Buying a home · Reviewed 5 September 2026
Choose the survey with your surveyor. Arrive with better questions.
A survey examines the building's condition. Conveyancing searches investigate legal and environmental matters. A desk report brings available records together. Use each for the question it can answer, and confirm the scope before paying.
What changes between survey levels?
| Level | Purpose | Ask before booking |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A condition overview with visible defects and urgent issues. | Will the limited advice answer your concerns? |
| 2 | More inspection and advice for conventional homes in reasonable condition. | Survey only, or the separate option with valuation? |
| 3 | A detailed inspection and repair advice for more complex situations. | Which inaccessible areas or specialist checks need a separate visit? |
Age and asking price alone do not establish suitability. Describe extensions, construction, condition and planned work to the surveyor. RICS guide to choosing a survey.
Work out the cost of your quote
Use a surveyor's written quote to calculate your budget. RICS describes fees as varying with the building and scope, from a few hundred pounds to over £1,000 for some detailed services. This calculator does not predict a local fee or choose a suitable survey for you. RICS cost guidance (checked 5 September 2026).
Take useful questions to your surveyor
An inspection assesses the building. Source records about flood, ground hazards and nearby activity can help you brief the surveyor, who may also consider these risks. HouseCheckup Complete (£24.99) brings available records and their limitations into a human-checked report. It cannot decide that an inspection or a particular survey level is unnecessary.
Human-checked and emailed to you
A briefing list for the actual property
- Show photographs of cracks, sticking doors or sloping floors. Ask what inspection and further investigation can establish; a regional geology band is not a diagnosis.
- Ask about drainage, damp, previous flooding and remedial work. Keep seller answers and map results separately labelled.
- For mining or radon screening flags, provide the source and its resolution. Ask the conveyancer about mining searches and discuss any testing or specialist advice needed.
- Flag missing records explicitly. No returned record cannot establish that the house is free from the risk.
- For a flat, agree the accessible areas and treatment of the wider building. Ask the conveyancer about building documents and management obligations.
In Scotland, review the seller's Home Report and discuss whether further advice is needed. The process differs from England and Wales. Scottish Government Home Report guidance.
Does a mortgage valuation replace a survey?
A lender's valuation serves the lender's purpose. Agree your own inspection and advice needs with a qualified surveyor; a valuation does not provide the same scope as a home survey.
Can a property report tell me to skip a Level 3 survey?
No. Available hazard records can help you ask questions, but they do not establish the physical condition of the house. Ask the surveyor which level is appropriate and why.
What should I send the surveyor before the visit?
Send the exact address, relevant seller documents, details of alterations, your plans for the property, photographs of concerns, and dated source records. Distinguish observed defects from area-level screening flags and checks that could not be completed.