7 minute read
Buying a house is probably the largest purchase you will ever make, and somewhere in the process the question arrives: do I actually need a survey when buying a house, or is it one more cost I can skip? It is a fair question, and the honest answer depends on the property and how much risk you are comfortable carrying.
A survey is an independent inspection of a property carried out by a qualified surveyor, who reports on its condition and flags any defects. It is separate from the mortgage valuation your lender arranges, which many buyers assume protects them but does not. Below we explain who genuinely benefits from a survey, which level tends to suit which property, what the inspection can and cannot reveal, and how the findings can work in your favour when it comes to price. For an overview of the home survey system, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) sets the standards that regulated surveyors follow.
What you will learn in this article:
- Why a mortgage valuation is not the same as a survey
- When a survey is genuinely worth the cost
- How to choose between a RICS Home Survey Level 2 and Level 3
- What a survey covers, and the defects buyers most often underestimate
- How survey findings can support a price negotiation
Is a mortgage valuation enough on its own?
This is the most common misunderstanding we see. When you take out a mortgage, your lender will usually arrange a valuation. That valuation exists to reassure the lender that the property is worth roughly what they are lending against it. It is not an inspection of condition, and it is not carried out for your benefit. It will not tell you about damp behind the plaster, a roof nearing the end of its life, or movement in a wall.
Since the pandemic, lenders have also moved towards desktop and drive-by valuations, where the property may be assessed remotely or from the kerbside rather than inspected in person. That trend has continued, most likely for reasons of speed and cost. It means the lender's figure tells you even less about the building's actual condition than many buyers assume.
"The bank valuation is what confuses people the most. What they don't realise is that the lender doesn't carry out a full building survey, and sometimes they don't even visit the property at all. After Covid, lenders started doing more desktop valuations and that has carried on since, most likely for speed and efficiency, but there is more room for things to be missed. It's done for the bank's benefit, not the buyer's."
- Chris Bloor, MRICS, CJ Bloor
If you are buying with cash, there may be no valuation at all, which means no professional looks at the property on your behalf unless you commission a survey yourself. The HomeOwners Alliance draws the same distinction, and it is worth keeping clear in your mind throughout the buying process.
Do you need a survey when buying a house?
For most buyers, the answer is yes, though the level of survey varies. A survey gives you an informed picture of what you are taking on before you are legally committed. In England and Wales you can withdraw up to the point of exchange, so a survey carried out before exchange still gives you room to renegotiate or walk away. The question is rarely whether to have any inspection at all, but which level of detail is proportionate to the property and your circumstances.
What does a survey actually cover?
A RICS Home Survey inspects the visible and accessible parts of the property and reports on their condition. That typically includes the roof, walls, ceilings, floors, windows and doors, damp, the general state of the services such as heating and electrics, and the grounds immediately around the building. The surveyor rates each main element using a simple scale: CR1, CR2 and CR3. A CR1 rating means no repair is currently needed, CR2 means a defect that needs attention but is not serious or urgent, and CR3 means a defect that is serious or needs urgent attention. This makes the report straightforward to read at a glance.
A survey is a visual inspection, so it does not involve lifting fixed floorboards, opening up walls or testing services. Instead, where the surveyor sees signs of a problem, the report explains the risk and recommends further investigation. That is an important distinction, because some of the most expensive defects are the ones that do not announce themselves.
The defects buyers most often underestimate
Damp is the obvious one, but the bigger risk is often what comes with it rather than the damp patch itself. Where moisture is found in the walls, the timber elements nearby can be affected without any visible sign. A floor can look perfectly sound while the timbers beneath it are quietly deteriorating, and putting that right is rarely cheap.
"Timber floors are often overlooked. If damp is found in the walls, there's a good chance the timbers could be affected too, silently and out of sight. Everything looks fine on the surface, but hidden problems like these are the costly ones. When we pick up damp readings, that's a prompt to look further, not to assume all is well."
- Chris Bloor, MRICS, CJ Bloor
Which level of survey do you need?
RICS surveys come in two main levels for residential buyers. Choosing between them comes down to the age, condition and construction of the property rather than its price.
1. RICS Home Survey Level 2
A RICS Home Survey Level 2 is a detailed but efficient inspection suited to most conventional, reasonably modern properties in sensible condition. It covers the main elements of the building, applies the CR1 to CR3 condition ratings, and gives clear advice on any defects found. For a great many homes, this is the right and proportionate choice, and we will say so rather than steer you towards spending more than you need to.
2. RICS Home Survey Level 3
A RICS Home Survey Level 3 is a more comprehensive inspection, suited to older, larger, altered or unusually constructed buildings. It goes further into how the property is built, the likely cause of any defects and the repairs that may be required. If you are buying a period home, a property that has been extended or converted, or anything where you sense there may be more beneath the surface, this is usually the better choice.
| Feature | RICS Home Survey Level 2 | RICS Home Survey Level 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Best suited to | Modern, conventional homes in reasonable condition | Older, larger, altered or unusually built properties |
| Level of detail | Detailed inspection with condition ratings | Comprehensive inspection, including causes and repair advice |
| Condition ratings (CR1 to CR3) | Yes | Yes |
| Advice on defects | Yes | Yes, with greater depth on cause and remedy |
If you are still weighing it up, our RICS Home Survey guide walks through the differences in more detail. The right answer is genuinely whichever level matches the property, and for many homes that is Level 2.
How a survey can save you money
A survey is not only a warning system. The findings can give you firm ground to renegotiate. The report sets out the repairs a property needs, and we can also provide costings as an optional add-on. Once those figures are totalled up, several smaller items on the same house often add up to a meaningful sum. That gives you something concrete to take back to the seller, rather than a general sense that the place needs work.
"We find that including repair costs in the report is the more effective way to renegotiate. Several repairs on the same house can add up quickly. Clients often think a market valuation does this job, but it's less useful for negotiating because a valuation carries a margin either way. Repair costings are more concrete, and that makes them far stronger at the negotiating table."
- Chris Bloor, MRICS, CJ Bloor
Not sure which survey you need?
Tell us about the property and we will recommend the level that genuinely fits, with no pressure to spend more than you need to.
Get a quoteWhat to do next
Once you have an offer accepted, arrange your survey before exchange of contracts, while you still have the option to renegotiate. If the report flags a CR3 defect or significant repairs, you can use that evidence to discuss the price with the seller, ask them to carry out the work, or decide the property is not for you. A survey does not value the property and does not replace your conveyancer's legal checks, so treat it as one part of your decision rather than the whole of it. Where a defect needs closer examination, your surveyor may recommend a further specialist report, which is a normal and sensible step rather than a cause for alarm.
The short version
A survey is not legally required, but it is the main chance you get to learn about a property's condition before it becomes your problem. A mortgage valuation does not do this job for you, and increasingly may not even involve a visit. For most conventional homes a RICS Home Survey Level 2 is enough; for older or altered buildings, a Level 3 is usually the wiser choice. Have it done before exchange, and the findings can protect both your decision and your budget.
