BUILDING SURVEY REPORT

What is a building survey?

A Building Survey will investigate different property elements and create a report describing each aspect of the building. In addition, it will identify the property’s defects and the cause, urgency, any maintenance options and, based on your specific needs, an approximate cost of repairs.

We recommend Building Surveys for properties which are:

• Listed
• Built before 1800
• Unusually constructed such as being built in stone or with a steel frame or thatched roof
• Already significantly altered or renovated, or if you plan to do so in the future

If you’re preparing to buy a property with individual character or history, for example, it was built before 1800 or is a listed building, we would always recommend that you carry out a Building Survey Report as they are far more thorough than a regular Home Survey Level 2 Report (previously called a HomeBuyer Report).

When we carry out a building survey report, we pay particular attention to any element causing you concern. This could include outbuildings, grounds, boundaries, and the fabric of the building. We’ll advise you what needs urgent attention or further investigation and the likely cost of repairs.

Older buildings feature strongly in our area, especially in historic towns such as Sevenoaks, Tunbridge Wells and Reigate, and also in and around Haywards Heath and East Grinstead. On the coast, Brighton and Eastbourne have their stock of uncommon buildings. Even in the more modern environments of Crawley and Croydon, individual properties could merit a fully detailed Building Survey.

Home Survey Level 2 Report vs RICS Building Survey – what is the difference?

With so many different surveys out there, knowing which house survey is the right one for you can often be confusing. Essentially, the main difference is how in-depth and comprehensive the Building Survey is.

For example, in a Home Survey Level 2 Report, a surveyor wouldn’t move heavy curtains or furniture to inspect windows, and in addition, they wouldn’t check that all windows are functional. Whereas, when conducting a Building Survey, your surveyor will move furniture, linen and inspect all windows to test their functionality.

To clearly show you the differences between the various house surveys, we have created a simple infographic – take a look here.

A Tailor-made Building Survey For You

We can create a completely bespoke Building Survey for individual clients and individual properties, which has been tailor-made according to specific requirements that you may have. For example, we’ll pay particular attention to any element which causes you concern, including outbuildings, grounds, and boundaries, as well as the fabric of the building. We’ll also advise you what needs urgent attention or further investigation and the likely cost of repairs.

Generally, when we note a defect in a property during a building survey, we will then include a meticulous analysis of the defect itself and its likely causes in the report. We will then explain all the possible ways of getting the problem rectified, giving you a comprehensive and practical understanding of the issue and the steps needed to find a solution. We can also provide realistic cost estimates for repair, if required.

A market valuation and reinstatement valuation (which looks at the cost of rebuilding a severely damaged property) are not offered as standard with a Building Survey but can be included at your request.

We have far-reaching knowledge of the many types of property in East Sussex, West Sussex, Kent, Surrey, and London, so you can be sure that you’re in safe hands with Robinson Elliott and our comprehensive RICS Building Surveys.

What’s included in your Building Survey Report?

A Building Survey with Robinson Elliott is the most comprehensive survey available; it includes:

• An in-depth inspection of your property, with a detailed report
• A description of any visible defects
• A description of any hidden flaws and the potential problems they could cause
• An outline of your repair options, plus the possible consequences of not repairing issues

What isn’t included in a Building Survey Report?

Certain elements won’t be included in a RICS Building Survey; for example, any outside inspection of roofs, chimneys and high-level surfaces is always from ground level and without the use of ladders. However, if necessary, we may use binoculars. Inside, we’ll check the roof structure via the roof space if it’s accessible, but please bear in mind this won’t involve lifting insulation material.

It’s possible we may not be able to check every part of the property that is typically covered in a Building Survey. If that should be the case, we’ll note it in the report and advise you if further investigations should be carried out.

Building Survey FAQs

Here at Robinson Elliott, we have 30 years of experience completing expert RICS Building Surveys. Over the years, we have been asked many questions about house surveys, so we’ve compiled a collection of our frequently asked questions below. If you need any more help, please don’t hesitate to contact our professional team.

With extensive experience in all types of property and areas in the South East of England, a Home Survey from Robinson Elliott Chartered Surveyors can help ensure your property will be safe and in a good state of repair, and that you are paying the right price for your new home. 

To find out more get in touch with Robinson Elliott Chartered Surveyors today to discuss surveys for your property.