Home Buyers Survey Harpenden

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

 
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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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House Survey Cost

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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.

Harpenden HomeBuyers Survey

Local Hertfordshire 
Building Surveyors

Our Building Surveyor uses their local knowledge of Harpenden 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.

Harpenden 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 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, if you are considering buying a property in Harpenden, incredibly important.

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 are concerned about any defects with any property you are looking at buying in Harpenden, you MUST get a Home Buyers Survey as the costs of repairing the defects can run into thousands of pounds. 

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 Harpenden


Harpenden is a prosperous town in Hertfordshire which was essentially a village until the railway arrived in 1860. You can find large Victorian houses and Victorian terraces from the late 19th century. Rothamsted Manor was a substantial manor house by 1525 although it was redesigned in the Dutch style in the 17th century.

Many of the town's properties were built in the 20th century in various eras and there are large detached houses as well as many semi-detached properties, some built comparatively recently.

You can find large detached new builds in Green Lane Close and Help to Buy is available in the new flat developments in Lower Luton Road.


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Properties in Harpenden which are built near the River Lea, such as in Lower Luton Road, 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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When a RICS surveyor inspects a property they do not test the electrics, however they will turn on and off the lights and confirm where the fuse box is in the property. Electrical issues can occur in properties that date older than 1970 as the electrical methods used in properties has evolved over time. This is why a surveyor will recommend that you consult a local electrical contractor if they feel it necessary.

A local electrician in Harpenden is Andrews Electrical Contractors, Old Batford Mill, Lower Luton Rd, Harpenden AL5 5BZ.
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Checking the gas boiler is something a RICS surveyor can do by turning on the hot water and the heating, however they are not gas engineers so cannot test the boiler. You should always obtain the boiler installation certificate and the maintenance details from the seller during the conveyancing process.

If you need the gas checking, a local gas engineer in Harpenden is G A plumbing & heating, 26 Woollam Cres, St Albans AL3 6EH.
HertfordshireHertfordshire is commonly abbreviated to the name Herts and is a county located in the south of England. it is bordered by Bedfordshire to the north, Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Essex to the east, Buckinghamshire to the west and Greater London to the south (it is classed as a 'Home County' for this reason). The county town of Hertfordshire is Hertford.

Hertfordshire has 3 motorways running through it - the M1, the M25 and the A1(M). It is particularly associated with new towns as it contains 5 in total: Stevenage, Welwyn Garden City, Hemel Hempstead, Hatfield and Letchworth. There are two airports just outside Hertfordshire's borders; Luton and Stansted. It also has a university, the University of Hertfordshire, which is in Hatfield. There are a number of independent schools in the area, including, for example, Haileybury (Turnford), St George's Harpenden, Haberdasher's Aske's (Elstree) and Berkhamsted.

For random facts; St Alban, who gave his name to the city in the county, was the earliest British saint - he was reputed to have been beheaded where the cathedral now stands; also Sele Mill near Hertford was the site of the first paper mill in Britain, established about 1488. 

AL5 4AA

Harpenden Planning Application Search

You can review what planning applications have been granted or denied for properties in your area by contacting Harpenden Town Council at Town Hall Leyton Road Harpenden Hertfordshire AL5 2LX, telephone 01582 768278, 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 Harpenden

Our Building Surveyors specialise in the local area and have completed house surveys in Luton, St Albans, Wheathampstead, Hemel Hempstead, Flamstead, Fisherstreet and Kimpton.

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


  • Cedarwood, Spring Road, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 3PP
  • 71 Crabtree Lane, Harpenden, Hertforshire, AL5 5PX
  • 18 Glebe Road, Welwyn, Hertfordshire, AL6 9PB
  • Station Rd, Harpenden AL5 4AA
  • Luton Rd, Harpenden AL5 3NF

 

Does the Building Survey check the electrics and boiler?

The Building Survey is a defect report and will highlight any visual issues such as damp, subsidence and asbestos.

The surveyor will not carry out specialist inspections other than normal operation in everyday use, for example, switching lights on and off and turning the heating on and off.

If the surveyor feels that the electrics and boiler need further investigation then they will recommend that you get an electrician or engineer into the property to carry out an intrusive assessment.


HomeBuyers Survey Harpenden

HomeBuyers Report in Harpenden

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

Building Survey in Harpenden

Most freehold houses in Harpenden 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 Harpenden
Choose which survey based on its type, style and age
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