32 Frederick Street
17 Home Condition Report
Comments supplied by Robin Mewes, Residential Surveyor & Valuer, Allied Surveyors.
It is surprising just how different the HCR is from the HSV. It may just be my manner of writing, but my HSV style has more in common with that of the Building Survey in so far as it cites opinion. The HCR is more factual. It remains to be seen whether that makes the HCR a better report for the purchaser, but it should certainly make it more palatable for the seller. It is my experience that the seller will always disagree with my opinion, but be more inclined to feel well served if you point out a fact.
The fee, in practice, may be comparable with that of the HSV, but it remains to be seen what level the market will tolerate. The surveyor would have to accept that an HCR on 32 Frederick Street will take longer than average and ensure the inspection is not rushed.
There is no valuation in the HCR and often the valuation can take a great deal of time. With practice and as technology develops, the extra time taken to produce a more precise factual report should lessen and render, on average, HSVs and HCRs comparable in terms of time taken, but in this example comparable valuation evidence was readily available and the property was in poor order, so the HCR took substantially longer. On a time basis, in this example, the fee should have fallen mid-way between the HSV and Building Survey.
The property scores a lot of box 2s and box 3s; so the HCR clearly communicates the modest condition, so long as the client is familiar with the code.
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