Buying a property comes with plenty of decisions, and choosing the right survey is one of those things that often gets left until fairly late in the process.
Once an offer has been accepted, buyers are usually concentrating on the mortgage, solicitors, searches and paperwork. Then comes the question: do you need a Level 2 survey or should you pay a little more for a Level 3 Building Survey?
There isn’t one answer that suits every property.
A fairly modern two-bedroom flat in good condition is very different from a Victorian terrace that has been extended, had the loft converted and shows signs of damp around the rear wall. Both may look perfectly fine during a viewing, but the amount of investigation you would reasonably want is not the same.
The best way to choose is to look at the property itself rather than simply comparing survey prices.
What does a Level 2 survey actually cover?
A Level 2 survey is what many buyers still call a HomeBuyer Report.
It suits a large number of normal residential properties, particularly houses and flats built using standard materials and construction methods.
The surveyor will inspect the accessible areas of the property and comment on its general condition. They will look for visible problems such as damp, damaged roof coverings, cracks, defective windows, worn external walls and other issues that may need attention.
For a conventional house that has been reasonably well maintained, this level of inspection is often enough.
Take a typical 1990s semi-detached house, for example. If it has not been heavily altered, the roof appears sound, there are no obvious signs of movement and the property is generally in decent condition, a Level 2 survey may give you all the information you realistically need before buying.
If this sounds closer to the type of property you are considering, you can find more information about arranging a HomeBuyer Survey.
When does a Level 3 survey make more sense?
A Level 3 Building Survey goes into more detail.
That extra detail becomes much more useful when the property is older, unusual, heavily altered or in questionable condition.
Imagine walking around a Victorian house and noticing that the rear wall has been rendered, the loft has clearly been converted, there is an extension at the back and one bedroom wall has a crack running from the corner of the window.
None of those things automatically means the property has a serious problem.
But you would probably want more than a brief note saying that further investigation may be required.
A Level 3 report allows the surveyor to discuss defects in more depth, explain likely causes and point out the possible consequences of leaving something unrepaired.
That is particularly useful with older buildings because faults are not always as straightforward as they first appear.
You can compare local professionals who provide Building Surveys before deciding who to instruct.
Older homes often deserve a closer look
Property age is one of the biggest factors worth thinking about.
A Victorian terrace, Edwardian semi or older cottage may have been standing for well over a hundred years. Over that time it could have had several owners, numerous repairs and more than one round of alterations.
Some of the work may have been done properly. Some of it may not.
Older properties can also contain materials that behave differently from those found in modern houses.
Solid brick walls are a good example.
A Victorian house may originally have been built using breathable lime mortar. If later repairs have been carried out using hard cement render or unsuitable modern coatings, moisture can sometimes become trapped instead of escaping naturally.
A buyer may simply see a damp patch.
An experienced surveyor may see a wider issue involving ventilation, external ground levels, guttering, render or inappropriate repairs.
That is the sort of situation where more detailed reporting can be useful.
Extensions and loft conversions change things
Even a relatively ordinary house can become more complicated once people start altering it.
A loft conversion may have involved changes to the roof structure. A rear extension may have required a large opening through the original external wall. Chimney breasts may have been removed. Internal walls may have been altered.
Most of these changes are perfectly normal.
The important thing is understanding how the building has been changed and whether anything visible suggests a problem.
A 1930s semi with its original layout could be suitable for a Level 2 survey.
The same house with a loft conversion, wraparound extension, removed chimney breasts and several cracks around new openings might justify a Level 3 survey instead.
It is not really about the age alone. It is about how straightforward the building is.
Don’t ignore what you notice during the viewing
Buyers sometimes feel they shouldn’t worry about defects because they are not building experts.
You do not need to diagnose the problem yourself.
You just need to notice that something looks unusual.
Cracks, staining, uneven floors, musty smells, damaged roof tiles, badly deteriorated windows and water marks are all reasonable reasons to ask questions.
One useful habit is to look around the outside of the property before leaving the viewing.
Check the walls.
Look up at the roof if it is visible.
See whether gutters appear damaged or overflowing.
Look at the condition of the chimney.
Take a quick look around the rear extension if there is one.
You are not carrying out your own survey. You are simply gathering information that may help you decide what level of professional inspection makes sense.
What about flats?
Flats are sometimes assumed to be simpler, but that is not always the case.
A modern purpose-built apartment in a well-maintained block may be perfectly suited to a Level 2 survey.
A flat inside a converted Georgian or Victorian house is different.
The building itself may have an old roof, solid walls, timber floors, ageing windows and decades of alterations.
There may also be questions over who is responsible for repairs.
For example, the roof may be maintained by the freeholder while the windows are the responsibility of individual leaseholders.
Your solicitor will normally deal with the legal side of this through the lease and management information.
The surveyor’s role is different. They are looking at the physical condition of the property and anything visible that could affect your decision.
Both sides of the process matter.
A more expensive property does not automatically need a Level 3 survey
This is another area where buyers sometimes get caught out.
A £750,000 modern apartment does not automatically require a more detailed survey than a £350,000 Victorian house.
The value of the property and the complexity of the building are two different things.
A newer flat may be relatively straightforward from a construction point of view.
An older house at half the price could have movement, damp, roof problems, outdated drainage or historic alterations.
Choose the survey based mainly on the property rather than its asking price.
Of course, some buyers simply prefer the reassurance of a more detailed report when spending a large amount of money. There is nothing wrong with that either.
Renovating after purchase? Think ahead
Your plans for the property should also influence the decision.
Suppose you are already planning a new kitchen extension, loft conversion or complete refurbishment.
You will want a realistic idea of what condition the existing building is in before starting.
There is little point budgeting £70,000 for an extension only to discover soon after completion that the roof needs major work or the property has long-standing moisture problems.
A Building Survey will not replace an architect or structural engineer, but it can help reveal issues that may affect your renovation plans and budget.
Saving £150 on the survey isn’t always saving money
Survey prices naturally matter, particularly when you are already paying legal fees, mortgage costs and moving expenses.
But choosing purely on the cheapest quote can be short-sighted.
The difference between two survey quotations may be relatively small compared with the cost of repairing a serious defect after purchase.
Before choosing a surveyor, find out what you are actually getting.
Ask how long the inspection normally takes.
Ask whether you can speak to the surveyor after reading the report.
Ask whether they regularly inspect properties of the same age and type.
If you are buying a Victorian house, someone who deals with Victorian housing regularly may be more useful than a surveyor whose work is mainly new-build apartments.
Local experience can also help.
Surveyors who work frequently in one area often become familiar with the types of houses, common alterations and recurring building problems found locally.
You can use Surveys Near Me to compare surveyors working near the property you are buying.
What happens if the report finds a problem?
This is where the survey starts to earn its value.
Suppose the report says the roof is nearing the end of its useful life.
That does not necessarily mean you should pull out of the purchase.
You might ask a roofer to inspect it and provide a quote.
If the repair is likely to cost £12,000, you can then decide whether to proceed, renegotiate or simply accept the expense as part of owning the property.
The same applies to damp, cracking, drainage issues or defective windows.
The important thing is that you know about the problem before you complete.
If you receive a worrying survey report, our guide on what to do when your property survey finds problems before you buy explains some sensible next steps.
When should you arrange the survey?
It usually makes sense to start arranging it not long after the offer has been accepted.
Leaving it too late can create unnecessary pressure.
If the report raises an issue, you may need time to speak to the surveyor, arrange another inspection or obtain quotes from contractors.
Trying to fit all of that into the final few days before exchange is far from ideal.
Survey availability also varies.
Some surveyors can inspect within a few days. Others may already have a full diary.
Our guide explaining how long a property survey takes may help if you are trying to organise the timing of your purchase.
So which one should you choose?
For an ordinary modern or fairly recent property in reasonable condition, a Level 2 survey is often a sensible choice.
If the building is older, altered, unusually constructed, visibly neglected or already showing signs of defects, a Level 3 Building Survey deserves serious consideration.
There will always be properties that sit somewhere in the middle.
If you are unsure, call the surveyor before booking and describe the house.
Tell them roughly when it was built, whether it has been extended and anything unusual you noticed during your viewing.
A good surveyor should be able to tell you which level is likely to be appropriate.
They should not simply push you towards the most expensive option.
One final point
It is easy to think of a survey as another expense added to an already expensive house purchase.
That is understandable.
But the survey is one of the few opportunities you have to get an independent professional to look at the property before it becomes yours.
You may receive a report showing nothing more worrying than routine maintenance.
That is still useful.
Or it may highlight something you completely missed during two twenty-minute viewings.
Either way, you are making the decision with more information than you had before.
If you are ready to arrange an inspection, you can find surveyors near you and compare professionals based on the type of survey you need and the area in which you are buying.