Services
Chartered Building Surveyors providing expert advise on all matters relating to the property lifecycle. Services provided include:
Property Surveys
Having a property survey undertaken can help you with:
- Buying or selling a property
- Identifying disrepair
- Support during litigation
- Building insurance purposes
- Budgeting costs for maintenance
RICS Home Survey Reports
When buying your property an independent RICS survey is always recommended.
- RICS Home Survey Level 1
- RICS Home Survey Level 2
- RICS Home Survey Level 3
Party Wall Matters
Do you intend to carry out work which involves:
- Work on an existing wall, ceiling or floor structure shared with another property?
- Building on or at the boundary with another property?
- Excavating near a neighbouring building or structure?
If so you may have to serve the statutory notice on all those defined in the Act as ‘adjoining owners’.
Failure to correctly identify and serve notices could result in the building works being unlawful.
For more information please get in contact and our team will help you schedule an appointment or provide a no-obligation fee quote.
Lease Analysis
A lease analysis can help you with:
- Understanding your repair obligations
- Dilapidations matters
- Budgeting for repair and reinstatement costs
Understanding your leasehold obligations can avoid significant costs for repair at the end of the term.
For more information please get in contact and our team will help you schedule an appointment or provide a no-obligation fee quote.
RICS Home Survey Reports
RICS Level 1 - Home Survey Report
The level one survey includes a basic visual inspection. No tests of the building fabric or services are undertaken. This level of survey provides an overall overview of the condition of the property. It will not contain any detailed advice on repairs. This level of survey is better suited to conventionally built, modern dwellings which are in a satisfactory condition.
RICS Level 2 - Home Survey Report
The Level 2 survey includes a detailed visual inspection and focuses on urgent matters of disrepair. This survey report includes details of:
- The general condition of the property
- Any major faults that may affect value
- Any urgent problems requiring specialist inspection
- Results of tests for damp in the walls
- Damage to timbers – including woodworm or rot
- The condition of any damp-proofing, insulation and drainage
This is a survey most suitable for conventional properties built within the last 150 years, which are in a reasonable condition.
RICS Level 3 - Home Survey Report
The Level 3 survey includes a detailed and thorough visual inspection which focuses on all elements of the building. A full Building Survey is suitable for all properties, but especially for:
- Listed buildings
- Older properties
- Buildings constructed in an unusual way
- Properties you plan to renovate or alter in any way
- Properties that have had extensive alterations
- Properties that are in disrepair
It examines all accessible parts of the property - and the Building Survey will generally include details of:
- Major and minor defects and what they could mean
- The possible cost of repairs
- Results of damp testing on walls
- Damage to timbers – including woodworm and rot
- The condition of damp-proofing, insulation and drainage
- Technical information on the construction of the property and the materials used
- Recommendations for any further special inspections
RICS Home Survey Reports
Which survey do you need?
Why do you need an RICS Home Survey? Because forewarned is forearmed. Choosing the right survey will help highlight any serious problems and advise you of the specific risks before you commit to the process of buying or selling a property.
RICS has three different levels of survey (outlined below). These can only be conducted by an RICS qualified surveyor.
Reliable and cost effective, these reports carry the full weight of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors – the industry’s most respected authority on surveying. It’s important to remember that your mortgage lender’s valuation report is not a survey. It merely tells your lender whether or not the property is reasonable security for your loan.
A RICS survey will tell you the actual condition of the property. That’s vital information that can be invaluable during price negotiations, and will also help you avoid expensive surprises after you’ve moved in.
The RICS Home Survey – Level 1
Choose this report if you’re buying or selling a conventional house, flat or bungalow built from common building materials and in reasonable condition. This service includes:
- a visual inspection that is less comprehensive than the RICS Home Survey – Level 2 and the RICS Home Survey – Level 3
- clear ‘traffic light’ ratings of the condition of different parts of the building, services, and the grounds, showing problems that may require varying degrees of attention
- a summary of risks to the building, people and grounds and
- an assessment of the relative importance of the defects and problems.
No tests of the building fabric or services are undertaken.
The RICS Home Survey – Level 1 does not include advice on repairs or ongoing maintenance and it does not include a valuation.
Ask your surveyor for a detailed ‘Description of the RICS Home Survey Level 1’ document.
The RICS Home Survey – Level 2
Choose this report if you need more extensive information whilst buying or selling a conventional house, flat or bungalow, built from common building materials and in reasonable condition.
The focus is on assessing the general condition of the main elements of a property. This intermediate level of service includes a more extensive visual inspection of the building, its services and grounds, but still without tests.
Concealed areas normally opened or used by the occupiers are inspected if it is safe to do so (typical examples include roof spaces, basements and cellars). The report objectively describes the condition of the different elements and provides an assessment of the relative importance of the defects/problems.
Ask your surveyor for a detailed ‘Description of the RICS Home Survey Level 2 (survey only) document.
The RICS Home Survey – Level 3
Choose this report if dealing with a large, older or run-down property, a building that is unusual or altered, or if you’re planning major works. It costs more than the other RICS reports because it gives detailed information about the structure and fabric of the property. This service includes:
- a detailed visual inspection of the building, its services and the grounds and is more extensive than a survey level two
- concealed areas normally opened or used by the occupiers are inspected if it is safe to do so (typical examples include roof spaces, basements and cellars)
- although the services are not tested, they are observed in normal operation – in other words, they are switched on or off and/or operated where the occupier has given permission and it is safe to do so.
The report objectively describes the form of construction and materials used for different parts of the property. It describes the condition and provides an assessment of the relative importance of the defects/problems. Additionally, it should:
- describe the identifiable risk of potential or hidden defects in areas not inspected
- propose the most probable cause(s) of the defects based on the inspection
- outline the likely scope of any appropriate remedial work and explain the likely consequences of non-repair; and
- make general recommendations in respect of the priority and likely timescale for necessary work.
The surveyor may also be able to provide an estimate of costs for identified repairs if agreed with you in advance.
Ask your surveyor for a detailed ‘Description of the RICS Home Survey Level 3’ document.
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