Home Survey Near Me: Which RICS Survey Do You Need When Buying in Preston and Lancashire?
You’ve had an offer accepted, the mortgage valuation is booked, and now everyone is telling you to get a survey. Searching for a “home survey near me” brings up dozens of options, three different survey levels and a lot of jargon.
This guide cuts through it. It explains the three types of RICS home survey, which one suits which property, what the surveyor will actually look at, and how to avoid the common mistakes buyers make.
Why you need a home survey
Buying a home is likely to be the biggest purchase you ever make. A survey is an independent inspection of the property’s condition, carried out by a qualified professional who works for you, not the seller and not the lender.
It will tell you:
- What condition the property is in, and what is wrong with it
- Which problems are urgent and which can wait
- What repairs or maintenance are likely to cost
- Whether the asking price still looks right
- What to ask your solicitor to look into
That information gives you three choices before exchange: go ahead with confidence, renegotiate the price, or walk away.
The mortgage valuation is not a survey
This is the most common misunderstanding among first-time buyers. When you apply for a mortgage, your lender will arrange a valuation. Its purpose is to confirm the property is worth enough to lend against. It is for the lender’s benefit, it is usually brief, and it is not designed to tell you about the condition of the property.
A home survey is carried out for you, and it looks at the building in far greater detail.
The three RICS home survey levels
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) sets out three levels of home survey. Each goes deeper than the last.
Level 1: Condition Report
The simplest option. It gives an overall view of the property using a traffic-light rating system and highlights urgent problems. It does not include advice on repairs or give a valuation. It tends to suit newer properties in good condition and is the least used of the three.
Level 2: Home Survey
The most popular choice, and the right fit for a large share of homes. A Level 2 survey includes a more detailed inspection of the visible parts of the property, a condition rating for each element, and comments on the repairs and maintenance that are needed. It can also include advice on issues that your solicitor should investigate, and on how serious each defect is.
It works well for conventional properties in reasonable condition, built in the last hundred years or so.
Level 3: Building Survey
The most thorough survey available. It involves a detailed inspection of the whole building, including areas that are hard to reach where it is safe to do so. The report explains the construction, identifies defects and their likely causes, and recommends how to deal with them.
A Level 3 survey is usually the better choice if:
- The property is old, listed or of unusual construction
- It has been significantly extended or altered
- You are planning major renovation work
- It is in poor condition, or you simply want the fullest possible picture
Around Preston and Lancashire, that often covers Victorian and Edwardian terraces, period farmhouses and barn conversions, stone-built cottages and homes with older extensions.
What does a surveyor look at?
Whichever level you choose, the surveyor will normally inspect:
- The roof, including tiles, flashings, chimneys, gutters and the roof space where accessible
- External walls, looking for cracks, movement, damp and the condition of the pointing
- Windows and doors
- Floors and ceilings
- Internal walls and woodwork, including signs of damp, rot or timber decay
- Services, such as the visible condition of electrics, gas, plumbing and heating
- Drainage, to the extent it can be seen
- The grounds, including boundaries, outbuildings and any signs of trees affecting the building
Surveyors do not move furniture, lift fitted carpets or open up the structure. They also do not test the heating, electrics or plumbing; where they see cause for concern, they will recommend a specialist.
Choosing a home survey near you
A local surveyor gives you something that a distant one can’t: knowledge of the area’s housing and its typical problems. A surveyor who regularly inspects homes around Preston, Chorley, Southport and Wigan will recognise the common issues in each type of local property, and they’ll know when something looks unusual.
When comparing surveyors, check that they:
- Are chartered members of RICS, and tell you who will actually carry out your survey
- Offer all three levels of survey and will advise honestly on which you need
- Give you a clear fee and timeline up front
- Will talk through the report with you by phone once it is done
How long does it take, and what happens next?
The inspection itself usually takes a few hours depending on the size of the property. A written report follows, typically within a few working days. Ask your surveyor for their expected timings when you instruct them, as these vary with workload and property size.
Once you have the report:
- If it’s clean, you can proceed knowing the property’s condition.
- If there are repairs, get quotes for the work and ask the seller to reduce the price or fix the problems before completion.
- If there are serious concerns, you can withdraw before exchange of contracts without a binding commitment.
It’s much easier to negotiate before you exchange than after.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Treating the mortgage valuation as a survey. It isn’t one.
- Choosing the cheapest option by default. A basic report on an older property can miss what a fuller survey would find.
- Booking too late. Instruct your surveyor soon after your offer is accepted so the findings are available before you exchange.
- Ignoring the advice. If the surveyor recommends a specialist inspection of the roof, damp or drains, arrange it.
Book a home survey with Wignalls
Wignalls Chartered Surveyors carry out RICS home surveys for buyers across Preston, Chorley, Southport, Ormskirk, Wigan and the wider North West. We will help you choose the right level for your property and talk you through the findings in plain English.
To get a quote or check availability, call the office on 01772 419 277 or get in touch through our website. Tell us the address and the date you’re aiming to exchange, and we’ll let you know what we can do.