RICS Home Survey
Level 2
What is the RICS Home Survey – Level 2?
- Previously the RICS HomeBuyer Report
- Traffic light condition ratings
- Identifies urgent or significant defects
- Problems that could affect the property value
The RICS Home Survey - Level 2 is an inspection by an RICS Chartered Surveyor.
They will cover all of the essentials of the property and will look for visible problems which are serious, dangerous, or that could affect the property value. The RICS Home Survey – Level 2 is the most common type of survey, and it is what we would recommend for the majority of properties, those under 100 years old and of standard construction.
The RICS Home Survey – Level 2 is there to protect you from buying a property with significant issues and provide you with peace of mind regarding the condition of the property you are purchasing.
The RICS Home Survey - Level 2 uses a traffic light system to grade individual elements of the property and highlight areas of concern.
This allows you to make the most informed decision on how to proceed. Our RICS Chartered Surveyors are there to give you as much information as possible, allowing you to be confident in the condition of the property and making sure you are aware of any potential issues.
You may also be able to use this information to assess the property’s value, along with the cost of any future maintenance, repair or restoration works. All of which is extremely useful information when making one of the most important purchases of your lifetime.
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What will be included?
The surveyor will inspect the inside and outside of the main building, as well as all permanent outbuildings such as garages or outhouses. The inspection is designed to assess as much of the property as physically possible. For example:
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The condition of the roof, both internally, by going into the loft space, as well as externally by carrying out a visual inspection from the ground floor or any access points.
- Checking the walls and ceilings for any concerns of cracking or issues with ground instability and subsidence. We will also assess the potential concern of damp throughout the property. We will use specialist damp meters to determine any issues of moisture retention in the property.
- Window fittings, door fittings and joinery, will all be assessed, ensuring everything is in a suitable condition and not going to cause you any potential problems once you have moved in.
- Guttering and wastewater goods will be inspected to assess the condition and working order.
- Within the RICS Home Survey - Level 2, we will also assess any garden areas, large trees that are on the property and concerns of Japanese Knotweed.
The RICS Home Survey - Level 2 is straightforward to read and understand. We will always try to keep the level of jargon to a minimum.
Allowing even the most inexperienced person or first-time buyer to make sense of the report and take the necessary actions that our surveyors are suggesting. The RICS Home Survey – Level 2 grades potential problems in the following way:
- Urgent repairs: this indicates issues that need urgent attention and immediate rectification
- Significant matters requiring further investigation by specialist contractors
- Significant (but not urgent) repairs
- Other considerations
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When you receive the survey, we recommend concentrating on any issues highlighted as urgent or significant, marked in red on the report to start with as they would be considered the most severe.
There will also be a section at the bottom for your legal advisers and conveyancers. Be sure to discuss the findings with them in order to determine the best way to solve any concerns raised within the RICS Home Survey – Level 2. Remember, you can always speak to our dedicated team here at iMyHome if you need any assistance along the way!