Box Residential Services

Level 3 Building Survey

Equivalent to RICS Building Survey Level 3 – Formerly known as a Structural Survey

A Building Survey is a wide-ranging inspection of a property. It is the most comprehensive of the surveys available for residential properties and will provide a detailed evaluation of a property’s condition.

Previously known as a Structural Survey, the Building Survey report will describe the condition of each element of the house and suggest which aspects are of concern and would need further investigation. Occasionally, home buyers will use the former term, Structural Survey, to refer to a Building Survey.

Building Surveys are suitable for all properties, but they are particularly appropriate for:

• Listed Buildings – a building that is on the Statutory List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest.
• Older Properties – recommended for properties over 50 years old.
• Buildings constructed in an unusual way, regardless of age.
• Buildings that you intend to renovate or change.
• Buildings that have already been renovated or significantly altered.

A Building Survey examines all accessible elements of the property and the surveyor will actively search for any structural problems or defects.

If you are buying a property it is vital to employ the expert knowledge of a surveyor before completion, to ensure that you are receiving independent advice on the true condition of your potential property. The comprehensive investigation that the Building Survey involves may uncover a structural problem with the property that would otherwise go unnoticed until you have moved in, so make sure that you get a house survey to prevent any unwanted, and costly, surprises.

RICS Home Survey Level 2

Formerly called RICS HomeBuyer Report

The RICS Home Survey Level 2, previously known as the Homebuyers Survey and Valuation (HSV) and often still referred to as a Homebuyer’s Survey, was introduced in 2009 and is completed within a standard format as laid down by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

The Home Survey Level 2 is recommended for conventional, newer homes, which are in reasonable condition. It is the most frequently undertaken survey which provides a more in-depth report of the condition of the property and will give you professional advice to allow you to make an informed decision of whether to go ahead with buying a property.  The Home Survey Level 2 summarises the various internal and external elements of the building and has the benefit of using a red, orange and green traffic light system to highlight the condition of each element.

A valuation and an insurance reinstatement cost assessment can also be included within the report as an additional service.

The Home Survey Level 2 will not detail every single aspect of the building, but it does spotlight urgent matters that have a substantial effect on the value of the property and need attending to or further investigation. It will include all major sections of a property that are visible to the surveyor, so they will not lift up floors or carpets and wiring will not be included.

The Surveyor aims to give you professional advice to help you to:

1. Make a reasoned and informed decision on whether or not to go ahead with buying the property;
2. Provide a list of problems that the surveyor considers may affect the value of the property;
3. Provide advice on repairs and ongoing maintenance; and
4. Consider what further advice you should take before exchanging contracts.

The Level 2 is typically recommended for properties built up to 150 years old.

What is included in a Home Survey Level 2 – (Survey only option)

• Background information on the property and location.
• An assessment of any damp-proofing, drainage or insulation in the building. Drains are not tested.
• Condition of the building’s timbers and checking woodworm or rot.
• Damp test results taken from the walls.
• Details of urgent problems which should receive specialist attention before signing a contract.
• Details of major faults in easy to get to parts of the property that may affect its value.

What is additionally included in a Home Survey Level 2 + Valuation     

• Current open market valuation of the property.
• An estimate of the cost of rebuilding the property for insurance purposes.

Although a summary of the survey will be present at the front of the report and a reminder of the urgent repairs will be at the end, it is always worth reading the report in full. The Home Survey Level 2 is easily understood – written in plain English rather than technical jargon.

Condition Ratings

The RICS Home Survey Level 2 has 3 condition ratings to evaluate and describe the condition of the property and how urgently it needs repairing. The conditions are defined by RICS as:

Condition Rating 1 – green
No repair currently needed.

Condition Rating 2 – orange
Defects that need repairing or replacing but are not considered to be serious or urgent.

Condition Rating 3 – Red
Defects that are serious and/or need to be repaired, replaced or  investigated urgently.

The RICS consumer guide to home surveys gives more information on the different survey types.