Residential Building Surveying
Buying a new home can be a very stressful period of your life. As Chartered RICS Building Surveyors, we want you to be fully informed about the condition of the property and the potential implications these may present you with.
Appreciating that there are many tasks to consider when moving home, rest assured, we can help you with one! When procuring a Home Survey, we aim to assist you wherever possible to ensure a great service is provided. We understand that timing, communication and expert technical advice is always a must have.
With a breadth of knowledge and expertise spanning a combine 25 years of industry experience, we can offer the best possible advice to suit your needs when deciding which survey is most appropriate for you and your new property.
We often find our industry uses varying terminology, so to break through the jargon, we provide a clear outline of the common surveys and what each one covers below:
Level 3 Survey ‘Building Survey’
When considering buying a new house, it is important that no stone is left unturned. After all, this is an important purchase, and you want to make sure you fully understand all the implications.
This type of home survey is the most comprehensive available. It provides a detailed visual inspection of the building, its services and the grounds. To summarise the extent of inspection, the report typically provides a detailed description of the construction and materials used for different parts of the property. We assess the condition of each specific element and report upon any defects found, along with discussion on its relative importance. We confirm the most probable cause of how and why it occurred and make recommendations for repair and making good. We also highlight the likely timescale in which this need to be undertaken, thus allowing you to plan and budget for undertaking any works in the future.
Typically, this type of survey would apply to those considering buying a property which pre-1960, has been extensively extended and/or you are planning to extend, or where you may have specific concerns relating to its present condition.
If needed, we can also provide an estimate of likely costs of such repair work, understanding this could also prove very useful when you look to negotiate on the asking price.
Level 2 Survey ‘Homebuyer Report’
This type of home survey is an ‘intermediate’ level survey, again comprising a visual inspection of the building, its services and grounds. The survey summarises the condition of the different fabric elements and provides an assessment of the relative importance of any defects identified using a traffic light system rating.
The survey is generally less comprehensive and descriptive than the Level 3 Building Survey described above, however, its use will depend on your individual circumstance and type of building.
Typically, this type of survey would apply to those considering buying a conventional property such as a house or flat that is in a reasonable condition.
General Structural Appraisal
We provide this survey because we understand that commentary on more obvious defects is not always required. You may be planning to refurbish the property, renew windows and rainwater gutters or undertake extensive alterations and therefore do not require an inspection of these elements.
This survey is therefore tailored to suit your specific needs, typically focussing on the key structural elements of the building only. In this circumstance, we concentrate solely on all key structural aspects of the property.
Additional Services
Further to the above, we also provide the following excellent design services, should you be considering an extension to your new home.
- Preparation of Planning Applications.
- Preparation of Building Control Applications.
- Preparation of detailed plans, elevation and sectional drawings.
- Cost estimating services.