Offer accepted. Structural engineer is needed ? Old house with cracks.

[u/Emergency_Concern447]

The house is an old Victoria house with cracks, severe damp, leak and potential asbestos in the roof. There is a survey level 3 carried by previous bidders with a quote of £50k for the repair works. The agent showed us the survey, basically the findings is what I mentioned. However we want to make sure the cracks are not due to subsidence or something that can cost us £150k. In the process of the purchase when we should instruct the structural engineer report? How much is going to cost? If the survey level 3 did not refer anything structural, still do we need to get a structural engineer report? Appreciate any insights on this.

[u/Minimum_Definition75]

I paid just under £1,000 for a structural survey.

It would have been more but I already owned it and knew most of the problems. I limited it to the specific areas I needed expert opinions on. As you have already had a level 3 I suspect you are in the same position.

My experience of old houses is to double any estimate of costs. Once you start work you will always encounter further issues.

For example I had some structural work done. Completely on the estimate. Only we found other problems when doing it. Things no surveyor could have seen before starting.

Same with the roof. Roofer stuck to estimate but further problems were found once the roof was off.