Whilst you wouldn’t dream of buying a property in the UK without first having an extensive survey done; this is not the case in many foreign countries. In many places, the people tend to use a local builder to inspect a particular aspect of a property i.e. the roof. The builder can also give a written estimate of how much the repair work would cost, if any. Whilst this does work for most of the locals, as a foreigner buying a property, it can be a lot of hassle. You will need specialist builders, one for each aspect of the property you want looking at.

Whatever happens, make sure you have a check or survey carried out before you sign any contracts or paperwork, or you could find yourself with a property that requires extensive work doing to it. Also, by using local builders and merchants, do you know you can trust what they are saying and will you understand what they are telling you?

It is likely that a local estate agent will be able to offer a survey, of sorts. It will cost you around £200 but it will be their thoughts on the property of the property and also what they think the general condition of the property to be. A knowledgeable agent will have a pretty good idea of what is good and what is not about a property, so make sure you get recommendations of who to use if possible.

Another sort of survey which will be carried out is by the lender if you are applying for a mortgage in the country. Though you need to bear in mind that the survey is done for the peace of mind of the lender, not the buyer, and they are even less detailed than those carried out by UK mortgage lenders.

Your lawyer should be able to put you in touch with a good local surveyor or architect who will be able to give condition reports. Bear in mind again that these reports are likely to be less detailed than the one you would get in the UK. The report will also be in the local language, so you will need to get it translated, this could cost you anything from £50 to £90 per 100 words. If using a translator, get one who is a native English speaker. All in all you can expect to fork out between £600 and £1500 for a survey of this type, including translation costs.

If you are buying in a popular tourist area, there may well be British surveyors working. This is the best option if you can get it, and it may cost a bit more, though the report will be in real English.