Choosing the right type of survey

You are likely making the largest purchase of your life and committing your money to a new home or investment. It is therefore important to understand whether the property has any issues which may cost you a significant amount of money, or affect your ability to sell in the future. This information can be uncovered by commissioning a building survey for the property.

There are many different building survey types available, so choosing the right one for your property is important.

Building survey types

The professional body regulating building surveyors is the RICS and they classify their surveys under three levels. Whilst many surveyors offer their own bespoke surveys, they generally fall within those levels set by RICS, particularly if the firm is regulated.

Level one – this type of survey is the cheapest but is not particularly detailed. It will give you a brief overview of the condition of the property but nothing else. You may find that a lot of surveyors do not offer this type of survey. It is only really suitable for new build properties in good condition.

Level two – this type of survey is more detailed than a level one survey. Itwill give you more information regarding any defects but generally does not provide much advice on what repairs are required. This type of survey was previously called the RICS Homebuyers Survey and will usually be based on a traffic light system giving an easy reference as to the condition of each of the main elements. This type of survey is generally considered suitable for non-complex properties built within approximately the last 30 years.

Level three – this is the most detailed type of survey and is also the most expensive. This survey will go into detail on defects, provide more detail on the construction and provide advice on repairs. A common example of a level three survey is the RICS Building Survey (previously referred to as a structural survey). This type of survey is considered best suited to properties more than 30 years old or are more complex properties, although they are suitable for any property type.

Which survey is best for you

You may not need to go to the expense of a level three survey if it is not necessary. Conversely it would not be helpful to commission a level two survey on a complex property where it will tell you very little useful information, and may result in the need to commission additional surveys.

You should carefully consider which type of survey is best suited to the property you are buying.

Most surveyors will give you advice on which survey they recommend if you ask them. It is worth noting that the price charged usually reflects the amount of time the surveyor will spend inspecting the property and writing the report.