If you are buying a new home, a building survey is an important part of the process. In our previous article ‘What is a building survey?’ we explain the different types of surveys and what you can expect from your surveyor on the day.
But what might the report look like, and what type of information can you expect to receive?
Your Building Survey
The first page will contain the information about the survey itself. When it was carried out and by who. We include the contact details of the surveyor so you can follow up with any questions or queries.
We offer all our customers a complete consultative service. For example, your surveyor may spend some time with you at the end of the survey showing and discussing any issues we may have discovered. We can offer advice on possible extensions and alterations based on discussions and areas of concern.
Get in touch by phone or email should you wish to discuss anything having read the report or if you have any questions.
Next up, the report will contain an explanation of the types of areas we inspect and what we are looking for. We believe it is important that you understand the type of survey carried out and what that means for your property.
Throughout the report, you’ll see a visual summary on key issues with the property. A simple traffic light system highlights serious issues. Those that require immediate attention are in red and issues which require attention or repair in due course in orange.
The condition summary looks at the overall condition of the property. It is here that we highlight any major causes of concern. This section includes what is probably the most important information to you: the cost of repairs. The schedule of repair costs provides an indication of what you should budget, if you decided to go ahead with the house purchase.
Cost Assessment
If requested, we include our reinstatement cost assessment. This is often required by insurers. It estimates the complete cost of rebuilding the property should it suffer from catastrophic damage. We explain exactly what this type of assessment might look like in this article.
An increasingly important area for clients is energy matters. Here we consider your energy performance certificate. We assess to make sure there are no discrepancies in the condition of the building.
The internal report goes through each room of the house. It inspects areas like walls, ceilings and windows. Our surveyors will take note of the condition of these items, and make recommendations for repairs needed. Similarly the external report looks at each elevation in turn, inspecting for things like guttering, roofs and boundaries. If the property contains outbuildings, the condition of these will also be included here.
Finally, the Building Survey Report includes a useful ‘Next Steps’ page. This will help you prioritise areas such as gathering repair quotes. It also provides a ‘Typical House Diagram’ to assist in identifying technical aspects of the property.
Take the next step
Buying a property is likely to be your single biggest purchase. All too often more time, effort and cost is spent purchasing a car. RICS research has shown the average repair of an un-surveyed property is over £5,000. A building survey may seem like incredible value in comparison.
If you’d like to understand more about what your building survey report might look like, you can download a sample report here.
Please contact us if you would like a competitive quote or simply complete our Building Survey Quick Quote website form.