We have written quite a lot about which type of building survey is best for your potential new home, such as What’s in a Building Survey? or What is a Mortgage Survey? However, we haven’t focussed on how you choose the right building surveyor to carry out your survey.
Often we see customers use survey prices as their main method of evaluation. Some referral sites allow you to compare quotes from a selection of suppliers, but who do you contact? The cheapest? The most local?
Generally, there is very little difference in survey prices across the range of property values. For example, a building survey on a 4-bed detached house in Surrey costing around £850,000 ranges from £730 to £900. Our pricing tends to be around or just under the average cost, so for this 4-bed example, we currently charge (in 2020) £810.
The structure and format of a Building Survey is governed by the RICS, so the basic information you receive should be comparable between suppliers. Increasingly, therefore, customers are looking for help from other customers as they explore who to choose. In 2017 our Trustpilot page was established to help you see how we get on when we carry out surveys. You can now read what other customers have to say about our service, whether good or bad. Importantly, you can also see how we respond and adapt to feedback. We don’t get it right every single time, but we do our best.
So if you have a number of companies offering a good average price and you can see an informative selection of customer reviews, what is the best way to choose a Building Surveyor? Here are our top 5 questions to consider when choosing the right Building Surveyor;
- What other features and services are included? For example, we provide a free walk-around at the property with your surveyor. Here you can ask any questions and get some instant feedback on its condition and potential.
- How helpful were the administration team in responding to your quote? Did you receive an example survey & are they offering to arrange everything with the estate agency?
- Can you speak to your surveyor if you have any questions after the report is delivered?
- Is your surveyor local to the area? Are they familiar with the property and issues in the area, that might affect where you’re hoping to buy?
- Does your surveyor have experience of the type of property you are looking to buy? Perhaps check them out on LinkedIn or with the RICS to see what their background and experience are like.
Above all, don’t take our word for it, feel free to contact us for references and find out what our past customers had to say. We’ll be very happy to help.
For more information on our Building Survey service, please visit the surveys page. Call our team on 01372 360663 or email info@chawtonhill.com.