A building surveyor inspects a property and reports on its condition: the structure, roof, walls, damp, timbers, services and anything that needs repair or further investigation. When you are buying a home, a RICS building surveyor carries out a Level 2 or Level 3 survey and gives you a written report, so you know what you are buying before you exchange contracts.
An RICS chartered surveyor is a qualified property professional regulated by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. Their job is simple: to act as your eyes and ears, reporting on the structural and physical condition of a building before you buy it.
What does a building surveyor inspect?
When a surveyor walks into a property for a home survey, such as an RICS Level 2 survey, they are conducting a systematic health check of the building from top to bottom. They focus heavily on:
- Structural Integrity: Looking for signs of subsidence (the ground sinking under the house), structural movement, or failing lintels over windows and doors. An RICS Level 3 survey looks at these in more depth.
- Damp and Rot: Using specialised equipment to find rising damp, penetrating damp, or condensation issues that lead to mould and timber decay.
- The Roof and Loft: Checking for broken tiles, sagging timbers, compromised insulation, and evidence of wood-boring insects (woodworm).
- Safety Hazards: Flagging visible signs of possible safety concerns, such as materials that may contain asbestos or services that should be tested by a specialist.
- Legal & Boundary Issues: Pointing out alterations and extensions your conveyancer should check for planning permission and building regulations approval.
What happens after the inspection?
The surveyor writes up the report, with condition ratings, photographs and advice on what needs attention and how urgently. You should be able to talk the findings through with the surveyor, so you understand what matters most before you exchange.
What a building surveyor does not do
A home survey is a visual, non-invasive inspection. The surveyor will not lift fitted floor coverings, move heavy furniture, open up walls or test the electrics, gas or drainage; where they see signs of a problem, they recommend a specialist. Legal matters, such as planning permission and building regulations approval, are for your conveyancer, although the surveyor will flag alterations that need checking.
Why do you need a building surveyor?
Many buyers view a survey as just another annoying expense in a long line of moving costs. However, a survey shouldn’t be viewed as a cost; it is an insurance policy.
If a surveyor finds £5,000 worth of roofing defects, you have two options:
- Walk away from a bad investment before it drains your bank account.
- Go back to the estate agent and say, “I still want the house, but I am reducing my offer by £5,000 to cover the roof repairs.”
Many sellers will accept a price reduction or agree to fix the issues when presented with an official, independent RICS report. In short, the survey findings can help you negotiate or budget for repairs.
Check your surveyor is RICS-regulated
Make sure the surveyor you choose is registered with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). RICS-regulated firms must hold professional indemnity insurance and follow RICS rules of conduct. Not sure which kind of surveyor you need? Read types of surveyor: which one do you need?
Further reading: Types of house survey in the UK · Your guide to informed property transactions
