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A RICS Level 3 Building Survey is the most detailed, comprehensive and expensive home survey you can choose. Here's what it covers, costs, your other options and what else to consider.
A Building Survey – Structural survey or RICS Level 3 survey as it is also known – is the most thorough, detailed survey you can choose to investigate the condition of a house your are considering buying. Here’s everything you need to know to decide if you need a building survey.
A Building Survey is the most in-depth type of property inspection you can have. A building survey is done when you are considering buying a property. It used to be known as a structural survey and is the equivalent of a RICS Level 3 Home Survey, the most comprehensive survey available for a residential property.
A Level 3 Survey will look at every element of a property and identify any problems, the likely cause, how urgently they need to be repaired and how much the repair could cost. Here is an example of a Level 3 Home Survey report from RICS.
A surveyor conducting a Building Survey aims to “help you make a reasoned and informed decision when purchasing a property, or when planning for repairs, maintenance or upgrading the property,” according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).
Alternative less detailed house survey options include a Homebuyer Survey, also known as a Level 2 RICS survey, or a Level 1 RICS survey, also called a Condition Report. Read more about the differences with our guide to house survey types and costs.
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You need to get a building survey when you are buying a home. It will identify any potential issues with the property such as structural problems, which could impact the value and your ultimate decision to purchase it.
When you are buying a home the results of the building survey may lead to you renegotiating the price. For example, if your survey reveals that the house needs £15,000 of roof repairs it is fair to ask for £15,000 off the price or for the seller to fix the issue themselves before exchange of contracts.
A Level 3 Survey is the most in-depth option and is a wise choice for anyone who wants to know as much as possible about the property they are buying, given it is probably the biggest financial investment of your life.
Level 3 Building Surveys are often recommended for:
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If you pay for a Building Survey (Level 3) it should include a detailed inspection of the property and then a written report.
When conducting a Building Survey (Level 3 Survey), your surveyor will inspect all visible and accessible parts of the building. This will include the roof, chimneys, walls, windows and doors, floors, cellars and any garages and outbuildings.
Your surveyor is legally obliged to find and tell you about any major problems with the building. That means they are going to search everywhere they can, including inside cupboards and under manhole covers.
A Level 3 Survey leaves no stone unturned with a property. The surveyor will check everything they can access looking for problems or issues that you, the buyer, need to know about.
A building survey will tell you about:
Want to know more? Read our guide to what a surveyor does.
It can take a surveyor up to a day to complete the inspection for a Building Survey Level 3. They then need time to write up what is a long and in-depth report. This can take up to two weeks.
Exactly how long a Level 3 Building Survey will take comes down to the complexity of the property, the working methods of the individual surveyor and how many other jobs they have on their books. As you can imagine a survey on a small bungalow will take less time than a large, detached property with outbuildings.
If time is an issue, then discuss this with a surveyor before you contract them to take on the job. Some surveyors may be able to get to the job and complete the survey far quicker than others.
Find out more with our complete guide to how long house surveys take.
As it is the most thorough survey option, a Level 3 Building Survey – or full structural survey – is also the most expensive. You can expect to pay between £630 and £1,500+ depending on the size, location, complexity and value of the property. You can find out more with our guide to home survey costs.
The price varies a great deal as the size of the job can be quite different. For example, a full structural survey of a one-bedroom apartment is likely to be a quicker job than a full Building Survey of an eight-bedroom farm with outbuildings.
To get an accurate idea of costs, it is a good idea to compare building survey quotes. Use our free find a building surveyor tool to get instant quotes from Chartered Surveyors in your area.
A building survey will warn you if there are any problems with the property you are buying. Forearmed is forewarned and your building survey report will mean you can renegotiate with the vendors if needs be, or simply walk away.
If you don’t have a survey, you could discover major – and expensive – problems with your home after completion. By which point you could face large expenses trying to rectify the problem.
Our most recent research in 2024 found that:
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Having said all that, you may not need the most comprehensive Level 3 Building Survey. This is the most in-depth type of survey and may be more than you need. Take a look at our guide to the different type of surveys or simply find and speak to a local chartered surveyor to discuss the right type of survey for your property and budget.
Speak to a local chartered surveyor to discuss the options and ask what they recommend but in the end only you can decide if you need a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 Home Survey. A Building Survey (Level 3) will give you the most in-depth report on the property you are considering buying. But you may not need the level of detail it provides. If you are buying a modern home in a reasonable condition then a Homebuyer Survey (Level 2), the most popular type, may be all you need.
A RICS Home Survey Level 3, a building survey, may be a good idea if you want to know as much as possible about the property you are buying. They are also recommended if the property is:
You should also consider a Building Survey (Level 3) if you are planning major renovations or extensions to the building.
A RICS Home Survey Level 2 / Homebuyer Survey could be the best choice if the property is:
There is more than one type of property survey and the right one for you will depend on the type of property you are buying and what you plan to do with it. The other types of house survey include Homebuyers surveys, condition reports and RICS Home Surveys.
A Level 3 Building Survey can be expensive and may not be necessary on the type of building you are buying. As discussed above it is best suited for older properties, listed buildings, properties where you have explicit concerns or homes that are going to undergo or have already had a large renovation.
The most basic type of house survey is the RICS Home Survey Level 1, previously known as a Condition Report. This provides a ‘traffic light’ rating of the condition of different parts of the building, services and grounds. It doesn’t go into much detail but can be perfectly adequate if you are buying a conventional building built from common building materials and in a reasonable condition. You can expect to pay between £300 and £900 for a Level 1 home survey.
The most popular type of house survey is a RICS Home Survey Level 2, also known as a Homebuyers Report or Homebuyers Survey. If you are buying a conventional property that is in a reasonable condition this could be a better value choice for you instead of a full structural survey.
A Level 2 Home Survey covers everything in a Level 1 survey plus the surveyor will check the roof spaces and cellars as well as recommendations on further investigations your surveyor thinks could be needed. This type of survey will also give you advice on budget for any repairs needed and the amount of ongoing maintenance the property could require. You can expect to pay from £400 to £1,000 for a Level 2 survey.
If you are buying a new build home you could get a snagging survey done. As ridiculous as it sounds, newly built homes are known to have defects, often cosmetic but also more significant issues. Snagging is the process of listing these defects and reporting them to your house builder to be fixed. It’s highly recommended either before you complete on your purchase (if possible) or otherwise within the first two years of moving in. Read more in our guide about snagging surveys.
When you are buying a property you may also hear the term mortgage valuation survey bandied about. This often desktop based survey is conducted by your mortgage lender for your mortgage lender, and you are unlikely to ever see it. They are not comparable with building surveys as they are for the mortgage lender’s benefit to ensure the property offers sufficient security for the home loan.
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A bad building survey can quickly derail a property deal, but it doesn’t have to mean the end of the road. The idea of a building survey is it shows you everything about the property, warts and all, so you can make informed decisions in the buying process.
This could mean you walk away from the deal, but it doesn’t have to. It may be that you need to renegotiate the price with the vendor or get further experts in such as a builder to investigate further and explain the cost of repair to you.
A bad building survey alone isn’t a reason to panic, instead read our guide on what to do next in the event of a bad survey report.
The buyer is usually responsible for paying for the building survey. It is generally arranged after you’ve had an offer accepted on a property.
The exceptions to this are if you are buying a property in Scotland or at auction. In Scotland it is the seller’s responsibility to organise a Home Report, which you should look at before you make an offer on a property.
If you are buying a property at auction, then you will receive a legal pack, but this doesn’t cover the information you receive with a survey. Our advice is to commission a survey before the auction.
Find out more with our guide to who arranges a house survey.
Yes your surveyor will check for any signs of damp during their building survey inspection. This will involve testing the walls for damp and looking at the condition of any existing damp proofing.
Your report should include the results of any damp tests as well as the surveyors recommendation on the best way to tackle the problem with estimates for repair costs.
Yes, during a Level 3 building survey your surveyor will enter the loft to check for any issues with the insulation, internal side of the roof and anything else in that area.
Your surveyor will visually inspect the main services including electricity and test that the electrics are working for normal operation. But as the wiring is generally hidden within the fabric of the building, they won’t be able to fully assess the state of a property’s electrics and wiring. For a more thorough check of the property’s electrics, you’ll need to hire an electrician.
There is no obligation or legal requirement to get a survey. But buying a property without getting a survey is incredibly risky. You are basically buying blind in the UK housing market where transactions are subject to the legal principle of caveat emptor or “buyer beware”. You won’t know about major defects or issues with the property that could cause you big, expensive problems in the future without a survey.
You should get a building survey completed by a qualified RICS surveyor with a good reputation. It’s also important to shop around. You can use our helpful building survey quotes tool to find qualified chartered surveyors in your local area, so you can compare quotes and find the right surveyor for your house survey at the best price.
Find out more with our guide to finding a surveyor.
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