Viewing a house that needs work - would you take a builder round?

[cantthinkofaname]

Hi friends. We are looking at a house that hasn’t been updated since the 90s and needs a bit of work – nothing too extensive, I don’t think. Any tips? I’m asking because when we bought our last flat, we got stung by a very good, reputable RICS surveyor who frankly missed quite a lot of issues. We didn’t find out ‘til we moved in, obviously.

Is there such a thing as taking a builder round to the house viewing with you and have them do a very rough assessment? This seems more practical than the traditional route. Would love to hear any experiences, or any recommendations of reputable builders who might do an hourly visit. Thanks.

[alex_b]

We did it with a couple of houses we looked at. You’d need to have a builder you trust though.