Is a mortgage valuation the same as a survey?

No. A mortgage valuation is done for the lender to check the property is worth what it is lending against. It is not a survey and will not tell you about defects. You need your own RICS survey.

Which RICS survey level do I need?

Level 1 suits conventional, modern homes in good condition. Level 2 is the common choice for standard properties built after about 1900. Level 3 is for older, altered, extended, listed or unusual buildings, and where you plan major works.

When should I book a survey?

As soon as your offer is accepted. Booking early keeps the transaction moving and gives you findings in time to renegotiate or withdraw before exchange, when you are still free to do so.

Can a survey reduce the price I pay?

Often, yes. Costed repair findings are the most common evidence buyers use to renegotiate. A few hundred pounds spent on a survey regularly saves thousands, or stops a bad purchase entirely.

Buyer & seller essentials

Need a survey? Let chartered surveyors quote

A home survey is the only part of the process that tells you what you are actually buying. Tell us about the property once and RICS-regulated chartered surveyors on the HausMart panel come back with written, no-obligation quotes and inspection dates.

Which survey do I need?

RICS Level 1 — Condition report

A traffic-light summary of the condition of the main elements, with risks and legal points flagged. No advice on repairs or valuation.

Best for: Newer, conventional homes in visibly good order.

Typically £300–£500

RICS Level 2 — Homebuyer survey

The most popular level. Everything in Level 1 plus advice on defects, repairs and ongoing maintenance, with a market valuation and rebuild cost if you ask for it.

Best for: Standard houses and flats built after roughly 1900 in reasonable condition.

Typically £500–£900

RICS Level 3 — Building survey

The full structural inspection: how the property is built, what is wrong, what causes it, what happens if you ignore it, and likely repair costs.

Best for: Period, listed, timber-framed, thatched, heavily extended or run-down properties, and anything you plan to alter.

Typically £800–£1,600

Costs are typical UK ranges and vary with property size, value, age and location. Your quotes will confirm the actual fee.

A mortgage valuation is not a survey

Your lender's valuation protects the lender, not you. It is often a drive-by or desktop check. It will not find the failed lintel, the spreading roof or the damp behind the units.

Book the moment your offer is accepted

Survey lead times are the quiet killer of a sale timetable. Instructing on day one is exactly what the government's push to front-load information is asking of movers — findings arrive while there is still time to act.

Use a RICS-regulated chartered surveyor

Members are regulated by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, carry professional indemnity insurance and follow the RICS Home Survey Standard, so you have real recourse if something material is missed.

Findings are negotiating evidence

Costed defects are the strongest lever a buyer has after an offer is accepted. Sellers who commission their own survey up front remove that surprise and protect the agreed price.

Line up the rest of your move

A survey works best alongside a conveyancer instructed early and an EPC in place before marketing.

Get conveyancing quotes Read the EPC rules Get mortgage pitches

Get survey quotes

Takes a minute. Quotes usually arrive within one working day. Not sure which level you need? Leave it blank and the surveyor will advise.

For chartered surveyors

Surveyors — quote for our buyers and sellers

HausMart movers arrive with the postcode, property type, age, guide price and timescale already captured, so you can price the job accurately first time. We take no cut of your fee and never sell the same instruction round a room. Practices must be RICS regulated and carry current professional indemnity cover.