~ This is a guest post. ~
If you’re about to
buy a house, you’ll be only too aware of how it’s one of the biggest financial
transactions and commitments you’ll make in your life. You’ll spend a few
hundred dollars – maybe more – on land checks and surveys to make sure that the
house itself is in good condition and worth the money your mortgage provider is
about to lend you. Do you, though, think about getting your drainage pipes
checked over? Probably not.
A regular survey
probably won’t look at your underground drainage system. You’ll be able to see where the drains are,
but you may not find out what sort of condition they’re in. This is a bit odd,
really, as your drainage is vital to the smooth, healthy running of your home.
It’s what’s underneath that counts
It doesn’t matter
if your house is quite old or if it’s relatively new, you’ll almost certainly
be planning some changes – either redecoration or some structural changes.
These cost money, but just as important is making sure your underground pipes
don’t need any attention. If they do, and you’re not aware of this, you could
be presented with a very expensive surprise – a drain shattered by tree roots –
and you will no doubt regret spending all that money on a new porch.
Get a CCTV drain survey
Having your pipes
surveyed by CCTV can save you a lot of money in the long-run. You could still
go ahead and buy the house, but you could ask for a reduction in the asking
price so you can fix your drainage system as soon as you move in. You should be
looking for displaced or collapsed pipes, as well as tree roots working their
way into the pipes. There’s also clogs and cracks to look out for.
A CCTV check isn’t
intrusive in any way – the camera is inserted at the checkpoints and the
examination can be done is a short length of time. The survey will pick up any
problems – either ones that are in an advanced state, or any that should be
dealt with to prevent further damage down the line. Your surveyor should also
give you an idea of how much the repairs will cost, so you can negotiate a new
price with your vendor.
A drainage survey can help you to plan your extension
If you have plans
to extend the property once you’ve moved in, then a CCTV survey will highlight
any problems that building or excavation work might cause or make worse. Many a
building project is thwarted or delayed by problems with damaged underground
pipes, so it’s best to be able to build this knowledge into your plans before
you start.
You’ll even get a film!
Your surveyor
should give you a DVD of your inspection so you can show it to your mortgage
provider or vendor to back up your mortgage
application or argument for a price reduction.
There should also
be a written report detailing any problems, as well as suggestions and cost
estimates for repair work.
