If you are planning on buying a used boat, the first professionals you should reach out to is a boat surveyor Cape Coral. The role of the surveyors is to inspect every inch of the boat you are considering and make recommendations on how much you should pay for it and how much you should expect to spend on repairs. In this post, our focus will be on the most frequently asked questions.
Why do you need a boat survey?
The first point you should note is that a marine survey is not mandatory. This is unless it has been requested by a lender or insurance company. When buying a boat, you can complete the purchase without getting a marine survey performed. This is, however, a terrible idea. The whole idea of working with a boat surveyors Cape Coral is so that you can get a comprehensive and objective review of the boat you are buying.
You should get a boat survey for the following reasons:
- A survey gives you an assurance of the boat’s true condition and not just what the seller told you.
- It is easy to miss significant issues if you don’t know what to look for. A marine surveyor has experience and training needed to spot issues easily and make recommendations.
- The survey report you get after a survey has been done contains carefully researched information on the market value as well as the replacement value of the boat. This is information not available to the general public.
- A survey is required by insurance companies and lenders.
Who pays for the boat survey?
The person who requests a marine survey is the one that pays for it. If you are a boat owner and want to know how much your boat is worth, you will pay the surveyor. However, in most cases, buyers are the ones who request a boat survey. While there are some variations on payments, in most instances the surveyor is paid by the person who hires a surveyor.
The case is the same when it comes to the haul out. The person who requests for a haul out pays for the service.
How much does a boat survey cost?
The amount you pay will depend mostly on the boat surveyor Cape Coral you hire. The cost is also influenced by the following:
- Size of the vessel
- Hull construction; is it cored or solid fiberglass
- Hull material; steel, fiberglass, wood, aluminum or ferrocement
- Age of the vessel. Boats constructed pre 1970s tend to cost more to survey
Working with an experienced marine surveyor is the best way to ensure you are investing in the right vessel. You must, however, not that the surveyor will not disassemble components. If there is an issue that requires a component to be dismantled to look inside, the surveyor will recommend you to another professional, probably a mechanic.