The RICS Home Survey reports are generally appropriate for most family homes providing a concise economy service, including condition ratings using a traffic light system to flag up:

• Serious / urgent repairs are required;
• Whether investigations are recommended or if;
• components can be readily cared for under normal maintenance.
• Offer with or without valuation

Unlike the RICS Building Survey, advice is given on the value of the property and the reinstatement cost for insurance purposes. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, has produced a helpful consumer guide to explain what might be the best survey for you. Click here to view PDF

Buying your home is likely to be your single most expensive and most important purchase. There are many pitfalls and problems which can arise which would be costly to remedy. Relying on a valuation report for lending purposes, does not give the peace of mind that a more thorough survey offers. Many valutaion reports for lending can take the form of a driveby, desktop valutation, automated valuation model and where an internal inspection is completed in some cases there is only the offer of the mortage with no report or commentary on the property provided.