You probably would not buy a conventionally constructed house with out either. So why would you buy a park home with out professional help?
If your response is 'because the park owner says I do not need either' then think again.
The cost of many new park homes fully sited can easily exceed £250,000. The cost of a top of the range Bentley for example.
It is not too difficult to look around a car in a workshop and determine if the chassis is undamaged and a road test will confirm it drives well; bedsides you can always pop it back to the dealer if you discover a problem.
Not so 20 tonnes of sited park home!
A home also has a chassis on which the structure and total lifespan of the home relies. What then if you discover damage and corrosion? More frightening is the question what if you do not realise there is damage and corrosion or indeed other faults with the home? Your GoldShield warranty might be invalid or worse still your home insurance cover might be invalidated too!
If the home is sited and already has the hard landscaping in place such as a skirt and patio, inspecting the home is difficult as you will need to access the crawl space which will be for most unpleasant if not totally claustrophobic. It is something you are unlikely to do when is residence let alone during a pre purchase viewing.
You may well be told should you discover issues early on that these are 'snags' which can be repaired.
The question is will you be content for your investment which is your home to be 'patched up' probably to fail again?
It of course all depends on the severity of the issue and the remedy needed. It is still the case that once you have paid for the home and moved in your options under the Consumer Rights Act are daunting.
Whereas you could return your car and get a full refund and simply buy another car, this is not so easily done with your home.
You could always sue and move to another property. Somewhat inconvenient to say the least not to say you may then have to dip into the 'Cruise' fund to but something else in the same locality.
Could it be replaced?
Quite simply most if not all the building work around the home will need to be removed, all services disconnected and the home taken away; after you have moved out and have removed all your belongings of course.
No trivial matter when perhaps you were expecting a peaceful relaxing retirement as per the advertising blurb given to you by the park owners and this happening when you and yours are perhaps older, a little infirm and vulnerable.
It is better to be safe than sorry. Buying that dream home perched on a cliff overlooking a beautiful bay having made your self assessment that 'the cliff look solid enough' will resonate for along time when that home arrives on the beach below.
There are no reasons not to engage a surveyor.
A solicitor will help with the other areas likely to become serious issues. Site Licensing matters and compliance with the Mobile homes Act are essential and unless you wish to spend a huge amount of time on the legislation, which I will not dissuade you from doing, a legal mind will assist.
