Building surveys in Yorkshire
Chartered Surveying firm specialising in new build professional snagging services and homebuyer surveys in Yorkshire and the North.
The RICS Level 3
Building Survey
Should I have a Building Survey?
Northern Property Surveyors have a wealth of experience to enable us to provide detailed Building Surveys in Yorkshire; helping you to buy your new property. The RICS Level 3 or Building / structural survey is a much more detailed report than the RICS Homebuyer Level 2 Survey. The Building Survey is particularly relevant if you are buying an old or large property, a Listed Building or a property that has undergone significant changes over time.
This is a full structural survey which provides a report on the structural integrity of the property. Structural surveys are often now referred to as Building Surveys and can only be carried out by a registered RICS property surveyor.
A Building Survey report will include a detailed description of the construction of the property including photographs. It entails a thorough inspection, examining the structure and condition, and it will take several hours, even up to a day to carry out. This goes beyond a visual inspection, for example, your surveyor will look for signs of damp, but will also use a moisture meter to identify the levels of moisture in the walls.
The surveyor may inspect concealed areas of the property which are normally accessible to residents, provided it is safe to do so. This means furniture may be moved to check for signs of defects, such as mould on the wall surfaces.
Building Surveyors are not able to investigate behind walls or under floorboards, as these surveys are designed to be non-intrusive. However, they will include in their report any suspected defects which cannot be confirmed without further or destructive exploration.
With over 25 years of construction and surveying knowledge and experience we aim to protect homebuyers in Yorkshire
and owners against unforeseen risks and uniformed decisions.
You can expect your building survey report to cover the following,
as a minimum:
- Signs of subsidence
- Walls
- Roof
- Damp proof course
- Electrical wiring
- Plumbing
- Doors
- Windows
- Cellar
- Garage
- Permanent outbuilding
We also review risk factors which could affect the property such as:
• Flooding
• Noise pollution
• Radon levels
• Means of escape, and other health and safety considerations.
Northern Property Surveyors are Licensed by RICS to produce Building surveys in Yorkshire including Harrogate, York, Thirsk, Ripon, Wetherby, Leeds
Which Survey do I need?
We offer a variety of surveys and valuations for properties, new and old – no matter the condition. Take a moment to browse our other services, below.
| Service features | Level 1 | Level 2 (survey only) | Level 2 (survey and valuation) | Level 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Describes the construction and condition of the property on the date of the inspection. | X | X | X | |
| Aims to identify any problems that need urgent attention or are serious. | X | X | X | X |
| Aims to identify things that need to be investigated further to prevent serious damage. | X | X | X | X |
| Aims to tell you about problems that may be dangerous. | X | X | X | X |
| Aims to show up potential issues and defects, before any transaction takes place. | X | X | X | X |
| Aims to help you decide whether you need extra advice before committing to purchase. | X | X | X | |
| Aims to enable you to budget for any repairs or restoration. | X | X | X | |
| Aims to advise you on the amount of ongoing maintenance required in the future. | X | X | X | |
| Provides a reinstatement cost to help you avoid under or over-insurance. | X | |||
| Provides a market valuation. | X | |||
| Aims to establish how the property is built, what materials are used and how these will perform in the future. | X | |||
| Aims to describe visible defects, plus exposing potential problems posed by hidden defects. | X | |||
| Aims to outline the repair options and give you a repair timeline, whilst explaining the consequences of not acting. | X | |||
| Where practical and agreed, provides an estimate of costs for identified repairs. | X | |||
| Provide specific comments on energy efficiency. | X |
