Seller-side surveys
Furniture with old flight holes is taken away before the survey. What has that removal not changed about the house timbers?
It has not changed the house timbers. Taking the furniture away removes those pieces from the room. It does not treat, replace or prove the joists, rafters, or any other timber that stays. A survey records what is there on the day. If the marked pieces have gone, the surveyor cannot describe holes they cannot see, and cannot award the remaining timber a clean bill. No survey level guarantees concealed parts. Do not say the house is clear because the furniture left.
Last reviewed 24 October 2026. Written for buyers in England and Wales unless this answer says otherwise. No named surveyor has signed this page. It is general guidance, not a report on your house, and not legal advice.
What is the fuller explanation?
Flight holes in a sideboard are evidence about that sideboard. They are not, on their own, a map of the floor. Removing the sideboard before Monday's visit deletes a clue the surveyor might have asked about, and it leaves every built-in timber exactly as it was. Fitted carpets are not lifted as standard, so the boards under them were never going to be fully exposed. A seller who then says the survey found no insect damage is talking about an inspection that was not shown the furniture and was not invited under the floors.
If you know the furniture had old holes, say so to your solicitor rather than hoping absence reads as proof. NI, or a simple lack of comment, means the point was not established. It does not mean rating 1. Rating 1 is no repair currently needed, beyond normal maintenance, on an element that was inspected. Concealed joist ends are a typical limit of a visual survey. Moving a wardrobe does not open them. Speak about the timbers that remain as still untested, not as cleared by a van on Saturday.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Which timbers will the surveyor actually be able to see once the furniture has gone?
- Are floors covered so that boards cannot be examined?
- Are you planning to describe a lack of comment as a clear result?
What are the typical next steps?
- Do not tell the buyer the remaining timbers were cleared by removing furniture.
- Mention the old holes in the furniture to your solicitor.
- Keep unseen joists described as unseen.
Costs vary with the building and with who you instruct. Where this page does not cite a published figure, ask the surveyor, a relevant specialist, or your solicitor for a written quote. Do not treat a forum average as the price.
Also asked about this
Does a visual survey guarantee concealed timber?
No. No survey level guarantees that concealed parts are sound.
Are fitted carpets lifted so every board can be checked?
No. Fitted carpets are not lifted as part of the ordinary inspection.