RICS House Surveys
IF BUYING A NEW HOME IS THE BIGGEST INVESTMENT YOU'LL EVER MAKE, SHOULDN'T YOU MAKE SURE WITH A HOUSE SURVEY THAT THERE ARE NO HIDDEN SURPRISES?
So....Get to know about any problems before
you buy!
Let’s be honest, buying a new home is one of the
most stressful and important decisions most of us
ever make.
You want it to be right and you don't want to find
a host of nasty and expensive surprises just
waiting to turn around and bite you, having signed
on the dotted line.
All too often, these problems can quickly turn your
dream home into a ravenous money pit, hungrily
devouring any savings you have.
Which?, UK Finance, and the Building Societies
Association advise you to get a survey undertaken
by a Chartered Surveyor before you buy a home, and
not just rely on a valuation.
It’s important to remember that your mortgage
lender’s valuation report is not a survey. It merely
tells your lender whether the property is reasonable
security for your loan.
What is a house survey?
A home survey, sometimes referred to as a 'home buyers survey', is a health check for the building.
It will let you know if there are any issues with the property that you should be aware of before you purchase.
This expert advice is crucial to make sure you are comfortable with the
decisions you make around your property
and help to identify any issues.
Knowing about these issues allows you to
try to renegotiate the sales price
to reflect the cost of necessary repairs.
Alternatively, you may decide not to
buy the property if the issues uncovered
are serious enough.
It’s always better to know about any issues before you sign on the dotted line.
In the majority of cases, it’s the buyer who will commission the home survey, but it’s not always the case. If you’re selling a home, a survey could be helpful to identify any issues in advance.
Why you should get a
RICS Home Survey?
A RICS Home Survey will almost always find some issues with a property, especially for older homes.
It can identify crucial safety, environmental and structural issues to be aware of.
Some issues could be significant and expensive to put right. Others may be less significant but are still matters to be mindful of.
A RICS Home Survey is also useful if you are thinking about making alterations to your home, or you think there may be issues such as movement, damp or timber decay.
Whether you are buying, selling, maintaining, or extending your property a RICS Home Survey will help you make a more informed decision and could save you money, time, and worry.
Do I Really Need a House Survey?
It’s not a legal requirement to have a survey on a property you're buying.
It could seem like an unnecessary expense, especially if your bank account feels like a bucket with a hole in it at the moment.
But a survey could actually save you money – not to mention a lot of stress – if it uncovers an issue with the structure of the property.
If it reveals any problems, you can ask the seller to fix them before you proceed with buying.
Alternatively, you can choose to renegotiate the sale price to account for the cost of fixing the issues yourself.
If the survey flags up any major problems with the property, you may opt to pull out of the purchase.
What Are The Different Types of House Survey?
& What Can I Expect From A Survey?
When buying a new home, you have several types of house survey to choose from depending on the age and nature of the chosen property.
The key thing to remember is that cutting corners at this stage may be
more costly in the end.
A house survey undertaken by George Laurel & Partners will ensure
that you are able to make an informed decision about your dream
home provided it’s done before you exchange contracts.
Surveys are a kind of ‘health check’ for buildings.
If you’re buying a home, you should have a survey done before
you enter into a contract.
A survey can actually save you money. If there are problems, you can
often renegotiate the sale price of the home to reflect the cost of
necessary repairs – or you may even decide you don’t want to buy it
at all.
There are three levels of surveys available:
RICS Home Survey Level One, Two & Three
RICS House Surveys
It’s important to remember that your mortgage lender’s valuation report is not a survey. It merely tells your lender whether or not the property is reasonable security for your loan. An RICS survey will tell you the actual condition of the property. That’s vital information that can be invaluable during price negotiations, and will also help you avoid expensive surprises after you’ve moved in.
Level 1
Choose this report if you’re buying a conventional house, flat or bungalow built from common building materials, in good condition and less than 10 years old.
It focuses purely on the condition of the property and includes:
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Clear ‘traffic light’ ratings of the condition of different elements of the building, services, garage and outbuildings, showing problems that require varying degrees of attention
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A summary of the risks to the condition of the building and
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Other matters including guarantees, planning and building control issues for your legal advisers.
Level 2
Choose this report if you would like more extensive information while buying a conventional house, flat or bungalow, built from common building materials between 1960 - 2010.
It costs more than the RICS Home Survey Level One, but includes:
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All of the features in the RICS Home Survey Level One, including the traffic light rating plus a more extensive inspection
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A list of problems that the surveyor thinks may affect the value of the property
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Advice on repairs and ongoing maintenance
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Issues that need to be investigated to prevent serious damage or dangerous conditions
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Legal issues that need to be addressed before completing your conveyancing and
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Information on location, local environment and the recorded energy efficiency (where available).
Level 3
You should choose an RICS Home Survey Level Three if you’re dealing with an older – 1960’s and earlier or run-down property, a building that is unusual or altered, or if you’re planning major works.
It costs more than the other RICS reports because it gives detailed information about the structure and fabric of the property. It includes:
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A thorough inspection and detailed report on a wider range of issues
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A description of visible defects and potential problems caused by hidden flaws
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An outline of repair options and the likely consequences of inactivity
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Advice for your legal advisers and details of serious risks and dangerous conditions and
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Advice on the appropriateness of any energy improvements recommended by the EPC, where available.
NINE REASONS TO CALL GEORGE LAUREL & PARTNERS....
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Your house survey is undertaken, checked and double checked by fully qualified chartered surveyors and engineers with over 30 years’ experience, so that your report is right first time.
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When you ring us, you talk to a Director; so you get the answers you want right away.
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You'll get FREE advice - if you don't need us, we'll tell you. And we'll point you in the right direction for what you do need.
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We'll explain any terms or practices you may not understand; no obligation.
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No surprises. When you get our quote, you know exactly how much it's going to cost. No hidden extras or costs down the track - A proper accurate evaluation first time.
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We complete a thermal imaging inspection to check for missing insulation, radiator and underfloor heating performance.
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Our house survey includes a 10 page glossary of unfamiliar building terms to help you understand our report better.
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Our house survey also includes a 4 page future Property Maintenance Checklist providing a simple-to-follow maintenance guide to help you keep your biggest investment in the best possible condition.
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100% guarantee. As we are members of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors it means your house survey is carried out by someone who is accountable to a professional code of ethics. In addition to this, if you are ever dissatisfied with our service, we will do whatever we have to make it right.
No other surveying firm offers these guarantees to you - but we figure that if they're not willing
to put their money where their mouth is, why should you?
That's our guarantee - Call us now on 08456 349173.
By choosing George Laurel & Partners you get an honest impartial written assessment which tells
you exactly what you are getting for your money, and gives you security that there will be no hidden
nasty surprises or expenses lying in wait for you.
Give us a call and we’ll be happy to discuss the survey options and any particular concerns in more detail and help you decide which type of survey is right for you.
As soon as your offer is accepted call us on 08456 349173.
Our house/home surveys not only offer peace of mind, but could potentially save you thousands of pounds in costly repair bills, at a time when there is unlikely to be any spare cash.