How long does a house survey take?
You’ve made an offer on a house and booked a surveyor but how long does a house survey take, how soon will you get the report and what can you do to speed the process up? We take a look…
Once you have had an offer accepted on a property, there’s a lot to do before you can exchange contracts and know the home is legally yours. Alongside arranging a mortgage, organising a conveyancing solicitor and calculating your stamp duty bill, you also need to arrange a survey of your potential new home – so finding out how long does a house survey take is important.
A survey to examine the condition your home is an essential part of the home buying process. It involves an expert inspecting your property and highlighting anything that might be a concern, unsafe or cost you money further down the line.
Depending on the type of survey you get, the surveyor will tell you if there are any structural problems with the property such as unstable walls or subsidence. They will also highlight any major repairs that are needed such as fixing the roof or chimney.
There are several different types of survey you can get. Which one you should opt for will depend on your personal choice, the type of property you are buying and how thorough you want to be. For more information, read our guide on house survey types and costs.
How long does a house survey take?
Property surveys typically take between 1 to 8 hours, depending on the house survey type you choose. The more detailed the survey, the longer it will take. Our guide, what does a surveyor do, explains what the surveyor will inspect at the property. How long a house survey will take depends on the type of survey.
How long does a RICS Home Survey (Level 1) take?
The RICS Home Survey Level 1, previously called a Condition Report, is the most basic – and cheapest – survey. It may take an hour or less to complete.
How long does a Homebuyer Survey take to carry out?
A RICS Level 2 homebuyer survey, previously called a Home Buyer Report or Homebuyer survey, usually takes between 90 minutes and 4 hours to complete. However, it may take longer if there are issues with access.
RPSA Home Condition Survey – how long does it take?
An RPSA Home Condition Survey is equivalent to the RICS Home Survey Level 2, offered by the Residential Property Surveyors Association rather than RICS. These typically take around 3 hours for a standard three bedroom semi-detached property,
How long does a Building Survey (Level 3 Survey) take to carry out?
The RICS Home Survey Level 3, also known as a full structural survey and previously as a RICS Building Survey, is the most thorough survey RICS offers. It can take up to 8 hours for the surveyor to complete a Building Survey.
How long does a house survey take with RPSA Building Surveys?
While the RPSA Building Survey is the highest level of non-invasive survey from RPSA. Similar to a RICS Home Survey Level 3, it can take up to 8 hours.
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How to book a house survey
You’ll need to choose a good surveyor. So, in order to do this you should:
- Shop around: Get quotes from a few local surveyors and compare. And it’s important that you don’t just go with the property surveyor recommended by your bank, estate agent, mortgage lender or other property expert as this can end up costing you more.
- Double check: Check your house surveyor is a member of RICS or that they are a current member of the Residential Property Surveyors Association.
- Know what you’re getting: So ask if you can see copies of past reports – will that sort of report be useful for your situation?
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Why it’s vital to book your survey early
Whatever type of house survey you are opting for it is important to book it in early. Once you have made an offer and it has been accepted, it’s a good idea to get your survey booked in. This shows you are a serious buyer and keen to move. It will also get you to the point of exchange – and legally owning the home – quicker.
When will I receive the survey report?
There are several elements to the time involved in getting a survey done:
- The surveyor’s diary. You have to wait for the surveyor to be available to go to the property and conduct their report.
- The seller’s diary. The surveyor has to agree a suitable time with the vendor when they can go into the property.
- The survey process – As we explain above, this typically takes 1-8 hours depending on the type of survey.
- Writing the report – Finally, you have to wait for the surveyor to produce their report after they have visited the property. When it comes to how long does a house survey take to come back, again this will depend on the type of survey that has been undertaken and the depth the surveyor goes into. There can be huge variation between the level of detail and length of reports even for the same type of survey because RICS don’t dictate what reports should and shouldn’t include. It could take from a few hours for a Home Survey Level 2 and up to 10 working days to produce a Home Survey Level 3 report (full structural survey report).
However, we’ve heard of surveyors taking up to a month to get their report back to buyers. So it’s advisable to ask your surveyor how long it will take before you instruct them.
How to speed up the survey process
If you’re asking how long does a house survey take, there are things you can do to speed up the process. One way to keep things moving swiftly is to deal directly with your surveyor. This is another reason why we wouldn’t recommend going with an in-house surveyor offered by your estate agent for example. A network like this can slow the process down as you are communicating through middlemen.
Unfortunately, there isn’t a ‘quiet time’ of year when you can get your survey done extra quickly. The surveyors we spoke to said they are busy year-round, with it only easing off in December and early January.
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Questions to ask your surveyor
Another way you may be able to speed up the survey process is by asking the right questions before you choose your surveyor. Speak to a couple and get an idea for how busy they are and how they work.
These are the questions JJ Heath-Caldwell, managing director of Local Surveyors Direct, suggested that you should ask:
- Am I booking directly with the surveyor or am I booking through a network or large company? In general booking direct is faster.
- What are your qualifications? We’d recommend you use a surveyor who is a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).
- Can I meet the surveyor at the property?
- Can I speak to the surveyor after the report to talk through any points of concern?
- Will the report contain photographs? This can slow down the process, so if you are short on time, you could ask for the photos not to be integrated into the report but sent in a separate file instead.
- What is the target time from the day of booking to the day of the survey?
- What is the target time from the day of the survey to the delivery of the report?
How much does a house survey cost?
This depends on the type of survey you have – it could cost £300-£1500 or even more. See our guide on how much surveys cost in 2023 for more detailed information on costs and why property surveys can end up costing more.
How long does a house survey take for a new build?
If you’re buying a new build home, we recommend that a professional snagging survey is carried out. Snagging surveys will identify defects or problems that need to be fixed before you move in. A professional snagging survey on a new build should typically take around 3 to 5 hours, although this will depend on the size of the property.
Will the mortgage lender carry out the survey?
No. A mortgage lender will instruct that a mortgage valuation is carried out but this is not the same as getting a survey. It is a cursory look at a property to assess how much it’s worth. Your mortgage lender requires a valuation to make sure the property is sufficient security for the loan. For more information, read our guide on Mortgage valuations explained.
Insure against the seller pulling out
Before you book your surveyor, do consider Home Buyer Protection Insurance. Surveys cost hundreds of pounds or even more and you could be left out of pocket if your seller pulls out of the deal after you’ve paid.
Home Buyer Protection Insurance can enable you to claim back some of your conveyancing fees, survey costs/mortgage valuation fees and mortgage/lender fees in the event of the purchase falling through. Our Home Buyer Protection costs just £60.
Home Buyer Protection Insurance can also protect you in the event of being gazumped.
Video: What survey should you get?
Frequently asked questions
How long does a house survey take to come back?
The answer to how long does a house survey take to come back depends on the type of survey you commissioned. Home Surveys Level 1 and 2 typically take between 3 and 5 days while full structural surveys can take up to 10 working days. The amount of time can vary though, so ask the surveyor how long it will take before you instruct them. For more information, read our guide on House survey types and costs.
How long after a house survey do you move?
This depends in part on what is uncovered in the survey. If the survey finds problems, such as a problem with the roof, you may want to renegotiate the price, get the vendor to agree to fix the issue or walk away from the purchase. For more information, read our guide A bad house survey report: What to do next.
How long does a house survey take in the UK?
In the UK, home surveys typically take between 1 to 8 hours, depending on what type of survey you are having. To find out more information in different types of surveys, read our guide on House survey types and costs.
