Residential Surveys

Buying a home? An important first step is to get advice about arranging your own survey on a property you want to purchase. Getting a home survey will help you make a more informed decision on whether to purchase a property, what is a reasonable price, and whether you should take further advice before you commit.

Many RICS members and companies specialise in providing a level of service best suited to the circumstances of a property. You have a choice of services and you should make sure you fully understand the different options, and if not you can ask your lender, broker, legal adviser, or a surveyor. This will enable you to be absolutely clear what level of home service will best suit and put you in a position to agree an instruction at the right time.

Feel free to ask your surveyor for their professional advice about what kind of survey you need. They may ask you for some basic information about the property, such as location, age, number of bedrooms, etc. You can also start by asking your surveyor the following questions:

1. What kind of surveys does the surveyor offer? Not all surveyors offer each survey, so you should make sure they offer the one you need.
2. Has the surveyor got the experience, local and technical knowledge to deliver the service to you as recommended? If not can they recommend another one that can help, especially if the property has unusual features.
3. Will the surveyor give you a quote for the service recommended and an outline of what it will or won’t include in terms of pre-inspection research, inspection, report format and delivery? Remember the cheapest quote is not always the best. Ensure as much as possible that you will get value for your money. 
4. How much notice will the surveyor need in order to proceed with the survey? Many surveyors are very busy and may find it difficult to proceed with an instruction at short notice. It's best if you have some dates in mind for when you would like to commence the work.
5. Will the surveyor discuss their findings during or post inspection, or after delivery of the report? Some surveyors will help you to interpret their findings and better understand the report.