The Building Survey report will describe the condition of each element of the house and identify the property’s defects, their apparent cause, the urgency of repair, maintenance options and may also include an indication of the cost to repair.

The Building Survey is the most comprehensive and detailed evaluation of a property’s condition and construction.



Building Survey is suitable 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 inspection
• A full survey report
• A property valuation (only if specifically stated to the surveyor).

The survey will inspect all visible and accessible parts of a building, including roofs, walls, floors, windows and doors, chimneys, cellars, garages and outbuildings. Surveyors have a legal responsibility to discover and inform of any major problems with a property, so during the building inspection surveyors will actively search for potential problems and building defects.

This includes looking into cupboards and manholes, and an inspection of the services but it does not, however, investigate enclosed or concealed parts of a building, such as sealed roof spaces.

You can request that certain areas are included to cover particular concerns that you may have about the property. In contrast to the RICS HomeBuyer Report, there is no specific format for the Building Survey report, so the surveyor is able modify a Building Survey to your needs.



If you wish to have a property valuation included in your survey it will have to be specified, however, if the surveyor you use for the Building Survey is approved by your mortgage lender it can be used instead of a mortgage valuation.

Here is a list of the aspects that can be included in a Building Survey:

• Most important and more insignificant defects and what they could mean
• Results of tests for damp in the walls
• Alterations to supporting walls
• Renovations that have occurred without necessary planning permission
• Presence of hazardous materials (e.g. asbestos)
• Evidence of subsidence
• Damage to masonry and roof
• Damage to timbers
• Large trees close to the property.
• Woodworm, dry rot and other damage to timbers
• The conditions of existing damp proofing, insulation and advice on non-tested  drainage
• Information on the materials used to build the property and any relevant technical information
• Recommendations for further investigations on the property

The report, however, will not report in detail on aspects such as heating or electrical equipment, but if requested your surveyor can arrange for the suitable expert to investigate these further.

The Building Survey, due to its thoroughness, can take up to a day to complete and the final report can take up to three working days to receive.

The report will disclose the findings of the survey and make recommendations for if further specialist surveys are required. The thoroughness of the survey also makes it the most comprehensive house survey available. Using an established local surveyor you can save yourself money finding what your to be investment truly has hidden in the bricks and mortar.