Top tips for a Cambridgeshire Home Buyers Survey
Cambridgeshire is a county in the East Anglia region of the UK and was formed in 1974 from two other pre-existing counties.
Peterborough and Cambridge contain the majority of the population of the county by far. The county hosts the site of Flag Fen in Fengate, which is one of the earliest-known Neolithic permanent settlements. Ely Cathedral dates back to 1083.
Housing in the larger urban areas is very mixed, with period properties as well as substantial housing from the 20th century, particularly semi-detached and terrace properties built from the 1930s onwards. In the more rural areas, there are more survivors from earlier periods.
Peterborough and Cambridge contain the majority of the population of the county by far. The county hosts the site of Flag Fen in Fengate, which is one of the earliest-known Neolithic permanent settlements. Ely Cathedral dates back to 1083.
Housing in the larger urban areas is very mixed, with period properties as well as substantial housing from the 20th century, particularly semi-detached and terrace properties built from the 1930s onwards. In the more rural areas, there are more survivors from earlier periods.
 |  |  |
Survey Tip 1 | Survey Tip 2 | Survey Tip 3 |
Properties in Cambridgeshire which are built near to large water courses such as the River Cam and the River Great Ouse, or which are in the fen areas to the north of the county such as around Ramsey and Chatteris, 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). | In section G2 of the HomeBuyer Report, the surveyor makes comment about the Gas (if applicable). The surveyor is not qualified to test the gas which is why the report states "Safety warning: All gas and oil appliances and equipment should regularly be inspected, tested, maintained and serviced by a registered ‘competent person’ and in line with the manufacturer’s instructions. This is important to make sure that the equipment is working correctly, to limit the risk of fire and carbon monoxide poisoning and to prevent carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from leaking into the air. For more advice contact the Gas Safe Register for gas installations, and OFTEC for oil installations". | The construction principles consider the way in which a property supports vertical and lateral loads through its fabric. It therefore assesses whether the structural parts of the building i.e. walls, floors and roof, will provide adequate strength and rigidity at all times. Although dwellings can be built in a number of different shapes and sizes, all must satisfy constructional principles which will ensure that the building does not fail when built or when reasonable loads are placed upon it. When surveying a house it is not possible to check the foundations as the survey is non-intrusive and the seller is highly unlikely to allow several holes to be dug around their property to review the foundations; without cause to do so. The best that a Building surveyor can do is to note whether there are any signs of walls cracking or roof distortion etc. Foundation work can follow a variety of possible approaches ranging from simple concrete strip foundations to complex piling schemes with reinforced ground beams. |
Cambridgeshire is a county in East Anglia and Cambridge is its county town. It has large areas of very low-lying land, known as fenland. Its economy is predominantly agricultural although a large area surrounding Cambridge is concerned with high technology (computing, electronics and biochemistry) and is known as Silicon Fen.There are two universities in the county; the University of Cambridge, which is the second oldest university in the English-speaking world, and the Angela Ruskin University. Cambridge also hosts a regional centre of the Open University. Cambridge is very much the transport hub of the region; its railway station offers connections to many urban destinations and fast, direct services to London. The A10 runs through the city and the M11 runs nearby to it.
Ely Cathedral contains the only Gothic Dome in the world and Holme Fen to the south of Peterborough is the lowest point in Britain (2.75m below sea level). Catherine of Aragon is buried in Peterborough Cathedral.
Listed Building Survey Cambridgeshire
We have local RICS Listed Building Surveyors who specialise in listed building surveys in Cambridgeshire. To find out more go to - Listed Building Surveys - Building Surveyor and Survey Cost in Cambridgeshire
Building Survey Cambridgeshire Planning
You can review what planning applications have been granted or denied for properties in your area by contacting Cambridgeshire Local Authority Councils at their address, telephone their local number, or you can check the local authority website.
Read the following article if you are thinking about building an extension .
Local Building Survey Cambridgeshire
Our Building Surveyors specialise in the local area and have completed house surveys in Cambridge, Huntingdon, Wisbech, March, St Neots, Chelmer Village and Whittlesey.
We employ only expert RICS Building Surveyors to undertake Home Buyers Surveys in Cambridgeshire. 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 building surveys on properties in Cambridgeshire we'll be able to give you the detailed Cambridgeshire HomeBuyers report that you will need to know and what defects there are with your property.
Home Buyers Survey Cambridgeshire
Recently completed HomeBuyer Reports and Building Surveys near you:
- Sutton Road, Witchford, Ely, Cambridgeshire, CB6 2HX
- 29 Wheat Croft, Cambridge, CB21 4YR
- 3 Cockburn Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB1 3NB
- Hills Rd, Cambridge CB2 1NW
- 6 Sydenham Terrace, Halifax Road, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB4 3PZ
Love our Competitive
Homebuyers Survey Costs
Specialist RICS HomeBuyer Report at affordable prices with no corners cut.
Local England
Building Surveyors
Our Building Surveyor uses their local knowledge of Cambridgeshire 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.
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.
Panel of RICS Surveyors
Ranging from 10 to 40 years 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 in a Home Buyers Survey in Cambridgeshire.
Home Buyers 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 Cambridgeshire, 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)
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 Cambridgeshire 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.
FREE Online Conveyancing Process for Buyers
Includes online checklists, videos, downloads and tips - plus it is completely free to use from start to finish and saves your progress along the way.
What’s the difference between a HomeBuyer Report and a Building Survey?
When it comes to property surveys for home buyers there are two main choices.
The first is the RICS HomeBuyer Report; this survey is specifically designed for post-1950s flats/bungalows/maisonettes or houses of standard construction.
The report uses a 'traffic light' format to indicate the opinion of the surveyor on the various aspects of the building under consideration.
The HomeBuyer Report includes a current market valuation as standard which can be used to compare with your property's agreed asking price.
The HomeBuyer Report includes a current market valuation as standard which can be used to compare with your property's agreed asking price.
The second option is the RICS Building Survey; this survey is reserved for older and larger properties that may have had the original fabric of the property altered or have unique features (i.e. a thatched roof). It is the most detailed visual inspection that can be carried out.
While it doesn’t include the property valuation that comes as standard with a HomeBuyer Report, many surveyors will often include in it an estimate of the cost of works for maintenance or upgrades to help with repairs or renovation to the property.
Does your property look like this?
If you have a crack similar to this in the property then you should be looking to instruct a Structural Engineer, instead of a RICS surveyor.
The reason being is that your property could have subsidence and although a RICS surveyor can confirm if they have a suspicion, they cannot confirm definitively if there is subsidence.
If the crack in the wall is more than 3mm (a 50p could fit in it), it is advisable to get a structural engineer in straight away over a RICS surveyor.
The reason being is that your property could have subsidence and although a RICS surveyor can confirm if they have a suspicion, they cannot confirm definitively if there is subsidence.
If the crack in the wall is more than 3mm (a 50p could fit in it), it is advisable to get a structural engineer in straight away over a RICS surveyor.
Does your property look different to this? Then read our guide on which survey suits your property type.
Choose which survey based on its type, style and age then get a competitively priced Home Buyers Survey Cambridgeshire quote.
