Durham HomeBuyers Survey

Get an Instant Quote for a RICS HomeBuyers Survey Durham or call us on 0333 344 3234 (Mon-Fri 8-6 Sat 11-1)

 
Get Your House Survey Quote * (We send an example report with every quote)

"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)


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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.

 
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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.

Durham HomeBuyers Survey

Local Durham 
Building Surveyors

Our Building Surveyor uses their local knowledge of Durham 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.

Durham 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 is a visual inspection of the grounds and the internal/external structure of the property and identifies defects such as cracks or damage to the structure of the property, subsidence, damp and infestations.

Some of these defects you may not even see or know what to look for which makes getting a Home Buyers Survey, whether a Building Survey (which used to be known as a Full Structural Survey) or a HomeBuyers Report, incredibly important when you are considering buying a home in Durham.

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 you're buying a home in Durham which shows the signs of damp, or any other defects then you MUST get a Home Buyers Survey. 

The costs for making good or repairing some of these defects can run into thousands of pounds; however, If identified within a survey 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 Durham


Durham is a city with an extensive history and has buildings constructed in any number of architectural periods, such as St Cuthbert's cathedral, which dates back to Norman times. You can find Georgian buildings on the Bailey and Old Levet, many making up Durham University's colleges. There are numerous examples of terrace properties built in the Victorian period, such as the many in in St Bedes and in Victoria Terrace, Lanchester, for example.

There are many housing estates which were built in the 20th century, particularly from the 1930s onwards such as the Sherburn Road Estate, which has many semi-detached houses as well as terraced housing and detached dwellings.

There are numerous new build developments in Durham such as the Help to Buy detached properties in Eden Field, Newton Aycliffe, the large detached properties in Ramside Park, Carrville, bungalows in Hill Top View, Bowburn and the flats in Kepier Crescent.

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Properties in Durham which are built in close proximity to the River Wear are sometimes subject to flood warnings and alerts, including those in streets such as Frankland Lane and Providence Row.

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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Durham has an extensive coalfield which has been exhaustively mined over many years and old coal mining tunnels can sometimes cause ground stability and contamination issues. If you are in any way concerned about these in relation to a property you're buying in the area, you should consider getting a specialist coal mining search along with the four other main property searches.
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Noise pollution from roads in the Durham built-up area mainly centre around the path of the A690 and the Framwelgate Peth, affecting nearby streets such as Walkergate and Highgate.

Noise pollution from railways in the Durham area are most raised around the path of the mainline railway which passes through Durham Station. The noise affects streets adjoining or very nearby to the railway including, for example, Redhills Lane and Bridge Street.
Durham.pngCounty Durham is a county located in the north of England and its coastline is on the North Sea. Its county town is Durham which is a historic city and is host to the beautiful Durham Castle. The county is perhaps most famously known for Durham Cathedral, otherwise known as The Cathedral Church of Christ, Blessed Mary the Virgin and St Cuthbert of Durham, first opened in 1018, as well as the collegiate Durham University that was first established in 1832.

The county's major population centres include Darlington, Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees. Surrounding counties are Tyne and Wear and Northumberland to the north, Cumbria to the west and North Yorkshire to the south.

The unitary authority for the majority of County Durham is Durham County Council, however Darlington, Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees have their own unitary authorities.

County Durham contains many national parks like the North Pennines, Hamsterley Forest and the High Force Waterfall. North Pennines is a section of the Pennines famous for mining and birdwatching.

The only motorway in the county is the A1(M) but there are many dual carriageways with the main ones being the A68 and the A688.
 

DH1 3RE

Durham Planning Application Search

You can review what planning applications have been granted or denied for properties in your area by contacting Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council at Stockton Cricket Club, 52A Oxbridge Ave, Stockton-on-Tees TS18 1LD, telephone 01642 393939, 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 Durham

Our Building Surveyors specialise in the local area and have completed house surveys in Meadowfield, Ushaw Moor, Thornaby, Redmarshall, South Bank, Wolviston and Middlesbrough.

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


  • Victoria Road, Darlington, County Durham, United Kingdom, DL1 5SF
  • Chantry Place, West Rainton, County Durham DH4 6PP
  • Goodyear Crescent, Durham, County Durham, DH1 2EB
  • Silver St, Durham DH1 3RE
  • Cheveley Park, Belmont, Durham DH1 2AA

 

When should I book my survey?

Ideally, you will want to arrange a survey as early as possible in the purchase transaction. The reason for this is to ensure that any problems that may be identified can be looked into by your solicitor within a good time frame. The survey report may reveal matters which require further investigation by your solicitor and this can take time if a further investigation is needed by a specialist.

You want to make sure that you receive the results of the survey before proceeding to exchange of contracts as at this point in the process you become legally bound to the purchase and will not be able to re-negotiate the price or withdraw from the sale.


HomeBuyers Survey Durham

HomeBuyers Report in Durham

A HomeBuyers Report is general visual inspection for flats, new properties or bungalows of standard construction. Most leasehold flats in Durham 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 Durham

Building Survey in Durham

Most freehold houses in Durham 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 0333 344 3234.

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