Home Buyers Survey Hertfordshire

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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.

Home Buyers Survey Hertfordshire

Local Hertfordshire 
Building Surveyors

Our Building Surveyor uses their local knowledge of Hertfordshire 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.

Home Buyers Survey Hertfordshire

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.

Hertfordshire 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 completed by a qualified RICS surveyor and delivers a visual inspection of the property in Hertfordshire and the surrounding garden. The aim of the survey, whether a Building Survey (which used to be known as a Full Structural Survey) or a HomeBuyers Report, is to identify potential risks or defects that you may not know are there such as cracks or damage to the structure of the property, subsidence, damp and infestations.

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

The Home Buyer Survey will report on issues found, however you need to make sure that you choose the right Home Buyer Survey for your property because some defects require further detail and this is best served by booking a Building Survey.

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 Hertfordshire


Hertfordshire is a home county to the north of London in southern England. Its major settlements are Hemel Hempstead, Stevenage, Watford and St Albans, although Hertford remains its county town.

The county's landmarks span many centuries, ranging from the Six Hills in the new town of Stevenage built by local inhabitants during the Roman period, to Leavesden Film Studios.

The volume of intact medieval and Tudor buildings surpasses London, in places in well-preserved conservation areas, especially in St Albans.

There is a large variety of housing stock and the rural areas often have surviving medieval properties.

New build developments include large detached houses in Woodland Way, Welwyn and in Newlands Avenue, Radlett; shared ownership studio flats in Bessemer Road, Welwyn Garden City and modern apartments in Waterhouse Street, Hemel Hempstead and Park Place, Stevenage among many others.

Average property prices in Hertfordshire are .

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Properties in Hertfordshire which are built in close proximity to its larger rivers such as the River Lea, the River Colne, the River Beane, the River Stort, the River Mimram, the River Ver and the New River, may be in areas where flood warnings and alerts are issued 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 parts of Hertfordshire, including Berkhamsted and Potten End, are in a raised radon area, with properties built there having a higher probability than average of experiencing ground Radon emissions.

The raised Radon area has a maximum radon potential which is 3 - 5% (the percentage is the chance of a property being built where Radon emissions might measure above the action level).

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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A recent Environmental Search has shown that a property in Robinson Avenue, Goffs Oak, Waltham Cross, EN7 5NY is located within 250m of a man-made mining cavities.
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. 

Listed Building Surveyors Hertfordshire
We have local RICS surveyors who specialise in listed building surveys in the Hertfordshire area including its surrounds including e.g. Aylesbury and Luton.

WD23 2GE

Hertfordshire Planning Application Search

You can review what planning applications have been granted or denied for properties in your area by contacting Hertfordshire County Council at County Hall, Peggs Lane Hertford SG13 8DQ, telephone 01992 555 466, 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 Hertfordshire

Our Building Surveyors specialise in the local area and have completed house surveys in Aylesbury, High Wycombe, Luton, Biggleswade, Saffron Walden, March and Epping.

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


  • 14 Bushey Hall Park Bushey Hall Drive, Bushey, Hertfordshire WD23 2GE
  • 7 Rodgers Close, Elstree, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire WD6 3HN
  • 48 Vale Road, Bushey, Hertfordshire. WD23 2HE
  • 171 Windmill Road, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. HP2 4BY
  • 19 Mercia Road, Baldock, Hertfordshire, SG7 6RZ

 

My estate agent told me I don’t need a survey

Fortunately we only come across this on occasion. As we know, English Law puts the emphasis on the buyer in a conveyancing transaction to complete all reasonable checks on the property prior to exchange.

This is explained by the legal term – caveat emptor – which is the principle that the buyer alone is responsible for checking the quality and suitability of goods before a purchase is made.

Although the estate agent’s intentions may be pure in advising against a survey, in the event of a buyer moving into a property and finding that there are defects that would have been identified in the simplest of RICS surveyor checks, there is no recourse to the estate agent after the fact.

If the surveyor does not identify any significant defects, then the buyer can complete the purchase with peace of mind, however if defects are identified then an informed decision can be made on whether to proceed with the purchase prior to being contractually tied in.

A survey does also on occasion provide an opportunity to renegotiate on price based on newly identified problems not spotted on first inspection.

An estate agent is paid on completion as is the vendor therefore their drivers for additional property checks are very different to those of the buyers’.


HomeBuyers Survey Hertfordshire

HomeBuyers Report in Hertfordshire

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

Building Survey in Hertfordshire

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