RICS Chartered Building Surveyors in Manchester: Level 2 & Level 3 Building Surveys

Having a property survey conducted before you purchase a home is advantageous. It can identify any particular problems that might need substantial remedial effort. Should you encounter these situations post-survey, you’ll be able to avoid the financial disaster of plowing ahead with a property purchase only to discover it has some serious issues that weren’t disclosed beforehand.

A precise property survey will provide you with critical details about a building, its structure, and any issues it might have. This knowledge could significantly impact your decision to buy or sell a property and could even determine whether it is a sound investment. Before purchasing, you should consider several main kinds of property survey.

The following are types of reports that might be used to provide an understanding of a property’s condition:

• Valuation Report to establish the property’s worth.
• Snagging Survey to identify incomplete or defective refurbishment work.
• Condition Report, or Level 1 Survey, for a very basic and brief assessment.
• Homebuyers Survey, or Level 2 Survey, designed for buyers contemplating a specific property purchase.
• Building Survey, or Level 3 Survey, offering a thorough examination of structural and systemic conditions.

Each property survey has its own distinctive set of inquiries and is tailored to specific kinds of properties. For example, the most thorough survey, called the Level 3 Survey, generates an incredibly detailed report on the entirety of your property, both inside and out. When you’re enquiring after surveying estimates, it may help to have a quick summary of the basics of each type of survey.

The RICS Home Survey Level 2 Report—previously known as the HomeBuyer Survey and now more commonly referred to as the Level 2 Survey or simply the HomeBuyer Report—remains a sound option for modern properties and the majority of buyers. It is delivered by qualified surveyors in a straightforward, easy-to-understand format with all the necessary details for you to make an informed decision about the property and any urgent repairs it might require. Moreover, the HomeBuyer comes in at a very reasonable price, at an average cost of around £600. The following elements are included in both Homebuyer & Full Building Survey report as a checklist:

Internal

• Damp & Condensation
• Woodworm and Rot
• Walls & Floors
• Ceilings
• Chimney breasts & Joinery

External

• Chimneys
• Roof Space: Full Roof Inspection
• Main Walls
• Gutters
• Windows & Doors
• Drainage & Boundaries
• Fences
• Boundary walls

Other

• Garages & Permanent Outbuildings
• Tenure
• Conservatories
• Services

If you need a valuation for a mortgage agreement, make sure your lender will accept a Level 2 home survey before ordering one. Also, check to see if you will need a Full Building Survey (Level 3) or a Homebuyer’s Survey (Level 2), since the two types of reports have some different features. In contrast to the Homebuyer’s Survey (Level 2), which can include a simple valuation, the Full Building Survey (Level 3) doesn’t include any sort of valuation.

A Level 3 Building Survey, or the RICS Building Survey, offers a very detailed report on the construction and condition of a property. The survey is incredibly thorough, with surveyors investigating the internal and external elements of the property and the easily missed, hard-to-reach parts that you would never check if you were being obstinately honest.

In terms of cost, it’s on the more expensive side compared to other types of home survey offered—but that’s because, unlike many options, this one provides good value for the price of around £700. Survey prices are at the low end of £600 and £2,500 at the high end. Any kind of property can undergo a building survey, but it’s especially important for certain categories:

• Properties more than 80 years old
• Buildings of historic or Listed status
• Structures in poor condition
• Properties of unconventional construction (e.g., PRC)
• Buildings in Conservation Areas
• Altered structures
• Properties without Building Regulation approval

Should you be interested in purchasing a large or costly home, an older structure, a cottage, or a historic property, especially one that requires renovating, we highly endorse having a survey performed. Of the three types of surveys recognized by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, we particularly recommend the Level 3 survey, or Building Survey, because it is the most comprehensive. The following topics are addressed:

• Problems with the overall structure
• Threatening substances
• Moisture invasion
• Unlawful changes
• Other defects and their fixes

The average person can not identify serious problems that may render a property unsafe. The burden of such a responsibility should not fall on your shoulders. A Building Survey costs more than a Level 2 survey but general repairs and cost-prohibitive work picked up will save you more money in the long run.

A valuation report from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors provides the property’s true market value, whether it is one you own or are looking to purchase. For an average property in the UK with a value of around £250,000, the report will cost £600, while for many high-value properties (those substantially over £1 million), the report might set you back closer to £1,500.

The report covers the entirety of the property being valued and is certain to give an adequate description of it. You can be sure that our valuers will give the report much more authority as they are all registered with the RICS, which means that the report has much more merit than those which are provided by valuers not affiliated with any such body.

However, what you are reading isn’t a building survey and doesn’t include findings on the condition of the property. A valuation will nonetheless deliver a highly accurate figure comprising the value of the property itself. Some lenders will throw in the valuation for free; but we recommend your obtaining a separate appraisal so as to have a second pair of eyes ensure the lender’s findings are accurate.

Also needed is a reinstatement build cost assessment, which factors in roughly how much it would cost to rebuild the property were it to be destroyed in a catastrophic event like a fire. This is essential for the mortgage process as well as for property insurance.

If you’re purchasing a newly constructed property, you will want to have a snagging survey done. This survey is meant to catch any issues that don’t meet the warranty standards. It is also designed to catch any “snags” before you move in – which serve, essentially, as the last layer of quality control. After this survey, the developers are supposed to fix any outstanding issues before you move in. The survey isn’t supposed to catch major problems. If there are any of those, the surveyors have advice for you on dealing with them.

A Party Wall Surveyor is always necessary if your neighbour is either refusing or failing to fulfill their side of a party wall notice. This is because you are required by law to give notice when you are undertaking work that intersects with or impacts a party wall.

If you can not reach an agreement with your neighbour about work that is going to be done, a surveyor will physically inspect the area of dispute. They will then determine what work is necessary and reasonable so that the party wall exists in good form and undisturbed. After this, the surveyor will draw up the party wall agreement.