Pre-listing survey and mechanical audit

Why do it before listing

• You learn what a buyer's surveyor will find. See Surviving the buyer's survey.
• You fix problems at your own pace and price, not under a deadline.
• You price the boat on facts. See What is my boat worth? How brokers price a yacht.
• A clean report is a selling point.

What to order

1. A hull and systems survey with haul-out. See What a survey includes, and what a surveyor does not inspect.
2. A mechanical check of engines, gearbox and generator, with an oil analysis. See Mechanical survey and oil analysis.
3. A rig inspection if the rig is over 10 years old. See Standing rigging and spars: when replacement is due.

Choose a surveyor with no stake in the sale, and be ready for the buyer's own surveyor to find different things.

What to do with the findings

• Cheap and fast: fix them. Replaced hoses, a serviced winch and a working light remove objections.
• Costly: get a written quote and decide: repair before listing, or price it in. See How to read a survey report and cost the findings.
• Cosmetic: see Cosmetic staging and detailing.

Disclosure

If you know of a defect, do not hide it. Concealing a known fault from a buyer can give the buyer a claim against you, and the rules differ by country. List known issues in the sale agreement, and attach the surveyor's report. A frank seller closes faster. Ask a lawyer how disclosure rules apply to your sale.

Sharing the report

Share it with serious buyers after they have viewed the boat. The buyer will still order their own survey, and a recent report shortens the argument.

When to skip it

A young boat in good order with a full service record may not need a pre-listing survey. For an older boat, an unknown engine or a boat that has had a grounding, the cost repays itself.

Related guides

• Why you need your own pre-purchase survey
• Surviving the buyer's survey
• Cosmetic staging and detailing