings
This is a high-level overview of the key issues (if any) identified during the inspection. It’s useful if you want a quick snapshot before diving into the full report.
Individual Elements
The report will break the property down into sections such as the roof, walls, floors, windows, services, and external areas, and asses aspect for defects, deterioration, or signs of movement.
Photos and Annotations
Clear photos are included to support the findings, often with arrows or notes to show exactly what’s been observed. These can help visualise the issues and are useful when discussing repairs with contractors.
Recommendations
Based on the findings, the engineer will offer practical advice including suggested repairs, routine maintenance, or further specialist investigations if needed.
For example, if your engineer were to find an issue in the external brickwork, the defect would be highlighted in the report as follows:
“Cracking noted to the external brickwork on the rear elevation. Cracks run diagonally from the corner of the ground floor window and measure approximately 3–5mm wide. This may indicate localised movement and should be monitored for progression. Repointing and localised repairs are recommended in the short term.”
The description clearly describes the fault and its location as well as hypothesises as to what has caused the fault. It then gives clear feedback on how to rectify the issue.
Common Terms and What They Really Mean
Survey reports use very specific language to describe technical issues in a building, and while the wording might seem cautious or technical, it’s carefully chosen to reflect the severity of the issue as well as the engineer’s level of certainty.
Here’s a quick guide to some of the most common phrases:
Settlement
This refers to the natural movement of a building as it adjusts to ground conditions. Some settlement is expected in older buildings and may not be a cause for concern unless it’s ongoing or uneven.
Damp Ingress
This simply means moisture is getting into the building where it shouldn’t, often through walls, roofs, or floors. It can be caused by poor drainage, damaged gutters, or lack of ventilation.
No Significant Defect
This is used when minor imperfections are present, but nothing that would impact the structural integrity or function of the building. Essentially, this means that you have nothing to worry about.
Recommend Further Investigation
This means your engineer has noticed something that may need more detailed analysis from a specialist damp expert, plumber, electrician, or drainage contractor. It’s a cautious but responsible approach.
Minor Maintenance Required
This usually is just suggesting routine upkeep like clearing gutters, repainting timberwork, or replacing a few tiles. It’s not urgent, but it is best to deal with it before it develops into something more serious.
Have you come across any terms in your structural survey report that you don’t quite understand? Feel free to get in touch with our team at BCE Consulting Engineers. We would be happy to go over your report with you and make sure you understand all the technical elements of your structural survey report.
How to Respond to What You’ve Read
So now that you have a better idea as to what your structural survey is telling you about your property, you need to decide how you are going to respond. Is your structural survey telling you to run away as fast as you can, renegotiate, or go ahead with the purchase?
First off, don’t panic. Pretty much all second-hand properties have at least some minor issues. In our 25 years of performing structural surveys, our team of engineers at BCE has never performed a survey on a second-hand property and found zero issues, minor or otherwise.
Start with the summary, which will give you a clear overview of the engineer’s findings and highlight any urgent issues. From there, you can dive into the rest of the report.
When you are reading through your survey, it is important to understand the context. For example, is the property you are purchasing 200 years old or 20 years old? You would expect to find many more structural issues in a historical property than in something that was built this century. The type of defect is important to consider as well. For example, a leak in the roof is much easier to fix than rising damp throughout the property.
Once you have read through the full survey, you should have enough information to make your next decision.
- Negotiate: If the report reveals moderate defects like roof repairs, damp treatment, or window replacements, you may be able to renegotiate the purchase price or ask the seller to carry out works before exchange.
- Walk Away: In some rare cases, a report may uncover major structural concerns or signs of serious ongoing movement. If the costs or risks are too high, it is completely okay to walk away.
- Seek Further Advice: If you’re unsure about a specific issue highlighted in the report, go ahead and follow the recommendation for a specialist survey such as a boundary survey or a plumbing inspection. This will give you more clarity and help you make an informed decision without guessing.
Do You Need Help Interpreting a Report?
If you are still unsure as to whether you should proceed with a purchase after going through your structural survey, don’t hesitate to seek out a second opinion. Our team at BCE will happily go through your report with you and provide in-depth explanations and advice.
If you commission an engineer’s report from BCE, we are happy to discuss our findings with you after the fact to make sure you have all the information you need to make the right purchasing decision for you and your family.
Conclusion
We understand that purchasing a home can be incredibly overwhelming. While a structural survey should help you gain clarity on your purchase, it is also easy to get lost in the technical terminology and the range of defaults highlighted. However, it is incredibly important not to ignore anything highlighted in the report or misinterpret findings.
Our team of qualified engineers at BCE, led by civil and structural engineer Stephen Michael Boyle, has been helping purchasers make well-informed decisions when it comes to buying a home for over 25 years. Whether you need to commission a structural survey, need help interpreting a report, or need to commission a follow-up survey like a boundary survey, our team is here to help. Get in touch today to discuss your survey report or surveying needs.
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