How detailed is an expert report from a building surveyor?

Hello,
we looked at a house that is already quite a few years old. Since we liked the location, size, floor plan, etc. (by far the best we've ever looked at), we have now arranged a second appointment with a building expert.

We communicated to him the points that are important to us, and of course he knows what to pay attention to.

But now my (hopefully not too embarrassing) question: what exactly does such an inspection result look like? It’s obviously not a detailed written report, but how likely is it that he will uncover the biggest (hidden) defects during about 2 hours in the house? How much can you rely on it?

Thanks in advance for your assessment!

but how likely is it that he will uncover the biggest (hidden) defects within about 2 hours in the house? How much can you rely on that?

As always, without guarantee… Obvious defects he should discover, hidden ones he will only find through component openings etc. (so initially not at all). And finally, it depends on his qualification. There are all kinds. Two hours are enough for a rough assessment thumbs up or down.

As always without guarantee… He should discover obvious defects, hidden ones he will only find through component openings etc. (so initially not at all). And finally, it depends on his qualification. There are all kinds. Two hours are enough for an assessment thumbs up or down.

Thank you! So can one rely on a good expert that, for example, the house is good at that price? Or are there any serious defects that cannot be discovered/discovered like that?

Or are there any serious defects that cannot be discovered/identified like that?

You only see that when you open the components. For example, wet insulation behind the cladding of the sloped ceilings on the upper floor. Or the missing sealing in the bathroom (under the tiles). Incorrectly installed windows. There are plenty of things you cannot see. That's just the way it is. The expert sees visible defects.

You only see that when you open the components. For example, wet insulation behind the cladding of the sloping ceilings on the upper floor. Or the missing waterproofing in the bathroom (under the tiles). Windows not installed correctly. There are plenty of things you cannot see. That's just the way it is. The expert sees visible defects.

Oh dear, OK. So basically you can't buy an older building unless you want to renovate it extensively anyway?

Oh dear, OK. So you basically can't buy an older building unless you want to renovate it extensively?

Well, people live in every older building. So the buildings are habitable. And very often or mostly without major problems. You can also buy used cars. They can still run for 100,000 km without problems or the engine dies as soon as you drive off the dealer's lot. So don't be so negative. Very few buyers of an older property renovate it extensively. It gets spruced up – like rental apartments. No one would ever think of not moving into an older building that looks good but hasn't been extensively renovated.