FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
GetHouseSurvey.co.uk offer Level 2 Home Buyer Survey reports at a set price of only £599 including VAT.
For more in depth surveys GetHouseSurvey.co.uk offer Level 3 Full Building Survey reports for £899 including VAT.
For properties in reasonable condition GetHouseSurvey.co.uk also offer a Level 1 Condition Report for the £399 including VAT.
A House Survey (sometimes called Home Buyer Report, pre-purchase survey, building survey, structural survey etc.) is a visual inspection of the current condition of the property.
At GetHouseSurvey.co.uk all our buying a house surveys are carried out by qualified surveyors and we give you and your bank a great overview of the condition of the property, and indicate how much work will be needed.
A house survey is usually a re-requisite for mortgage approval from your bank or financial institute.
Once you complete the online form at GetHouseSurvey.co.uk, then we take care of everything else.
1: GetHouseSurvey.co.uk find the next available surveyor in your area
(remember all of our surveyors have 10 years experience, registered with a governing body and have full professional indemnity insurance.)
2: Our surveyor contacts the estate agent (or private seller) to arrange access to the property. Once this is done they'll update you via email.
3: Our surveyor visits the property, conducts the survey and then within 2 business days will email you the completed document and send you a copy of the report.
4: The Completed Report is delivered to you by email and you are 1 step closer to your new home.
A structural survey is not a guarantee that problems won’t develop after you move in. However, if you believe that a problem was already visible at the time of the survey and should have been mentioned in the report, your first step should be to call and meet with the engineer to clarify the situation. Misunderstandings are often resolved in this manner.
All surveyors we work with carry professional indemnity liability insurance. The minimum amount of insurance coverage should cover the cost of re-instating your house if the surveyor misses something that he should have reported on.
A RICS HomeBuyer Report (Also known as the Level 2 RICS Survey) is a survey to identify any issues in a property that could cause damage and need future repairs, such as damp or subsidence. A HomeBuyer Report is recommended when you want something more comprehensive than a RICS Condition Report. It is the market leading and most popular report requested and recommended for properties in reasonable condition.
The HomeBuyer Report will include a review of all major elements of a property that are visible and accessible to the surveyor. However a surveyor will not lift up floors, carpets move furniture or do intrusive investigations. Not every single aspect of the building will be reviewed, but it can reveal issues that might impact the value of the property and need further investigation. If you plan to implement major renovations then we recommend you choose the even more comprehensive Building Survey (also known as a Level 3 Survey) instead of the Homebuyer Report.
The HomeBuyer Report is written in plain English, without jargon and utilises a traffic light system to highlight areas of concern.
A RICS Condition Report is the most basic survey and the lowest in terms of cost. Condition Reports are succinct and do not generally include advice on repairs or ongoing maintenance and so are better suited to conventionally built, modern dwellings that are in reasonable condition.
The Condition Report focuses on the condition of the property by setting out the following:
- A Clear ‘traffic light’ ratings of the condition of different parts of the building, services, garage and outbuildings, highlighting problems that may require varying degrees of attention
- A summary of the risks to the condition of the building.
- Advice on replacement parts guarantees, planning and control matters for your legal advisers
- An RICS Condition Report does not include a valuation
An RICS Full Building Survey Report (also known as a Level 3 Report) is the most comprehensive and in-depth type of survey. It provides the buyer with a detailed analysis of the properties condition and involves thoroughly inspecting the property and reporting on issues, summarising defects and potential problems. It offers advice on repair options, the costs involved and what might happen if they aren’t repaired.
It's the best choice for larger, older, unusual or listed properties as well as those that need renovations or change of use, such as a barn conversion, that require more detailed attention in the report.
In simple terms a surveyor will inspect the inside and outside of the main building and all permanent outbuildings, but they do do not force or open up the fabric. A surveyor will also inspect the parts of the electricity, gas/oil, water, heating and drainage services that can be seen, but we do not test them.
To help describe the overall condition of the home, the surveyor will give condition ratings to the main parts (the ‘elements’) of the building, garage and some parts outside. Ratings, as outlined below, follow the traffic light system to make it easy to interpret and understand. The report covers matters that, in the surveyor’s opinion, need to be dealt with or may affect the value of the property.
Buying a home is one of the biggest decisions most people will ever make and yet many consumers are so blind to the facts. Serious faults are difficult to identify and costly to repair. By not being aware of them, consumers are risking a potential home buying time bomb. This can cause extreme stress and financial strain on homeowners who are often stuck with a property they no longer want but cannot sell.
All our surveyors are RICS registered. RICS surveyors must also follow a clear set of best practices to ensure they provide an exceptional service and work to the highest industry standards. As part of this, all RICS members regularly update their skills and knowledge through professional career-long development to make sure you always receive the best possible service.
As a added condition, we require all our RICS surveyors to carry their own PI insurance and have at least 10 years experience.
We offer fixed price reports with no hidden charges. We arrange everything. No hassle.
Homebuyer Survey Reports are the best way to avoid unexpected repair costs after you move in.
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) estimate that home owners that bought a house without a homebuyer report spent an average of £5,750 after they move in on repairs. Prior knowledge of any major defects can be used to negotiate with the seller prior to completing the purchase.
Legally you are not required to have a HomeBuyer Survey, but whether you are buying for cash or drawing down a mortgage, it is best to know what repairs may be required in the near future.