Pre-Purchase Surveys for London Victorian Terraces: Which Survey and Why

THE RICS CONDITION REPORT (ALSO CALLED LEVEL 1 SURVEY UNDER THE RICS HOME SURVEYS STANDARD 2019) IS THE MOST BASIC FORM OF RICS SURVEY — A TRAFFIC-LIGHT (RED / AMBER / GREEN) RATING OF THE MAIN COMPONENTS OF A PROPERTY — WITH BRIEF NOTES ON CONDITION AND NO COST ESTIMATES.

WHAT A LEVEL 1 CONDITION REPORT COVERS: EXTERNAL FABRIC (CHIMNEY STACKS, ROOF COVERINGS, FLASHINGS, GUTTERS AND RAINWATER PIPES, MAIN WALLS, WINDOWS AND EXTERNAL DOORS); INTERNAL FABRIC (ROOF STRUCTURE, CEILINGS, INTERNAL WALLS AND PARTITIONS, FLOORS, BUILT-IN FITTINGS, BATHROOMS, KITCHEN AND UTILITY, FIREPLACES); SERVICES (ELECTRICITY, GAS/OIL HEATING, WATER AND SANITATION, DRAINAGE); GROUNDS (GARAGE, OUTBUILDINGS, BOUNDARIES, PATHS, PAVED AREAS); EACH ELEMENT IS RATED CONDITION 1 (NO SIGNIFICANT REPAIR NEEDED), CONDITION 2 (REPAIRS OR REPLACEMENT NEEDED — NOT URGENT), OR CONDITION 3 (URGENT REPAIRS OR REPLACEMENT NEEDED); WHAT A LEVEL 1 DOES NOT COVER: NO COST ESTIMATES; NO RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION; NO DETAILED ADVICE ON DEFECTS; NO STRUCTURAL ASSESSMENT; DOES NOT IDENTIFY HIDDEN DEFECTS BEHIND FINISHES OR BELOW FLOORS — THE SURVEYOR DOES NOT LIFT FLOORBOARDS, OPEN MANHOLES, PROBE SUSPECTED DAMP AREAS, OR ACCESS ROOF SPACES BEYOND A HEAD-AND-SHOULDERS INSPECTION. FOR A LONDON VICTORIAN TERRACE: A LEVEL 1 CONDITION REPORT IS GENERALLY NOT RECOMMENDED — IT IS NOT SUFFICIENTLY DETAILED FOR A 100-150-YEAR-OLD PROPERTY WITH THE COMPLEXITY OF DEFECTS TYPICAL OF VICTORIAN TERRACE CONSTRUCTION — A LEVEL 2 HOMEBUYER REPORT OR (BETTER) A LEVEL 3 BUILDING SURVEY IS THE MINIMUM APPROPRIATE SURVEY FOR A VICTORIAN TERRACE.

THE RICS HOMEBUYER REPORT (LEVEL 2 SURVEY UNDER RICS HOME SURVEYS STANDARD 2019 — ALSO KNOWN AS HOMEBUYER SURVEY) AND THE RICS BUILDING SURVEY (LEVEL 3 SURVEY — FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE FULL STRUCTURAL SURVEY) ARE THE TWO MAIN SURVEY OPTIONS APPROPRIATE FOR A LONDON VICTORIAN TERRACE.

RICS HOMEBUYER REPORT / LEVEL 2 SURVEY (A STANDARD-FORMAT REPORT — CONDITION RATINGS PLUS BRIEF COMMENTS ON SIGNIFICANT MATTERS — SURVEYOR INSPECTS ACCESSIBLE AREAS ONLY — DOES NOT OPEN UP AREAS FOR INSPECTION): WHAT IT COVERS: ALL ELEMENTS OF THE LEVEL 1 CONDITION REPORT PLUS BRIEF DESCRIPTIVE COMMENTS ON DEFECTS RATED CONDITION 2 OR 3 — AND A VALUATION (IF REQUESTED — HOMEBUYER REPORT WITH VALUATION IS THE MOST COMMON FORM); WHAT IT DOES NOT COVER: DOES NOT INVESTIGATE CONCEALED OR SUSPECTED DEFECTS IN DEPTH — THE SURVEYOR NOTES THAT FURTHER INVESTIGATION BY A SPECIALIST IS RECOMMENDED (FOR EXAMPLE: 'DAMPNESS WAS DETECTED IN THE BASEMENT EXTERNAL WALL — FURTHER INVESTIGATION BY A SPECIALIST CONTRACTOR IS RECOMMENDED') BUT DOES NOT IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OR EXTENT OF THE DEFECT; NO COST ESTIMATES FOR REPAIR; SUITABLE FOR: A RELATIVELY MODERN PROPERTY (POST-1950) IN GOOD OR AVERAGE CONDITION — OR A VICTORIAN TERRACE THAT HAS BEEN RECENTLY RENOVATED AND IS IN GOOD APPARENT CONDITION WITH NO OBVIOUS MAJOR DEFECTS VISIBLE; RICS BUILDING SURVEY / LEVEL 3 SURVEY (A BESPOKE, COMPREHENSIVE, DETAILED SURVEY — THE MOST THOROUGH SURVEY AVAILABLE FROM AN RICS SURVEYOR): WHAT IT COVERS: A THOROUGH INSPECTION OF ALL ACCESSIBLE AREAS — THE SURVEYOR IS EXPECTED TO INVESTIGATE, PROBE, AND TEST SUSPECTED DEFECTS (USING A DAMP METER, A LADDER TO ACCESS THE LOFT, OPENING INSPECTION COVERS — BUT NOT DESTRUCTIVE OPENING UP OF FINISHES) — DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ALL DEFECTS FOUND — ASSESSMENT OF THE LIKELY CAUSE OF DEFECTS — PRIORITISED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REPAIR — ESTIMATED COSTS FOR REPAIR WHERE POSSIBLE; THE SURVEYOR ALSO ADVISES ON: POTENTIAL PROBLEM AREAS THAT CANNOT BE FULLY ASSESSED FROM AN ACCESSIBLE INSPECTION (FOR EXAMPLE: THE CONDITION OF THE DRAINS — WHICH REQUIRES A CCTV DRAIN SURVEY — OR THE CONDITION BEHIND RECENTLY APPLIED FINISHES) — AND RECOMMENDS SPECIALIST INVESTIGATIONS WHERE RELEVANT; FOR A LONDON VICTORIAN TERRACE: A LEVEL 3 BUILDING SURVEY IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED — PARTICULARLY WHERE: THE PROPERTY IS UNMODERNISED OR PARTLY MODERNISED; THE PROPERTY HAS OBVIOUS STRUCTURAL MOVEMENT (CRACKING, LINTELS, SETTLEMENT); ANY EVIDENCE OF DAMP, DRAINAGE ISSUES, OR PREVIOUS FLOODING; THE PROPERTY HAS A BASEMENT, CELLAR, OR LOWER GROUND FLOOR; ANY SIGNIFICANT EXTENSION, CONVERSION, OR ALTERATION HAS BEEN CARRIED OUT; THE BUYER INTENDS TO RENOVATE OR EXTEND THE PROPERTY.

A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER'S REPORT IS A SEPARATE AND SPECIALIST ASSESSMENT (NOT PART OF AN RICS SURVEY) — CARRIED OUT BY A CHARTERED STRUCTURAL ENGINEER (MIStructE OR CEng — MEMBER OF THE INSTITUTION OF STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS OR CHARTERED ENGINEER STATUS) — AND IS APPROPRIATE WHERE A SPECIFIC STRUCTURAL CONCERN HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED DURING THE RICS SURVEY OR THE BUYER'S OWN INSPECTION.

WHEN IS A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER RECOMMENDED: (1) SIGNIFICANT CRACKS IN WALLS — PARTICULARLY DIAGONAL CRACKS RUNNING FROM WINDOW/DOOR CORNERS (INDICATIVE OF DIFFERENTIAL SETTLEMENT OR HEAVE — ESPECIALLY RELEVANT IN LONDON CLAY WHICH IS PARTICULARLY PRONE TO SEASONAL SHRINK-SWELL MOVEMENT); STAIR-STEP CRACKS IN BRICKWORK (MORTAR JOINT CRACKING — INDICATIVE OF DIFFERENTIAL MOVEMENT OF TWO ADJACENT STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS); HORIZONTAL CRACKS IN BRICKWORK (POTENTIALLY SERIOUS — INDICATIVE OF WALL LEANING, ARCH FAILURE, OR LINTEL FAILURE); (2) EVIDENCE OF STRUCTURAL ALTERATIONS — WALLS REMOVED, BEAMS INSTALLED, STRUCTURAL OPENINGS FORMED — WHERE THE BUYER CANNOT CONFIRM THAT STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING ADVICE WAS OBTAINED AND BUILDING CONTROL SIGNED OFF; (3) VISIBLE STRUCTURAL DEFLECTION — SAGGING FLOOR BOARDS, LINTELS WITH VISIBLE DEFLECTION, ARCHES THAT HAVE MOVED; (4) CHIMNEY STACK OR BREAST ISSUES — TILTED OR BULGING CHIMNEY STACK, CHIMNEY BREAST PREVIOUSLY REMOVED — ADEQUACY OF THE STRUCTURAL BEAM ABOVE IS UNKNOWN; (5) NEIGHBOURING BASEMENT CONVERSION — IF THE NEIGHBOURING PROPERTY HAS RECENTLY HAD A BASEMENT CONVERSION (UNDERPINNING ADJACENT TO THE PARTY WALL) — THIS CAN CAUSE SETTLEMENT IN THE SUBJECT PROPERTY; STRUCTURAL ENGINEER'S REPORT SCOPE: A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER INSPECTS THE PROPERTY AND PRODUCES A WRITTEN REPORT ON THE STRUCTURAL CONCERNS IDENTIFIED — TYPICALLY INCLUDING: DESCRIPTION AND CLASSIFICATION OF CRACKS (BRE DIGEST 251 CRACK CLASSIFICATION — CATEGORY 0-5 BASED ON CRACK WIDTH AND PATTERN); ASSESSMENT OF CAUSE; RECOMMENDATION (MONITOR ONLY / FURTHER INVESTIGATION REQUIRED / REMEDIAL WORKS RECOMMENDED — WITH OUTLINE SCOPE OF WORKS); COST (LONDON 2025 — STRUCTURAL ENGINEER INSPECTION AND WRITTEN REPORT — TYPICAL LONDON RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY): APPROXIMATELY £400-900.

IN ADDITION TO THE RICS SURVEY AND ANY STRUCTURAL ENGINEER'S REPORT, THE FOLLOWING SPECIALIST SURVEYS ARE STRONGLY RECOMMENDED FOR A LONDON VICTORIAN TERRACE PRE-PURCHASE — PARTICULARLY FOR OLDER, UNMODERNISED, OR PARTLY RENOVATED PROPERTIES.

CCTV DRAIN SURVEY: A CLOSED-CIRCUIT TELEVISION DRAIN SURVEY (CCTV SURVEY — WHERE A SMALL CAMERA MOUNTED ON A REMOTE-CONTROLLED TRACK IS INSERTED INTO THE DRAIN NETWORK AND PUSHED THROUGH THE DRAINAGE PIPES — RECORDING VIDEO FOOTAGE OF THE INTERNAL CONDITION OF THE PIPES) IS THE ONLY WAY TO RELIABLY ASSESS THE CONDITION OF THE BELOW-GROUND DRAINAGE OF A LONDON VICTORIAN TERRACE: STANDARD RICS HOME SURVEYS (LEVEL 1, 2, AND 3) DO NOT INCLUDE A CCTV DRAIN SURVEY — THEY ASSESS DRAINS ONLY BY VISUAL INSPECTION OF ACCESSIBLE MANHOLE COVERS AND GULLIES — NOT THE BURIED PIPE RUNS; CCTV REVEALS: PIPE COLLAPSE OR DEFORMATION; ROOT INTRUSION (COMMON IN LONDON WHERE VICTORIAN CLAY PIPES HAVE OPEN JOINTS AT EVERY BRICK LENGTH ALLOWING TREE ROOTS TO ENTER); JOINT DISPLACEMENT (LONDON CLAY SEASONAL MOVEMENT); SULPHATE ATTACK ON CONCRETE PIPES; MISCONNECTIONS (SURFACE WATER INCORRECTLY CONNECTED TO FOUL SEWER OR VICE VERSA); COST: APPROXIMATELY £200-400 (PRE-PURCHASE CCTV DRAIN SURVEY — LONDON — SPECIALIST DRAINAGE CONTRACTOR — SEE DRAINAGE SURVEY GUIDE). ASBESTOS SURVEY: ASBESTOS CONTAINING MATERIALS (ACMS) WERE WIDELY USED IN UK CONSTRUCTION FROM THE 1940S TO 1999 (WHEN CHRYSOTILE WHITE ASBESTOS WAS FINALLY BANNED IN THE UK — BLUE AND BROWN ASBESTOS WERE BANNED IN 1985 AND 1986 RESPECTIVELY) — IN A LONDON VICTORIAN TERRACE, ACMS ARE MOST LIKELY TO BE FOUND IN: FLOOR TILES (VINYL FLOOR TILES — 9-INCH X 9-INCH THERMOPLASTIC FLOOR TILES IN KITCHENS AND HALLWAYS FROM THE 1950S-1970S — LIKELY ACM); TEXTURED COATINGS (ARTEX AND SIMILAR TEXTURED CEILING AND WALL COATINGS — ARTEX APPLIED BEFORE 1984 HAS A HIGH PROBABILITY OF CONTAINING CHRYSOTILE ASBESTOS); PIPE LAGGING (ASBESTOS INSULATION ON HOT WATER PIPES — MORE COMMON IN COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES BUT PRESENT IN SOME RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES WITH OLDER HEATING SYSTEMS); A PRE-PURCHASE ASBESTOS SURVEY (RICS-STANDARD MANAGEMENT SURVEY — FORMERLY TYPE 2) IDENTIFIES SUSPECTED ACMS AND TAKES SAMPLES FOR LABORATORY ANALYSIS; COST: APPROXIMATELY £200-500 (PRE-PURCHASE MANAGEMENT ASBESTOS SURVEY — LONDON VICTORIAN TERRACE). ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION CONDITION REPORT (EICR): THE EICR IS THE STANDARD DOCUMENT FOR ASSESSING THE SAFETY OF AN EXISTING ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION — CARRIED OUT BY A REGISTERED ELECTRICIAN (NICEIC OR NAPIT REGISTERED) — IDENTIFIES: DATED WIRING (RUBBER-INSULATED CABLES — PRE-1960S — HIGH RISK IF STILL IN PLACE — SHOULD BE FULLY REWIRED); EARTHING AND BONDING DEFICIENCIES; CIRCUIT PROTECTION ISSUES; COST: APPROXIMATELY £150-400 (EICR FOR A TYPICAL LONDON VICTORIAN TERRACE 3-4 BEDROOM PROPERTY).

PRE-PURCHASE SURVEY COSTS (LONDON 2025 — APPROXIMATE RANGE — SURVEYING COSTS VARY WITH PROPERTY SIZE, SURVEYOR, AND SURVEY TYPE).

RICS LEVEL 1 CONDITION REPORT: APPROXIMATELY £300-500 (LONDON — SMALL 2-BEDROOM VICTORIAN TERRACE) TO £500-800 (LARGER 4-5 BEDROOM TERRACE); NOT RECOMMENDED FOR VICTORIAN TERRACES — SEE ABOVE. RICS LEVEL 2 HOMEBUYER REPORT (WITH VALUATION): APPROXIMATELY £500-900 (2-3 BEDROOM VICTORIAN TERRACE LONDON) TO £800-1,400 (4-5 BEDROOM LARGER TERRACE); APPROPRIATE FOR: RECENTLY RENOVATED VICTORIAN TERRACE IN GOOD APPARENT CONDITION WITH NO OBVIOUS MAJOR DEFECTS. RICS LEVEL 3 BUILDING SURVEY (NO VALUATION): APPROXIMATELY £700-1,200 (2-3 BEDROOM VICTORIAN TERRACE LONDON) TO £1,000-2,000 (LARGER 4-5 BEDROOM TERRACE); APPROPRIATE FOR: ALL UNMODERNISED, PARTLY RENOVATED, OR EXTENDED VICTORIAN TERRACES — STRONGLY RECOMMENDED FOR ANY VICTORIAN TERRACE IN LONDON. STRUCTURAL ENGINEER'S REPORT (WHERE STRUCTURAL CONCERNS IDENTIFIED): APPROXIMATELY £400-900 (INSPECTION AND WRITTEN REPORT — LONDON — CHARTERED STRUCTURAL ENGINEER). CCTV DRAIN SURVEY: APPROXIMATELY £200-400. ASBESTOS MANAGEMENT SURVEY: APPROXIMATELY £200-500. EICR (ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION CONDITION REPORT): APPROXIMATELY £150-400. FULL PRE-PURCHASE DUE DILIGENCE PACKAGE (LEVEL 3 BUILDING SURVEY + CCTV DRAIN SURVEY + EICR + ASBESTOS SURVEY): APPROXIMATELY £1,300-3,300 TOTAL (FOR A TYPICAL 3-4 BEDROOM LONDON VICTORIAN TERRACE). CONTEXT ON VALUE: A LEVEL 3 BUILDING SURVEY THAT IDENTIFIES A DEFECTIVE ROOF (ESTIMATED COST £15,000-25,000 TO RESLATE), A FAILED DRAINAGE SYSTEM (£5,000-15,000 FOR CIPP RELINING), AND AN ELECTRICAL REWIRE REQUIREMENT (£5,000-12,000) WILL TYPICALLY ENABLE THE BUYER TO RENEGOTIATE THE PURCHASE PRICE BY MORE THAN THE COST OF ALL PRE-PURCHASE SURVEYS COMBINED — OR TO WITHDRAW FROM A PURCHASE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY PROBLEMATIC.