RICS Home Survey Level 3
The most detailed RICS survey available. A thorough inspection and written commentary on construction, defects, repair priorities and likely costs. Suited to period property, listed buildings, altered houses and anything of complex or unusual construction.
What a Level 3 survey is.
A Level 3 Building Survey is the most thorough RICS residential inspection. It is appropriate for property where construction, age, alteration or condition mean that significant or hidden defects are realistically possible, which describes most of prime London.
The report is narrative rather than checklist. We describe how the building is constructed, explain the defects we have found, set out their causes, and indicate where repairs are urgent, where they can wait, and what they are likely to cost.
What’s included.
Thorough visual inspection
All accessible areas: roof, voids, external envelope, every interior space, services, drainage and grounds. We open inspection hatches and look behind furniture where it is movable.
Construction commentary
How the building was built and how it has performed.
Defect analysis
For each defect, the cause, the consequence if untreated, and the recommended repair.
Budget cost guidance
Indicative figures for the substantive items, useful for negotiation and budgeting.
Detailed photography
Numbered, referenced throughout the report.
Follow-up consultation
A call or video discussion with the inspecting surveyor.
Who Level 3 is for.
Buyers of period property
Pre-1930 houses, mansion blocks, listed buildings.
Buyers of altered houses
Extended, reconfigured, basement-converted or recently refurbished property where the quality of work is not visible.
High-value acquisitions
Where the cost of unidentified defects could be material to the deal.
Anyone uncertain
If you are unsure between Level 2 and Level 3, Level 3 is almost always the right answer.
How Level 3 differs from Level 2.
A Level 2 survey identifies significant defects and gives condition ratings and recommendations for repair. A Level 3 survey goes into greater depth: we describe how the building is constructed, explain the likely causes of the defects we find and set out the remedial options, together with budget cost guidance for the significant items. For older, altered or more complex properties, Level 3 is usually the more appropriate choice.
The process.
Initial call
A short conversation about the property and the timeline. We confirm Level 3 is the right product.
Fixed-fee proposal
Written, before instruction.
Inspection
Typically three to four hours on site for a house, longer for very large or complex property. We arrange access with the estate agent.
Report
Delivered as a written PDF within five working days.
Follow-up call
A detailed discussion of findings and priorities, included in the fee.
For listed buildings, a Level 3 survey is effectively the entry point: a Level 2 inspection cannot meaningfully address the complexity of historic construction, consents and conservation considerations.
Frequently asked.
How much does a Level 3 survey cost?
Fees vary by property size, age and complexity. Most prime London Level 3 instructions sit in a clear range and we quote a fixed fee in writing before any work begins. Smaller flats are at the lower end; large period houses or significantly altered property are higher.
Do you provide costed repair estimates?
Yes. We provide budget cost guidance for significant repairs identified during the survey. These figures are indicative rather than formal quotations, and we always recommend obtaining costs from suitably qualified contractors before committing to works.
Will you advise on alterations I want to make?
Within reason, yes. If you have a clear sense of what you want to do post-completion, mention it at the initial call. We will comment in the report on whether the building can readily accommodate it.
How long does the inspection take?
As a guide, a Level 3 inspection typically takes around 2.5 to 3 hours for a flat and 3 to 4 hours for a house. Larger, older or more complex properties may require considerably longer, depending on their size, age, condition and the level of access available on the day. We do not work to a fixed time limit; the inspection takes as long as it needs to.
Other services our clients ask for.
RICS Home Survey Level 2
A Level 2 Home Survey, formerly called the HomeBuyer Report, is the middle of the three RICS survey products. It is a…
Learn more →RICS Home Survey in London.
Independent RICS Level 2 (HomeBuyer) and Level 3 (Building) surveys, prepared personally by a RICS Surveyor.
Learn more →Pre-Construction Advisory
Independent, RICS-led review of a project before construction begins. Buildability, cost plan, programme, procurement and risk, interrogated at the point where changes…
Learn more →A serious survey, for serious property.
Tell us the property, the timeline, and what you already know about its history. We respond the same working day with a fixed-fee proposal.