A Building Survey
A Building Survey is the most thorough and detailed report that you can commission on the condition of a property. The survey is usually carried out by a Chartered Surveyor who is a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) in which case he will have the letters MRICS or FRICS after his name. Most customers prefer to use the services of a Chartered Surveyor but it should be noted that there are some Building Surveyors who are not members of the RICS but who can still provide a good service. Before appointing a Surveyor and placing an order you should ensure yourself that your chosen Surveyor has satisfactory qualifications, accreditation, experience and insurance to provide the level of service that you require.
The objective of a Building Survey is to identify any particular problems that may exist with a property before you finalize an agreement to purchase. An experienced Building Surveyor will be able to cast an expert’s eye over the building with the possibility that he may pick up things that you have missed. Please note that a Building Survey does not normally include a valuation.
Building Surveys are sometimes referred to as Full Structural Surveys as they provide a detailed report on the property’s construction and condition. In general terms a Building Survey is recommended for older houses or houses that may have problems however they can be applied to any age of property and are particularly helpful for dilapidated properties and those that have been extensively altered. Building Surveys are also useful if you plan to renovate or convert the property.
If your prospective new home has only been recently built you may wish to consider the alternative of a HomeBuyer Report which will probably work out to be slightly lower cost. This report follows a format specified by the RICS and is generally suitable for situations where major problems are felt to be unlikely. It replaces what the RICS previously referred to as a Homebuyer Survey.
Your Building Society or Finance provider may commission a Valuation report. This slimmed down report can be very useful but it should be noted that it is produced more for the lender rather than the purchaser and may not necessarily contain the detail that you require.
If you would like more information on the differences between surveys, please click here.
To discuss your requirement for a possible Survey on your new home the best people to talk to would be one or more of the Building Surveyors who cover the local area. By completing the estimate request form above, you will be given a list of contact details so that you can then speak to these people directly.
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