Ideally, have a structural survey carried out before you sign the purchase agreement. This allows you to use the findings to determine your offer, arrange further investigation or decide not to buy the home. If a survey cannot be completed before signing, include a clear structural survey condition in your offer and the purchase agreement.
A survey is not mandatory for every home. It is particularly advisable if you cannot properly assess the defects and costs you may be taking on without further investigation.
When is a structural survey advisable?
A structural survey is a visual inspection of the technical condition of an existing home. It gives you insight into visible defects, overdue maintenance and work that may be needed in the short or longer term.
Consider having a survey carried out in any case if there are:
- cracks, damp patches, signs of leaks or sagging floors;
- visible overdue maintenance to the roof, façades, window frames or paintwork;
- an older home where important parts have not been renovated recently;
- extensions, additional storeys or other major renovations;
- unclear or limited information from the seller;
- clauses that place additional risk on you as the buyer, such as an age clause or a non-owner-occupancy clause;
- a home where unexpected repair costs would quickly use up your financial reserves.
The age of a home is not decisive in itself. A well-maintained older home may present less risk than a newer home that has had little maintenance for years. Look at the combination of the year of construction, maintenance, renovations, visible signs and available documents.
Should you arrange the survey before or after signing?
Before signing
This gives you the most flexibility as a buyer. For example, if the roof needs to be replaced soon or further investigation is required, you can take this into account in your offer and conditions. You can also decide not to proceed.
The downside is that the home is not yet definitely yours while the survey is being carried out. You also need the seller’s permission to have the home inspected.
After signing, with a structural survey condition
If you cannot arrange a survey before signing, make the survey part of your offer. After the offer is accepted, the condition must be included correctly in the purchase agreement.
At a minimum, specify:
- the deadline for carrying out the survey;
- the deadline for invoking the condition;
- which findings give you the right to terminate the purchase agreement;
- which repair costs count and what cost threshold applies;
- whether a recommendation for specialist follow-up investigation is also grounds for termination;
- which documents you must provide when terminating the agreement.
The exact wording is decisive. A report showing high costs does not automatically terminate the purchase agreement: you must take action yourself, on time and in the agreed manner. You will often need to submit the report as well.
Do not base the deadline only on the inspection date. The inspector also needs time to prepare the report, and you need to be able to assess the findings. If follow-up investigation may be required, check whether the chosen clause allows enough time for this. Whether the investigation itself must be completed before the deadline depends on the wording and the information you need to make a decision.
During the statutory cooling-off period
After receiving the purchase agreement signed by both parties, a private buyer has a statutory cooling-off period of three days. During this period, you can withdraw from the purchase without giving a reason. The exact end date depends on weekends and officially recognised public holidays.
A survey during the cooling-off period can therefore give you a way out, but only if both the inspection and the assessment of the findings can actually be completed within this short period. Do not rely on this without a confirmed appointment. A separate structural survey condition usually provides more time and clarity.
What does the inspector examine?
During a standard survey, the inspector examines the visible and accessible parts of the home. This may include the roof, façades, walls, ceilings, floors, window frames, paintwork and signs of damp or subsidence. The report usually distinguishes between work that is needed immediately and maintenance for later.
The inspector will not carry out demolition work and will usually not move furniture. Parts that cannot be accessed safely or reasonably may be excluded from the inspection. Ask in advance how the roof, attic and crawl space will be inspected, and make sure access points are clear where possible.
A standard survey is not a complete guarantee that the home is free from defects. Exactly what is excluded varies by inspector and assignment. Specialist investigation is often outside the scope of a standard survey, including investigation of:
- the foundations;
- asbestos;
- concealed pipes and structures;
- soil contamination;
- pests or wood-boring insects;
- the operation and capacity of all installations.
The inspector may identify warning signs and recommend follow-up investigation. Such a recommendation is not a minor detail: it means that a relevant risk has not yet been investigated sufficiently.
What should you do about defects that are found?
Do not look only at the total amount in the report. Distinguish between normal future maintenance, repairs that are needed immediately and risks whose extent is still unknown.
You then have roughly four options:
- Proceed as agreed. This may make sense if the findings are within your expectations and budget.
- Arrange further investigation. For example, if there are suspected foundation problems, asbestos or structural defects.
- Propose new terms. You can ask for a lower purchase price, repairs by the seller or another solution. After signing, the seller does not automatically have to agree.
- Terminate the purchase agreement. You can only do this if you meet the exact conditions, deadline and documentation requirements of the structural survey condition, or if you are still within the statutory cooling-off period.
Include repair costs in your total housing budget as well. A home may be eligible for financing while leaving you with too little of your own money for necessary maintenance after the purchase.
Structural survey, duty to investigate and NHG
A structural survey helps you investigate the condition of the home, but it does not eliminate every risk. If you or the inspector identify clear signs of a problem, further investigation may be needed. The seller must disclose relevant defects they know about, but the seller may not know everything either.
For an apartment, a survey usually focuses mainly on the private section. For maintenance of the roof, façade and shared installations, for example, you must also assess the documents, finances and maintenance plans of the VvE.
If you use NHG, a structural survey report is not automatically required for every purchase. Under the 2026 NHG rules, it may be required if the valuation report identifies immediate repair costs, a poor structural condition or the need for further structural investigation. The Conditions and Standards 2026-1 apply based on the date of the binding mortgage offer. In that case, NHG also sets requirements for the independence of the person preparing the report, the report template used and the age of the report. Check with your mortgage adviser in advance whether your survey must meet the applicable financing conditions.
