How Much is a House Survey?
Let's look to new build surveys...
The average cost for a new build survey is £260 to £620. The same applies to a condition report.
A house survey is basically a property inspection, carried out by experts to accurately report on its condition.
But what about a home buyers survey?
For a home buyers survey, it will cost about £360 to £620, and you'd need a budget of approximately £460 to £980 if you are looking to have a house building survey undertaken.
On the other hand, mortgage valuation is not actually a type of house survey; instead, it is classed as a valuation report. This may cost anywhere from £275 to £650.
What can affect the overall cost of house surveys?
Among the common cost-affecting factors for a house, survey are the type of house survey, the size and type of property being surveyed, number of surveyors hired, ease of access, and the location of your property.
As for the last point...
...this is a cost factor since contractors charge different labour rates throughout the country.
In general, a home property survey is carried out after an offer has been accepted by the seller.
The highest labour fees are usually found in the southeast and London, particularly with costs tending to be lower than the national average in the north of England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
Surveying Prices
| Type of Survey | Total Cost |
|---|---|
| New Build Survey | £260 to £620 |
| Condition Report | £260 to £620 |
| Home Buyers Survey | £360 to £620 |
| House Building Survey | £460 to £980 |
What are the Supply Costs of a House Survey?
The supply costs of having a house survey undertaken are unlikely to vary by any significant degree, given that the same set of tools/equipment will be employed regardless of the size and type of property.
In general, the supply costs will account for roughly 5-10% of the overall cost of a house survey, or approximately £60 to £80. The labour costs will therefore make up about 90-95% of your final bill.
Home Survey Prices Based on Supplies
| Type of House Survey | Supply Costs |
|---|---|
| New Build Survey | £60 to £80 |
| Condition Report | £60 to £80 |
| Home Buyers Report | £60 to £80 |
| House Building Survey | £60 to £80 |
What are the Additional Costs of a House Survey?
There are various added costs you may face when having a house survey undertaken. Let's peer into some fairly common examples.
Minimum Fee
To start with, a house survey may come with a minimum fee. This may be a small charge added to your overall bill, or it may be the result of a set labour fee.
So, for instance, if you charged a set labour free that adds up to about four hours of labour, but the job only takes two hours, then you can see how this would effectively act as an additional cost in such scenarios.
Types of House Survey
Of course, the main cost-affecting factor is the type of house survey being undertaken. The cheapest option is a new build survey which generally costs about £300 to £400, but a house building survey could cost up to £800 or more.
Size/Type of Property
The reason that property size/type is relevant to the costs of a house survey is due to the fact that smaller properties will be of course, easier to survey and vice versa. In general, the price of a house survey is linked significantly to the property's value.
Number of Tradespeople
You would rarely hire more than one surveyor for this job. However, if you were hiring two surveyors for whatever reason (such as for a particularly large property), the labour costs would obviously increase.
However, with more surveyors working, the job would be over sooner. So, whether increasing the number of tradespeople would mean that your final bill would be higher overall, in the end, it is hard to say.
It would mostly depend on how well the team of surveyors work together in this type of scenario.
Timeframe
The cost of a house survey will generally vary based on the time duration involved. The longer it takes, the higher your labour costs will likely be.
However, there are some examples where this may not apply. Say, for instance, if you are given a set charge for the job.
In this case, the labour cost will be the same, whether the job takes three hours, four hours, or five hours. Otherwise, your bill will vary depending on how long the survey lasts.
Tradesmen Costs for a Home Survey
We will now break down the labour cost involved in undertaking a home survey. This expense excluded any supply/material costs involved and is the most variable of the two cost elements. Let's see how the labour cost varies depending on the type of house survey.
On average, a surveyor will charge between £100 and £180 per hour. If you are having a new build survey undertaken, the labour cost will be about £200 to £540.
You can expect the same approximate labour price for a condition report. The labour costs will be roughly £300 to £540 for a home buyers survey or £400 to £900 for a house building survey.
As you can see, labour costs can vary quite a lot, and this is down to a range of factors, such as the time the work takes, ease of access, the size/type of property, the value of the property, and the location of your property.
How Long Does It Take to Conduct a House Survey?
The timeframes involved in conducting a home survey will vary depending on a range of factors. In this section, we'll look at how long each of the house surveys we've discussed in this article would take on average and lay out some of the prominent time-affecting factors.
Both a new build survey and condition report would take about two to three hours each to conduct. In the case of a home buyers report roughly three hours.
As for a house building survey, you can expect it to last four to five hours in total. The duration for a house survey will vary depending on the ease of access, the size/type of the property, and the number of surveyors working on the task.
Types of House Survey
There are four forms of house survey. This section will break down these house survey types, discuss what is involved, and list their pros & cons.
New Build Survey Cost
As the title suggests, this is a survey of a newly built property. A surveyor will assess the building for any issues related to the building's condition, structure, or practicality during such a survey.
In turn, as with any house survey, it can help new home buyers better negotiate a price. A new build survey gives developers time to fix any issues brought up in the survey before the occupants move in.
It is generally the shortest type of survey along with a condition report. A new build survey costs about £260 to £620.
Pros:
- Equally quickest type of survey
- Ideal if you are moving into a new build
- Low cost of house survey
Cons:
- May not be as in-depth as some other surveys
Condition Report Cost
This type of survey is a basic and broad assessment of a property to look for and identify any major problems that need to be fixed with a building. Just as with a new build survey, this option is relatively quick and should take less than half a working day.
A condition report is generally just as affordable as a new build survey, with an average price range of £260 to £620. A condition report is most suitable for modern houses that probably lack structural issues.
It is not the sort of survey you'd want for an older building or/and one where you have concerns about the core structure of the building itself.
Pros:
- Equally the fastest type of survey
- Relatively inexpensive
- Well-suited to modern homes
Cons:
- Not very in-depth
- Unlikely to pick up key structural issues
- Not always the most suitable option
Home Buyers Report Cost
Though more detailed than a condition report, a homebuyers report is nonetheless a wholly visual survey. There is no upending of house facilities/fittings for this type of survey (e.g. checking beneath flooring).
A homebuyers report will check for anything that is not in line with the building regulations as well as giving homeowners a sense of how much it would cost to fix these house survey problems.
This survey is suitable if you have an older property and want to check a few things. However, if you have more serious worries concerning your property's structural soundness, you should have a house building survey conducted instead.
On average, a homebuyers report costs about £360 to £620.
Pros:
- Generally still takes less than half a working day
- Not too expensive
- More suited to older homes
Cons:
- Not sufficient if you have concerns about the structural integrity
House Building Survey Cost
Lastly, there is the option of a truly comprehensive assessment in the form of a house building survey. This survey should be undertaken for older buildings that are clearly suffering from damage or/and wear & tear.
In this case, a surveyor would go to further lengths than with the other surveys we've discussed such as through checking beneath flooring, inspecting the loft and lifting up manhole covers.
In general, a house building survey is the most expensive option, costing about £460 to £980 and it tends to take about four to five hours.
However, with this survey, you get an extensive report on your property. It is practically imperative to have this type of survey performed for safety and peace of mind in certain circumstances.
Pros:
- Comprehensive full house survey
- Very detailed
- Ideal for older buildings that are in disrepair
Cons:
- Expensive
- Time-consuming
FAQs
Q: Do I need a survey when buying a house?
A: You are not legally required to have a house survey performed, but it is in your best interest to do so if it is affordable at the time.
Q: What happens after a survey on a house?
A: Once a survey is complete, you can look at budgeting to fix the issues highlighted. You should check if any of the issues highlighted (e.g. the discovery of an insufficient damp-proof course) are still covered under guarantee. The surveyor may be able to help you with cost estimates for any work required.
However, for extensive problems, you should ask a builder for a quote. You can use these costs to renegotiate pricing if you are buying a new property or have an idea of how much it will cost to fix issues in your own home if there is no moving involved.
However, in some cases surveyors may first provide a short summary of their findings, in which case you'd need to wait for a full report before having a clearer idea of the repair/maintenance work needed in your home.
Q: What does a house building survey cover that a condition report does not?
A: The former comes with a thorough review of the property's structure and involves checking facilities and fittings in a far more extensive manner. However, a house building survey does not come with a valuation or a traffic light rating.
Q: How long does a mortgage valuation take?
A: The survey itself should take no more than an hour, but the entire process will last for about two weeks altogether before you receive your actual valuation. If selling house survey problems arise, you will be able to catch issues in advance.
Q: What are the most common issues spotted during a survey/inspection?
A: Some of the most prevalent problems found with these surveys are issues with electrical fittings, central heating, structure, the roof, and damp and timber issues.
Sources
- https://www.comparemymove.com/advice/surveying/how-much-does-a-house-survey-cost
- https://sdlsurveying.co.uk/news/how-much-does-a-house-survey-cost/
- https://www.mortgageable.co.uk/first-time-buyer/long-take-get-mortgage/
- https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/a-guide-to-homebuyer-surveys-and-costs#what-to-do-if-your-survey-uncovers-problems
