Only 20% of buyers have a full structural survey

[Philofacts]

Only one in five home buyers obtain a full structural survey according to Which?.
Amazingly 80% of buyers believe that it is covered by the lender's Valuation Survey.
Some lenders charge borrowers around £280 for a mortgage valuation survey yet pay the actual surveyor as little as £89.

[The Prophet]

One of the few advantages of buying a brand new home is that a structural survey is not necessary.
The NHBC warranty giving peace of mind.

But buying an older home you really need to have a full structural survey. 
At least you will have someone to sue if problems are discovered later!

[FirstTimeBuyerGuru]

Plus new homes come with a guarantee of around 10 years.

[Philofacts]

It is a WARRANTY not a "Guarantee"  see New Home Warranty   
The NHBC Buildmark Warranty is for ten years.

[FirstTimeBuyerGuru]

Apologies, poor wording!

[Banjo]

A lot of people say NHBC "Guarantee"  I have even heard this on TV and seen it in the Sunday papers.
It is important people know the difference, because no one can GUARANTEE a defect-free new home!

[lookingtobuy11]

I think new homes are subject to problems just the same as older homes.  I do think that an inspection is critical in either case. Settling can have a big impact on new homes just as breakdown occurs in older homes.  I have purchased a few rental properties, and I need someone to look over them before purchase? Anyone know a handyman?

[Philofacts]

You would be better getting a full structural survey by a qualified surveyor.

[Fred]

Anyone buying a house more than ten years old should have a full structural survey.
They always find something which can then be used to get a price reduction - paying for the survey!

[The Brickkicker]

We get this a lot ...lots of buyers are still confused about surveys.

On a new house ...get a snagging survey ...there's no point in a full structural survey , as the structure is waranteed for 10 years already.

Unfortunatley your mortgage company will force you into having a surveyor to verify the value ....but this is changing and many will be web based valuations on the future bringing the cost down

On a house older than 1O-20 ( OUTSIDE THE WARRANTY ) years get RICS survey report

On a listed . older. or special catagory ....then get a FULL structural survey done......

Any one who needs advice ...just ask your question on the forum here.

[The Prophet]

I think it is a financial thing.
Buying a home is expensive and the extra cost of a full survey result in a lot of people taking a risk.
New homes do come with a WARRANTY, not to be confused with a guarantee.
NEW HOME WARRANTY

[rj1423ah]

Having bought a new build recently and judging by my experience of an ongoing issue being dealt with by the NHBC I think a structural survey is probably worth the money if you can afford it.

You may well have a Warranty but do you really want to find your new home has structural faults? That wouldn't inspire any kind of confidence in the home and you might well feel ripped-off if the fault was serious.

I'm beginning to wish I had a survey done as I have a few niggling problems with my house that I doubt either the developer or NHBC would have any interest in resolving. Has these faults been picked up in a survey I could have made a better buying decision or even negotiated a better price.

[Philofacts]

For those buying a new home, having a full structural survey done is a complete waste of money.
New homes come with a warranty that offers protection against structural issues that can develop in the first 10 years.
A full structural survey would not make structural defects any less likely, as the surveyor can only report what he can actually see at the time, which would be when the new home is brand new. 

What all new homes buyers should do is have their new home independently inspected by a professional snagging inspector.
This would help home buyers get the niggling problems sorted out before they move in.

New homes are not like older properties.  You can never renegotiate the price based on faults or defects.
The house builder must however put all defects that arise within the first 2 years.