Congratulations
Buying your first home is an exciting milestone. Whether you have found a house, bungalow, apartment, purpose-built flat or converted maisonette, you are about to make one of the biggest financial commitments of your life.
A viewing tells you whether a property feels like home. It cannot tell you everything about its condition. Some defects are difficult to recognise during a viewing, and problems with the roof, walls, dampness, structural movement, drainage, ventilation or previous alterations may not be immediately apparent.
A professionally prepared RICS Home Survey provides an independent assessment of the property’s condition before you become legally committed to the purchase. It helps you understand what you are buying, what repairs or maintenance may be required and whether anything needs further investigation.
At Expert Home Survey Ltd, we explain our findings in plain English, avoiding unnecessary jargon while providing clear, practical and professional advice.
Why a Survey Is Particularly Important for First-Time Buyers
If you have never bought a property before, it can be difficult to know what is normal and what should cause concern.
Cracks, damp patches, an ageing roof or evidence of previous alterations do not necessarily mean that a property is a bad purchase. Equally, a freshly decorated property can sometimes conceal defects or maintenance requirements that may become apparent after you move in.
Your surveyor looks at the property independently and helps put the findings into perspective. The purpose of a survey is not simply to produce a list of defects, but to help you understand their significance and what you may need to do about them.
This allows you to make an informed decision before exchange of contracts.
Houses, Flats and Maisonettes – Different Things to Consider
Different types and ages of property present different considerations.
When buying a house, responsibility for the building will normally rest with the owner. The condition of the roof, external walls, windows, drainage, boundaries and other external elements can therefore have a direct bearing on your future maintenance costs.
Older houses may also have been altered or extended over the years. Walls may have been removed, lofts converted, extensions constructed or original materials replaced. Your survey can identify visible evidence of alterations or defects that may require further investigation.
When buying a flat or maisonette, you are often purchasing part of a larger building. Shared roofs, external walls, staircases, entrances, balconies and other communal areas may affect your future costs even though they do not form part of the accommodation itself.
Your solicitor advises on the legal ownership and title, while your surveyor considers the physical condition of the property. Together, these provide a much more complete understanding of what you are buying.
If You Are Buying a Leasehold Property
Most flats are leasehold, although some properties may include a share of the freehold or have other ownership arrangements.
Your solicitor will advise you on matters such as the length of the lease, service charges, reserve funds, planned major works, restrictions within the lease and management arrangements. Your survey does not replace this legal advice. Instead, it complements it by identifying visible defects, maintenance concerns and matters that may warrant further investigation.
For example, if the survey identifies deterioration to communal external walls or an ageing roof, your solicitor may be able to establish whether repairs are planned and whether you could become liable for a contribution after purchasing the property.
What Will Your Survey Inspect?
The appropriate level of survey will depend on the age, type, construction and condition of the property.
A RICS Level 2 Home Survey is generally suitable for conventional residential properties that appear to be in reasonable condition. Older, larger, substantially altered, unusual or visibly deteriorated properties may benefit from the more detailed investigation provided by a RICS Level 3 Home Survey.
Subject to safe and reasonable access, the inspection may include:
• roofs and chimneys;
• rainwater goods and drainage;
• external walls and elevations;
• windows and external doors;
• roof spaces;
• ceilings, walls and floors;
• dampness and timber defects;
• visible evidence of structural movement;
• insulation and ventilation;
• visible parts of the building services; and
• garages, permanent outbuildings, boundaries and external areas where applicable.
The report explains the significance of defects, identifies maintenance priorities and recommends further investigation where appropriate.
What Your Survey Cannot Inspect
Every survey has limitations.
Surveyors do not normally move heavy furniture, lift fitted floor coverings, remove wall or ceiling finishes or carry out destructive investigations. Concealed construction, locked rooms, restricted roof spaces and areas that cannot be safely reached may also limit the inspection.
Services such as electrics, gas installations, heating and drainage are not normally dismantled or specialist tested as part of a standard Home Survey.
Where access or inspection is restricted, your report will explain what could not be inspected and, where appropriate, whether further investigation is recommended.
Understanding these limitations is an important part of interpreting your survey correctly.
Common Defects We Find
Every property is different, but during our surveys we regularly encounter issues such as:
• dampness and condensation;
• ageing or defective roof coverings;
• leaking or defective rainwater goods;
• deteriorated brickwork, pointing and render;
• Insect infestation
• Bats
• cracking and evidence of movement;
• defective or ageing windows;
• inadequate ventilation;
• timber deterioration;
• drainage issues;
• poorly executed repairs;
• alterations to walls and chimney breasts; and
• extensions, loft conversions and other alterations that may require further investigation.
Older properties inevitably require maintenance, and finding defects does not necessarily mean that you should withdraw from a purchase. The important thing is to understand what the problem is, how significant it may be and what you may need to do about it before you become legally committed.
Communal Parts – If You Are Buying a Flat or Maisonette
If you are purchasing a flat or maisonette, the condition of the wider building can be just as important as the condition of the accommodation itself.
Buyers naturally concentrate on the flat during a viewing, but shared roofs, external walls, hallways, staircases, balconies, pathways and drainage systems may eventually have an impact on service charges and future expenditure.
Where visible and within the scope of the inspection, your survey will comment on the apparent condition of relevant communal areas and identify matters that your solicitor may wish to investigate further with the seller, freeholder or managing agent.
Why a Mortgage Valuation Isn’t Enough
Many first-time buyers assume that their lender’s mortgage valuation is effectively a survey. It isn’t.
A mortgage valuation is prepared primarily for the lender to help establish whether the property provides suitable security for the proposed mortgage. It is not intended to provide you with a detailed assessment of the property’s condition or comprehensive advice about repairs and maintenance.
Even where a lender has carried out a valuation, obtaining your own survey gives you independent advice about the property you are proposing to buy.
What Happens After Your Survey?
Once you receive your report, take time to read it carefully. If anything is unclear, ask us.
At Expert Home Survey Ltd, we encourage our clients to contact us after receiving their report if they would like clarification or want to discuss a particular finding.
Depending on the results of the survey, you may decide to proceed with confidence, obtain quotations for repairs, ask your solicitor to make further enquiries, arrange specialist investigations or discuss previously unknown defects with the seller before exchange of contracts. Whatever the outcome, you will be making your decision with a better understanding of the property.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I still need a survey if the property looks well maintained?
A well-presented property can still have defects or maintenance requirements that are not obvious during a viewing. A survey provides an independent assessment of its condition.
Do I need a survey on a relatively new house or flat?
Age is only one consideration. Even relatively modern properties can have construction defects, poor workmanship, dampness, ventilation problems or maintenance issues. We can advise you on the most appropriate level of survey.
Will the survey delay my purchase?
Usually not. Surveys are normally arranged while your solicitor is carrying out the conveyancing process and before exchange of contracts.
What if significant defects are found?
Your report will explain their significance and recommend sensible next steps. Depending on the issue, this might include obtaining a quotation, asking your solicitor to investigate further or obtaining specialist advice.
Can a survey help me negotiate?
Where previously unknown defects are identified, buyers sometimes use the survey findings and repair quotations as part of discussions with the seller before exchange of contracts. Whether a seller agrees to renegotiate will depend on the circumstances.
Which survey do I need – Level 2 or Level 3?
This depends on the property. A Level 2 survey is generally appropriate for conventional properties in reasonable condition, while a Level 3 survey provides a more detailed assessment and is often more suitable for older, larger, unusual, substantially altered or deteriorated properties.
If you are unsure, contact us before booking and we will be happy to advise which level of survey is appropriate for the property you are considering.
Buy Your First Home With Confidence
Buying your first home should be exciting, but it is also a major financial commitment. Whether you are buying a house, bungalow, flat or maisonette, understanding its condition before exchange of contracts can help you avoid unwelcome surprises later.
Expert Home Survey Ltd provides independent RICS Home Surveys across North and West London and the surrounding Home Counties. We combine professional surveying experience with clear, practical advice that is easy to understand.
If you are buying your first home, contact Expert Home Survey Ltd to discuss the property and the most appropriate survey for your purchase. We will be pleased to explain the difference between our Level 2 and Level 3 Home Surveys and help you choose the right survey for your new hom