RICS Home Survey
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What is a Home Survey?
Home Surveys are building surveys. A home survey is usually an RICS HomeBuyer Report Level 2 or an RICS Full Building Survey Level 3. The latter is the most comprehensive type of home survey you can get.
What do you get with an RICS Home Survey?
Surveyors inspect every accessible area inside and outside to see how they are doing. The surveyor will access the site and its outbuildings, check the services, but won’t lift any flooring or do any specific electrical or other tests.
The study covers only conventionally constructed buildings. Readers can see the importance of any problems by the traffic light scores of green, amber or red given in the report.
Green will mean there are no serious flaws anywhere on the property, while code amber is used where minor defects appear. Any serious difficulties that must be dealt with right away get a red rating and should become clear when the property is studied.
If problems are found, the report will list them and add whether they are urgent or should be dealt with later using the traffic light scale. The survey will guide you as to your next steps. RICS Home Survey Level 2 will only include notes on additional parts of the property when they relate to a significant problem or to your understanding of an existing one.
When is a Level 2 survey appropriate?
Use an RICS Home Survey Level 2 when the property appears to be in generally good condition but may still have minor defects.
If the house or apartment looks good and follows current building regulations, an RICS Home Survey Level 2 would be appropriate. Serious problems such as damp or subsidence problems will still be considered.
If a property is listed, converted or was recently remodelled, you are better off choosing a Full Building Survey for your needs
Does a RICS HomeBuyer Report contain a Valuation?
A Standard HomeBuyer Report does indeed contain a valuation. However, if you need a valuation for purposes such as insurance reinstatement, or for matrimonial or probate matters, please notify our team, and they can provide a quote for a more customised valuation service for your property in Canterbury.
Canterbury Case Study
A recent case study involving the Surveyors shed light on how property value might be affected in Canterbury. The team carried out a RICS Home Survey Level 2 (i.e. RICS HomeBuyer Report) on a five-bedroom house in the 1930s. The property had been worked on quite a bit and not very well in the ’80s, it was given the brutalist makeover we see today. The kitchen was put on the other side of the house, for instance, and the building was just thrown together in a way that isn’t very sightly.
Despite the property being big and old, the surveyors believed the conditions were relatively acceptable. The vertical cracking at the front of the building indicated a possible shift in the property’s structure. Dampness and condensation are common problems for solid brick elevations. It is likely that Japanese Knotweed started behind the patio and path in the rear garden and getting rid of it might be costly. This is an example of the summary findings you might see in a Canterbury HomeBuyer report.
If you’re considering a different RICS-approved survey from the standard Homebuyer Report (Level 2) such as the much more comprehensive Full Building Survey (Level 3), please feel free to talk to our friendly team who can help.
