A good building survey reads one building closely, and tells you which of its faults matter and which are simply the marks of age.
I provide thorough RICS Level 3 and bespoke building surveys for the buyers and owners of historic, traditional and vernacular buildings across Norfolk and its neighbouring counties. I have particular expertise in the pathology of traditional construction: timber framing; solid masonry; flint, carrstone, chalk lump and clunch; clay lump and cob; clay pantiles, peg tiles and water-reed thatched roofing; lime mortars, renders and plasters.
All of these materials follow their own rules, fail in their own ways and can be repaired, when they need repairing, by someone who understands what they are doing.
I write my reports in plain English, and address them to the building at hand.
People often call this a full structural survey. It is the same thing: the RICS Level 3 Home Survey, the most thorough of the three survey levels.
When a building survey is the right survey
A building survey is the most thorough of the three RICS levels and is the appropriate choice in a range of circumstances:
- Pre-1880 and traditionally-built property: solid-wall construction, lime mortars and plasters, original timber frames, early brickwork, thatch and pantile. These buildings carry the accumulated evidence of many interventions over many years, and reading that evidence correctly requires specific expertise.
- Listed buildings and designated heritage assets: statutory designation means that the condition and significance of the building fabric is a legal question as well as a commercial one. Consent applications begin with a thorough understanding of what is there.
- 1880–1939 stock in poor condition or where major works are planned: the range of building quality and materials is wide. When the condition of a building is uncertain, or if you are planning to carry out substantial works, then a thorough survey sets a baseline to work from.
- Heavily altered buildings: extensive conversion, cumulative additions, and long renovation histories create hidden junctions and concealed defects. A building survey will trace these.
- Higher-end modern construction: where the value or complexity of the building means the most thorough of the three levels is appropriate.
If you are unsure which survey is right for your property, the Which Survey? page sets out the differences plainly.
What the survey covers
A building survey is a methodical investigation of the whole building and its immediate surroundings: its structure, fabric, services, site and outbuildings. I write my findings up in a clear, structured report that explains what I found, what it means, and what, if anything, should be done about it.
I describe defects, their causes and their potential remedies. I assess the condition of traditional building materials against how those materials can reasonably be expected to behave, not against modern construction standards. Where a defect has a readable history, then the report will say so, too.
Recent work
Fees
I quote every building survey individually, because no two old buildings are alike and each asks their own set of questions. Most of my building surveys fall between £900 and £1,800. The figure reflects the building itself: its size and age, how it was built, what condition it's in, how freely it can be inspected and how far it is from North Norfolk. I'll give you a fixed fee quotation before you commit. The quote will say plainly what it covers.
Common questions
What does a Building Survey cost?
Most of my building surveys fall between £900 and £1,800. I quote each one individually and I'll give you a fixed fee before you commit, and the quote will say plainly what it covers.
Do I need a Building Survey or a Homebuyer Survey?
It depends mostly on the building itself. Pre-1880 or traditionally built, listed or poor-condition property usually wants a full building survey; a sound, conventional inter-war home is often well served by a RICS Level 2. Send me the address and I'll tell you which one it needs, including when that's the cheaper one.
Try the Which Survey? guide →Is a Building Survey the same as a full structural survey?
In everyday speech, yes. "Full structural survey" is the old name people still use; the current RICS survey is the Level 3 Building Survey. It's a thorough, methodical investigation of the whole building. Structural calculations are a separate exercise, and if the building needs an engineer I'll tell you and say why.
How long does it take, and when do I get the report?
The inspection takes between half a day and a full day, depending on the size and complexity of the building. I write the report myself and send it as a PDF, normally within five working days of the inspection. If I find something on site that materially affects the decisions you're facing, I'll telephone you straight away.