Home Buyers Survey Berkshire

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"First Class Service. We are more than impressed with the quick, professional service we have received from this company, very clear report with good Photograph, of areas of interest, also the Team followed up the report with a phone call to make sure we understood the information that we had received. EXCELLENT. Thank you"

Val Edwards, Trustpilot review in November 2018.

* Competitive Prices - Local Surveyors - Same Week Availability - Terms Apply

What Types of House Survey Do We Offer?


SAM is one of the UK’s largest network of Surveyors with local surveyors throughout England. Our most popular property surveys are HomeBuyer Reports and Building Surveys and these inspections are completed by local RICS surveyors who have years of experience.

We handle all of the booking so you just need to call us for a quote and then we'll handle all of the access for you.
We offer many types of house survey including:
  • Level 2: HomeBuyers Report
  • Level 3: Building Survey
  • Damp & Timber Survey
  • Load Bearing Wall Survey
  • Chimney Breast Removal Survey
  • Snagging Survey
  • Removal of load bearing wall Survey
  • Property Valuation Survey
  • Probate Valuation Survey
  • Leasehold Valuation Survey
  • Structural Engineer Survey

If you are unsure which house survey to book click here or call us and we’ll advise you.

Not sure whether you need a Level 2: HomeBuyers Report or a Level 3: Building Survey? Find out by clicking here and seeing example reports
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Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors - RICS Surveyors

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FREE Online Conveyancing Process for Buyers

Includes online checklists, videos, downloads and tips - plus it is free to use and remembers your progress.



House Survey Cost

Love our Competitive
House Survey Costs

We keep the house survey cost down regardless of what property survey you need and tell you how much does a survey cost.

Berkshire HomeBuyers Survey

Local England 
Building Surveyors

Our Building Surveyor uses their local knowledge of Berkshire to ensure they deliver a detailed homebuyers report to help you decide whether you should move forward with your home move or if you should pull out.

Homebuyers Report

Fast Availability and
Delivery of Reports

We normally have availability within days of you booking and our turnaround for homebuyers survey reports is within 5 working days.

Berkshire HomeBuyers Survey

Panel of Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors - RICS Surveyors

All of our chartered RICS Surveyors are registered with and regulated by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and have indemnity insurance that covers all of the work they undertake for you.

A Home Buyer Survey - What does it cover?

A RICS Home Buyers Survey involves an examination of the structure of the inside and the outside of a property aimed at pinpointing issues such as subsidence, damp, cracks, infestation and damage.

The survey is non-intrusive. If you are thinking of buying a property in Berkshire, it is highly advisable to book one, whether a Building Survey (which used to be known as a Full Structural Survey) or a HomeBuyers Report,.

NB If you're a first time buyer, you might wish to click on What is a House Survey to find out more, including what happens during the inspection.

Click to find out how much does a house survey cost (free, no obligation quote)
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Subsidence Inspection

The surveyor will look for signs of subsidence during the structural survey within the property paying special attention to signs of cracking internally and to the external walls. As a rule, if you can fit the width of a 50p into a crack in a wall, it could be a sign of subsidence. Our surveyors will flag in their reports if they feel you need to instruct a structural engineer to review a crack further.


Read more about subsidence

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Damp Testing

There are numerous reasons why a property can be affected by damp. The Surveyor will take samples in the property using a damp meter and assess the condition of the property to provide a report on whether they feel the property is affected by damp. Further investigations maybe suggested including getting a damp and timber specialist. 


Read more about damp testing and repairs

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Identify Infestations

Woodworm, mice, rats and ants are infestations that your don't want in your home. Your surveyor will look for visible signs of mouse droppings, damage to floor boards (when visible) and damage to wiring, carpets or skirting boards


Read more about infestations

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Asbestos

Prior to its banned use, asbestos was a commonly used building material, particularly as part of cement products, floor tiles and roofing shingles. Asbestos was used for its durability and resistance to heat and is commonly found in artex ceilings, garage roofing and chimney stacks. Your surveyor will confirm if they suspect any materials in the property have asbestos and if so, suggest getting an asbestos surveyor to intrusively taking samples of the asbestos to confirm the type.


Read more about asbestos

If your survey highlights concerns relating to any of these defects your surveyor explains what the issue is in detail and provides a recommendation as to what you should do to further investigate. An example of this is if your surveyor spots signs of damp within the property. Over 5,000 properties a week in the UK have damp proofing laid to combat the issue of rising damp and home buyers fear seeing mould, peeling wall paper and sodden floors as these are all tell-tale signs of rising damp.

If your property is showing these signs and your surveyor notes using their damp monitor that there is damp internally they'll advise you to get a damp specialist to attend the property, confirm the issue advising whether it is rising damp and quote for the costs in repairing with damp proofing.

If you're looking at buying a home in Berkshire which is showing signs of damp, or any other defects then you MUST get a Home Buyers Survey. The costs for repairing the defects can run into thousands of pounds; however, If you can identify the problem before you purchase then you can get quotes for fixing it and either share the costs with the seller, or, in worst case examples, choose not to proceed.

You can find a local RICS surveyor by using the search at the bottom RHS of this page.
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Survey tips for properties in Berkshire


Berkshire's ambience varies from west to east; the west is primarily rural with less population and smaller towns such as Newbury, Hungerford and Thatcham whereas the east has more urban areas, particularly the city of Reading as well as Bracknell, Slough, Windsor and Maidenhead. There is much development in the flood plain of the Thames and there are many wooded areas.

The eastern population centres developed greatly when the railway arrived in the mid-19th century and therefore you find many surviving properties from this period, particularly Victorian houses, whether grand or smaller worker's cottages. Areas nearer London such as Slough have much council housing, built from the 1920s onwards.

Stunning examples of architecture include Windsor Castle (completed 1086) and Basildon Park, a large Grade II listed country house built in 1783.


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Properties in Berkshire built in close proximity to the path of the River Thames and the River Kennet and other water courses have been subject to flood warnings and alerts from time to time.

If you are concerned that a property you are looking to buy is in a flood risk area, you should consider getting a flood risk report (click for more details).
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According to the UK Government's Public Health England, some areas of Berkshire, including around Newbury and a section of the north of Reading/Caversham (including streets such as Sheridan Avenue) , are in a raised radon area, with properties built there having a higher probability than average of experiencing ground Radon emissions.

If you are concerned that a property you are buying is in an area of raised Radon, please click to visit Public Health England's UK Radon Map. Click also to find out more about Radon, Radon property searches and much more.
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Some properties in Berkshire are located nearby to existing or proposed sites for wind farms or wind turbines.

A recent environmental search carried out for a property in Drake Way, Reading, for example, flagged up that the property was built within 4km of existing or proposed wind farms or turbines.

The location of wind farms or turbines can be contentious due to visual and auditory impact.
Berkshire.pngBerkshire is a county which touches a small part of the borders of West London. It is a home county (because it borders Greater London) and is often called Royal Berkshire because it contains Windsor and Windsor Castle. It hosts a number of iconic UK landmarks such as Ascot (Ascot Racecourse), Wentworth (Golf Course), Sunningdale (Golf Course), Virginia Water and Windsor Great Park and Eton School. Virginia Water was the first postcode area where the average property price exceeded one million.

Like many of the home counties, there are many essentially commuter dormitory settlements which house London workers. Reading (which is Berkshire's county town) in particular is a larger one and is popular because of its very fast rail links with Central London - there are many one-stop services to London Paddington and it is also due to be the western terminus of the Crossrail line. 

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Berkshire Planning Application Search

You can review what planning applications have been granted or denied for properties in your area by contacting Berkshire Local Authority Councils at their address, telephone their local number, or you can check for the most recently stored planning applications online here:


Read the following article if you are thinking about building an extension.

RICS Find a surveyor in Berkshire

Our Building Surveyors specialise in the local area and have completed house surveys in Ascot, Reading, Slough, Bracknell, Maidenhead, Ashford and Windsor.

We employ only expert RICS Building Surveyors to undertake surveys in Berkshire. Whether you are buying an old run down 'doer upper' or standard construction freehold house, our RICS surveyors have seen them all.

With a vast number of years of experience completing surveys on properties in Berkshire we'll be able to give you the detailed report you need to know what defects there are with your property.

You can see some of our expert surveyors by clicking here - 


Recently completed Home Buyers Survey in Berkshire:


  • 27 Churchfield Cottages, Bedford Lane, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 0NN
  • 3 Drummond Court, 179-171 New Road, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 8PU
  • Strouds Copse, Warfield, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG42 6JB
  • 22 Spurcroft Road, Thatcham, Berkshire, RG19 3XX
  • 23 Cambrian Way, Basingstoke, Berkshire, RG22 5AH

 

Does the survey include photos?

This depends on the surveyor completing the survey in Berkshire as some do not include photos. HomeBuyer Reports will rarely come with photos. The surveyor may take photos and store them for his pwn personal records.

You should always ask at the outset if the surveyor includes photos. Examples provided that include photos may not be reflective the the work undertaken by your specific surveyor.


HomeBuyers Survey Berkshire

HomeBuyers Report in Berkshire

A HomeBuyers Report is general visual inspection for flats, new properties or bungalows of standard construction. Most leasehold flats in Berkshire should have a HomeBuyers Report, however the only exception are converted properties which may need a Building Survey.

Click to see a RICS Level 2 HomeBuyers Report with Valuation example.

HomeBuyers Survey Berkshire

Building Survey in Berkshire

Most freehold houses in Berkshire that are over 50 years old, that have been refurbished/developed or are unusual in style should get a Building Survey. A Building Survey used to be called the Full Structural Survey and is the most comprehensive visual inspection a surveyor can provide. Choosing a HomeBuyers Report when you should have a Building survey can be costly if key defects don't get reported in the detail you require.

Click to see a RICS Level 3 Building Survey example.

If you are unsure which survey to choose you can call our surveyors and they'll help you choose - Call 01753 208 184.

Which survey suits your style of property in Berkshire
Choose which survey based on its type, style and age
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