Do new properties need surveys? Debunking myths and clarifying the role of surveyors

In an ideal world that is correct, but we carry out many ‘snagging’ surveys of homes bought ‘off plan’, and more often than not, find significant defects and variations or omissions from the agreed specification.  Recently, a builder stated ”We forgot!!” to build a pool. We provide a snagging report that includes a spreadsheet listing the identified defects in both English and Spanish. This is crucial as many tradespeople, responsible for the repairs, may not comprehend English.

How does typical build quality in Spain compare with the UK today.

Rewind a decade or two and Spanish builders didn’t have a great name for quality of build, not helped by the rush to get new stock on the market during the boom years and relaxed regulations. I’m right in saying things have improved hugely?  Yes, you are correct in both comments. In the past there were many poor builds, with regulations not being followed and lax supervision. Now, things are much better, but again there is a rush to complete and get the money in. Many developers were waiting throughout the Covid times, unable to start or complete the building work and reach the stage of going to the Notary. Now, they and their agents, the whole team, are keen to push things on to conclusion as quickly as possible as none make a profit until the completion payment is received.

How do surveyors charge, what is a typical fee structure?

Some have a fixed fee scale, working on a ‘swings and roundabouts’ basis, where inspections that are not so profitable are covered by the easy ones. Survey Spain Network estimates the time and complexity of carrying out each job individually, so that our clients pay for our work for them and know they are not subsidising others. We always carry out a detailed inspection, but can offer reduced reports that are just a list of the defects found, without carrying out or reporting on variations in legal and tax descriptions, likely boundary problems, observed ‘errors’ with the paperwork, etc. We always recommend the full report, as very often we can advise our client’s lawyers of potential problems we’ve seen, as few lawyers visit or measure the properties and certainly are not qualified to carry out building inspections.

At would point should clients appoint a surveyor?

Once appointed do I leave it with you to liaise with all concerned – the agent, vendor etc, to organise the survey. What is a typical turnaround time? Please, as soon as possible.If you develop an interest in a property, inform us, and we will initiate our background work to be prepared for inspection once the initial contract is finalized. Allowing only 2 or 3 days for the visit, inspection, and the provision of an initial ‘headline’ report is unfair to us and, more importantly, not in the client’s best interest.

Yes, all we need is to identify the property and the name of the person who is going to give us access, and we do everything thereafter. 24 to 48 hours after our inspection, we give the client a brief ‘headline’ email, summarising what we’ve found and our advice. Thereafter, it can take a further 3-5 days for the full report, which is drafted by the surveyor on our template and then passed to our MD to review and sign, and send to the client only. Our work is 100% confidential between Survey Spain and the client.

What are Spanish people’s approach to surveys?

Are they usually happy for their home to be surveyed and assessed or do they get suspicious of a buyer’s motived!? Nobody is happy to have a stranger poking around all the corners of their house, finding defects even the owner didn’t know existed. Spanish sellers are just as hesitant as other nationalities, but realise that the deal won’t get done unless they permit the inspection. Mostly, sellers will demand that at least the initial, smaller deposit is paid by the buyer to take the property off the market for 2-3 weeks, with them realising that the buyer wouldn’t instruct a survey unless they were serious about buying. It is a good way for agents and owners to ‘qualify’ enquirers as being serious probable buyers.