How much is a survey likely to cost?

boggybrn

boggybrn

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www.messingaboutinboats.co.uk
I'm considering buying a slightly larger boat, and have seen one that fits the bill. My current boat only cost £2,000 so I didn't bother with a survey (and haven't regretted it).

The potential purchase is a 26 foot bilge keel yacht that is currently afloat. So... how much is a surveyor likely to charge for a buyers survey?

Also for such a survey am I right to expect the boat to be dried / lifted out for external inspection?
 
I agree - two to three hundred pounds - and yes if you want it lifted, I guess you'll have to pay - u nless you can get the owner to do it for you.

Once you've had the survey you might find you need to renogiate the price and you might want to claim the cost of the lift back. Or not, if it's a superb 'deal'!

Did you make any 'offer' subject to suvey?
 
I haven't made an offer as yet.

Is it usual to make an offer 'subject to survey' then to walk away if the survey turns up something unexpected?

I was hoping that with the bilge keels I could avoid / reduce the cost of lifting out by drying it out over a single low tide.
 
When I bought my 31' boat in Plymouth two years ago I phoned around and prices ranged from £350 to £500. I chose the £500 one and got a superb very detailed 26 page report and he (James Green) has been often recommended here.

A good recommendation is worth having.

Gary - I'd expect an insurance survey to be cheaper because they are not interested in every detail.
 
I paid about £300 in 2006 for a full survey on the 29' steel hulled yacht that I was proposing to buy.

She has a centre keel with bilge plates and I arranged that the seller would ground her close to a local slipway - the Surveyor was perfectly happy with the arrangement providing he could have good access to all areas of the boat for approx 2 hours.

I didnt see the point of adding an unnecessary £100 - 200 for craning out.
 
Hi there , a bit more information that might help:
Regarding cost, the figures others have quoted are in the right area. Get a quote, most surveyors will ask to what extent you need a surveyor to go and how much information do you require.
Lifting out or drying out between tides; This depends, if you require accurate moisture meter readings, then these cannot usually be done between tides, any readings are generally misleading and much higher than they might be after a day or two ashore.
Unless the underside is or has been cleaned, it is not possible to scrutinise the hull underwater to the same accuracy as if ashore and pressure washed.
Any good surveyor will not put the vessel at risk by fully testing some areas of the hull underwater for fear of undermining the watertight integrity or preventing the vessel from being able to be used as she might have been prior to inspection, this refers to seacocks, particularly gatevalves and other structural parts. This would leave a big question mark that might remain unresolved.
If anything was found that needed closer scrutiny underwater, time is obviously limited and another unknown might remain.
The surveyor would and should note all of these areas (if they were applicable) and then you could be left facing having to lift and clean anyway.
Types of survey.. This site might help. survey info



John Lilley
 
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