Home Buyers Survey Chelmsford

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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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Local Building Surveyors (throughout England)


House Survey 

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RICS Surveyors

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.

Chelmsford HomeBuyers Survey

Local Essex 
Building Surveyors

Our Building Surveyor uses their local knowledge of Chelmsford 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.

Chelmsford 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?

Our RICS Surveyor, during a Home Buyers Survey in Chelmsford, inspects both the inside and the outside of your property and searches in particular for subsidence, damp, infestations and any cracks or other damage to the property.

The procedure, whether a Building Survey (which used to be known as a Full Structural Survey) or a HomeBuyers Report, is non-intrusive.

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 the Home Buyers Survey flags up any of these defects then our Surveyor explains what you need to do to get further advice on how to investigate them and get It resolved. 

If you are concerned about your property in Chelmsford having any other defects then you MUST get a Home Buyers Survey as the costs for repairing the defects can run into thousands of pounds. 

If you can identify the defect 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.
Get Quote

Survey tips for properties in Chelmsford


Chelmsford was built near the site of the old Roman road from London to Colchester (now the A12) and its city centre has mainly Victorian and Edwardian homes of varying sizes. Moulsham has many examples of smaller Victorian terrace houses.

The city has been growing larger since the 1970s and this has brought about new settlements in the locale such as Chancellor Park, Beaulieu Park and Chelmer Village. Beaulieu Park has some very large modern detached houses.

There are many period houses in the surrounding villages of Little Baddow, Danbury, Writtle and Galleywood.

There are 3,600 new homes planned to be built around Beaulieu Park and shared ownership is available in Mary Munnion Quarter, for example.


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Properties in Chelmsford which are built near to the Rivers Chelmer and Can, such as in Seventh Avenue and Beachs Drive, are 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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Section I3 of the HomeBuyer Report reports on Other Matters to be answered by the client's solicitor. These can vary from information relating to the lease term to information about service charges.

In a HomeBuyer Report in Wickham crescent ,Chelmsford, CM1 4WD it stated "Your legal adviser should confirm that the property is leasehold. We understand that the remaining term on the lease is approximately 800 years. Your legal adviser should confirm if there are any current or future repairs which are planned explain your liability as a lessee for the repair and maintenance of the communal areas. Your legal adviser should also confirm that the maintenance/service charge is £575 payable biannually, that the ground rent is £25pa as well as your rights and liabilities in respect of the allocated parking".
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Section J3 of the HomeBuyer Report sets out any Risks to People in the property.

An example of the type of risk stated here is "Due to the age of the property it is highly unlikely that there will be asbestos present in the textured ceiling finishes due to it being phased out by the time of construction. However, due to the small chance that ‘old stock’ may have been used it would be prudent to have a sample laboratory tested prior to sanding, cutting or drilling the textured finishes".
EssexEssex is not only a coastal county (the North Sea is to its east) but a home county because it touches Greater London on its eastern borders. Its settlements vary from Colchester, which is very historical and used to be the capital of England as Camulodunum, to Southend, a seaside resort, to Basildon, which is a comparatively modern urban development. The western side of Essex hosts many London workers and there are fast rail links to, for example, Shenfield from London Liverpool Street which aid many city workers.

Essex's county town is Chelmsford (and is the county's only city), where Essex County Cricket Club are based. Essex hosts Stansted Airport and attractions such as the Lakeside Shopping Centre, near Thurrock and Epping Forest, a popular forest for camping and other activities. A large proportion of Essex's boundaries are water (the River Thames and the North Sea), the remainder includes Greater London, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Suffolk. Kent is across the River Thames to the south. 

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Chelmsford Planning Application Search

You can review what planning applications have been granted or denied for properties in your area by contacting Chelmsford City Council at Duke St, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 1JE, telephone 01245 606606, 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 Chelmsford

Our Building Surveyors specialise in the local area and have completed house surveys in Great Baddow, Newney Green, Writtle, Broomfield, Howe Green, Broxbourne and Boyton Cross.

We employ only expert RICS Building Surveyors to undertake surveys in Chelmsford. 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 Chelmsford 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 Chelmsford:


  • 28 Donald Way Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 9JD
  • 41 Albemarle Link, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 6AH
  • 112 Chelwater, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 7UR
  • 32 Wembley Ave, Maylandsea, Chelmsford, Essex. CM3 6AY.
  • 10 Ashmeads, Great Baddow, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 9FJ

 

I want a survey but the vendor cannot provide access

This is a recurring problem especially with the increase in online estate agents who do not take responsibility for access and rely on the vendors to make themselves available.

On occasion access issues may be due to vendors being away or sometimes simply because they do not want to take time off to allow access for a survey.

Buyers should ensure they complete all their property checks prior to exchange and the RICS survey forms an integral part of these checks.

Delays with vendors providing access can delay the whole conveyancing process. It is important to establish what the issue is to see whether a solution can be found.

If vendors are not available, suggest that the keys are left with the estate agent for collection or alternatively see if the vendor can arrange for a friend or family member to be at the property to allow access.


Does your property look like this?

Purpose Built Flat in Chelmsford
A purpose built block of flats similar to this will always require a Level 2: HomeBuyer Report and not a Building Survey because there will not be the requirement for the additional detail you get within the Building Survey as the property is too young and built using more modern building techniques.

Does your property look different to this? Then read our guide on which survey suits your property type.

Which survey suits your style of property in Chelmsford
Choose which survey based on its type, style and age
Get a competitively priced RICS quote
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