Frequently Asked Questions - continued.

Q. I've been offered a cheap deal if I have my valuation and survey done by the same company/person.

The problem with doing this is the surveyor has to have very different skills to both value the property and survey it.  The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors recognises this and have two different divisions which are trained in different ways.  They also have different qualifications although confusingly they are both called Chartered Surveyors.  Valuers are called chartered valuation surveyors and building surveyors are called chartered building surveyors.

Many valuers are not that comfortable carrying out surveys of any sort and more specifically not comfortable carrying out building surveys.  Commercial pressures mean they are being forced into now doing building surveys as well as valuation surveys - the deal where the survey and valuation come cheaper is one such instance. In our experience this tactic is often used by valuation companies (often owned by the mortgage companies and estate agents as a way of keeping staff fully employed - we once heard it said that its like asking your doctor to pull your teeth out - you should use a specialist!)