RICS HOME SURVEY
What is a Home Survey?
Home Surveys are essentially building surveys. A building survey is typically an RICS HomeBuyer Report Level 2 or an RICS Full Building Survey Level 3. The latter is the most comprehensive type of home survey available.
What’s included in the RICS Home Surveys?
A careful examination of the property and its accessible parts establishes the basis of the survey. The whole property, with its associated outbuildings, will be opened up for you, and the surveyor will check the condition of the accessible parts and their services. They will not lift any fitted floor, floor coverings, or test the electrics or any other services.
The survey applies exclusively to buildings built using conventional construction methods. A traffic light system is used to inform readers of the severity of any issues or defects found during the home survey: green, amber, or red.
The green category will be used for all sections of the property where no defect has been found, whilst defects that are not serious or urgent are most likely to get an amber rating. If any issue of a serious nature is found, then the report is most likely to use the red category for that issue, meaning the defect found is a serious one and likely need urgent repairs to rectify.
The surveyor will inform you of any defects that might be important but that don’t need immediate fixing. The surveyor will rate these on a scale comparable to a traffic light and give you directions on what to do regarding these concerns. Anything mentioned in the report is worthy of your attention because it is either significant or potentially significant.
In what situations is a RICS Home Survey Level 2 suitable?
If a house or flat appears to be in reasonably good condition and should comply with current building regulations, an RICS Home Survey Level 2 is appropriate. The survey is also good for checking the extent of serious structural faults, such as dampness or subsidence, in properties that obviously have some structural issues. For unusual properties—like conversions or Listed Buildings, or for homes that have been radically altered or will be—a better choice would be a Full Building Survey.
Is a Valuation included in a RICS HomeBuyer Report?
While the Standard Homebuyer Report contains a valuation, if you need a valuation for purposes such as insurance reinstatement, matrimonial or probate matters, be sure to let the team know. They can give you a quote for a valuation service that is tailored to your property in Manchester.
Case Study: Manchester
Recently, the Surveyors undertook a RICS Home Survey Level 2 (RICS HomeBuyer Report) on a five-bedroom property constructed in the 1930s in Manchester. The property has had a loft conversion completed and a two-story extension added to the entrance at the front and two conservatories. This work was done in the late 1980s.
Given the size and age of the property, the Surveyors found it to be in generally fair condition. The report highlighted a number of potential issues regarding structural movement and weakening of the solid brick elevation, with vertical cracking being the most important indication. The report pointed out that brick solid walls, like the ones on this house, are susceptible to condensation and dampness due to the lack of air circulation. There’s a very obvious damp problem at the moment in the bay window area, which could be leading to some of the cracking and bulging. Japanese knotweed was also spotted in the report, which flagged it as a potential problem.
The RICS Home Survey Level 2 report is very straightforward and gives a clear overview of the potential issues with the property.
Surveys of Commercial Property
If you’re thinking of acquiring, leasing, subletting, disposing of, or altering commercial premises in Manchester, you would be well advised to locate a surveyor skilled in the nuances of commercial building surveying – should you spot a defect in a commercial building you can use that information to negotiate an asking price for the property that’s considerably lower than what the seller originally wanted, or you can talk your way out of a bad deal altogether.
Our Manchester-based team of RICS-compliant commercial building surveyors is equipped to handle matters throughout Manchester.
Contact
Our team prioritizes client care above all else. We look forward to being in touch with you so you can instruct a surveyor in Manchester, London, Bristol, Birmingham or Cardiff. You can reach out to us easily. Just fill out our form, and we’ll get back to you with a free quote for your survey. All our surveyors are qualified as members of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and we are one of the UK’s leading providers of building survey and valuation services:
- Accredited Professionals: Certified by organizations like RICS, CIOB, and RPSA.
- Customized Survey Reports: inspections to meet your specific requirements.
- Local Expertise: Deep understanding and specialized knowledge.
- Expert Guidance: Professional recommendations and support.
The property survey you commission will be carried out by an accredited professional. Your chartered surveyor will be a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) or the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), or will belong to some other industry-standard professional body. Rest assured; you will receive highest quality of professional service for your survey.
