Regulated firm
Choosing the right survey doesn’t need to be complicated. A RICS Home Survey Level 2 is your go-to for a conventional home in good nick. A RICS Home Survey Level 3 digs deeper for older, altered or unusual properties. Take the quiz below and we’ll match you to the right one in seconds.
Four short steps about the property. You’ll get a personal recommendation from a RICS Regulated surveyor, with the reasoning behind it.
The two main survey levels
Under the RICS Home Survey Standard there are three levels of survey, each designed for a different type of property and a different depth of inspection. A Level 1 Condition Report exists too, but it is a light-touch overview suitable only for the newest, simplest homes, so in practice most buyers choose between the two below.
RICS Home Survey Level 2
Best for: Flats, terraced, semi-detached and detached houses of standard construction and in reasonable condition, regardless of age. If the property is extended, altered or unusual, we'll recommend a Level 3 instead, honestly and at no charge.
A detailed visual inspection of the property with clear traffic-light condition ratings. The right choice for conventional homes in reasonable condition, and it includes a call with your surveyor to talk through the findings, with our report back within 5 working days.
RICS Home Survey Level 3
Best for: The right choice for properties that are older, extended or significantly altered, of non-standard construction, listed buildings, or any home in visibly poor condition. Also for buyers planning major works.
Our most comprehensive inspection. A full structural review with detailed defect analysis, cause and remedy advice, and guidance on repair priorities. Essential for older, larger or non-standard properties, with our report back within 7 working days.
Construction type and condition matter most
Construction type is the strongest predictor of what a surveyor will find, and it often tracks with age. Modern-standard stock tends to have cavity walls, damp-proof courses and modern services. Older stock is more often solid-walled, with lime mortar, older timbers and services that have been added to over generations. The two need different levels of inspection.
Extensions, conversions and non-standard construction (concrete, steel-framed, timber-framed, listed) also nudge the recommendation up a level, because these are the properties where hidden defects are most likely to become expensive problems after completion.
It’s about what you want out of it too
A survey isn’t just about the building, it’s about you. What’s your budget flex, your risk tolerance, your plans for the place? If the purchase price is a stretch, if you don’t have a buffer for surprises, or if you just want the full picture before you commit, stepping up a level is money well spent, even on a property that would technically pass a Level 2.
Buy-to-let investors weighing yield against risk, and anyone planning to renovate soon after moving in, almost always get more value from a Level 3. It hands you a solid basis to renegotiate, plus a costed roadmap for the work ahead.
Take the two-minute quiz and we’ll match your property to the right survey level, with the reasoning behind it.