Technical Survey: Is It Crucial Before Buying Your Property in Italy?
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If you have visited Lake Como at least once in your lifetime you already know what we’re about to tell you. Sometimes happens that you walk through our beautiful timeless villages, you see an old and dusty property and you literally fall in love with it. “OMG, what a potential”, you think. Your mind starts working on how it could look like after a renovation. You had a crash. These things happen.
But then, some legitimate questions come to your mind: “What if I’m buying a property with a lot of unexpected structural issues? What if there are too many works to be done and extra expenses that I can’t afford?” And so on and so forth. Here comes the role of a technical survey.
Let’s see in detail what this document is and who can carried it out.
WHAT IS A TECHNICAL SURVEY
Basically, a technical survey is a detailed document that gives you the big picture of the state of your property.
Only a technician (either an engineer or a geometra) can carry out this kind of survey.
The first important thing to know is that in Italy technical surveys are not required by Law, meaning that owners won’t do that spontaneously; rather, clients can make one at their own expense. In other words, a technical survey is a document clients might want to have for their own peace of mind, but it is not necessary for the sake of the purchase.
Our tip: not getting an expert survey is a false saving especially when it comes to (very) old properties, as you may have problems showing off later on (old homes have some inevitable defects due to their age).
We know that when you’re already spending a lot of money on buying a house, a survey can feel like an unnecessary expense. But it’s far better to be aware of any problems before you buy a property, so you can make an informed decision about how much you’re willing to pay for it.
what does a technical SURVEY in italy entail
In Italy, a technical survey is a report on the condition of the house: this means that the technician will check the general structure and health of the property, but when it comes to inspect in detail the single conditions of specific elements (e.g. plumbing system, electrical system etc.), other designated professionals (e.g plumbers, electricians etc.) will be involved.
The technician checks, for example, the structure of the walls, the damp, the cracks. It’s not possible to ask the technician to check the condition of pipes and cables, chimneys, and other “hidden”/internal elements.
We know that in many countries there’s the figure of the surveyor, who checks the whole condition of the house. It’s good to know how the process varies in different countries.
Should you require a survey, feel free to contact our internal Technical Studio! Our Engineer will be happy to help.