Top tips for a London Home Buyers Survey
London, like most great world capitals, has a huge variety of different architectural styles from many periods. The oldest intact building in London is the Tower of London’s White Tower, built by William the Conqueror but there are surviving fragments of the Roman London Wall which date back as far as the late 2nd/early 3rd century.
Marylebone district has many properties with the beautiful frontages of the Arts & Crafts movement but the City of London’s buildings sometimes qualify as the ‘last word’ in design such as the Lloyds Building and the ‘Gherkin’. There is genuinely something for everyone, from ex-council estates to stunning new build developments, although prices are never cheap.
Marylebone district has many properties with the beautiful frontages of the Arts & Crafts movement but the City of London’s buildings sometimes qualify as the ‘last word’ in design such as the Lloyds Building and the ‘Gherkin’. There is genuinely something for everyone, from ex-council estates to stunning new build developments, although prices are never cheap.
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Survey Tip 1 | Survey Tip 2 | Survey Tip 3 |
Properties in London which are built in close proximity to its major rivers may be affected by flood alerts and warnings from time to time. This is particularly the case with the River Thames, London's principal river, but also for the Rivers Wandle, Colne, Brent, Lee, Pinn, and Ravensbourne, among others. 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). | 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). | A high proportion of London is built on clay soil which has a higher chance of shrinkage that can cause or lead to subsidence. |
Greater London is an area which contains London, the capital of the United Kingdom (which itself centres on the Cities of London and Westminster) and a number of surrounding boroughs which are administered as London boroughs and which are the overall executive responsibility of the Mayor of London. It contains a large number of constituencies, each represented by an MP and it should be noted that these are not the same as nor even always continguous with the borders of the boroughs.Many parts of Greater London were originally administered by the counties which surround London and these counties are often called the home counties. Enfield, for example, used to be classed as being part of Middlesex, but is now near the northern border of Greater London. Greater London's borders often coincide with a zone of 'green belt': areas where it has been decided that open spaces, parks, forests and wildlife reserves should act as a buffer against urban sprawl. London has numerous landmarks, anything from Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament to Karl Marx's grave in Highgate Cemetery.
Greater London contains more than 9 million inhabitants, a number growing daily, and as this is approximately 1/7 of the population of the UK, it can be seen that Greater Londoners have a large influence on the rest of the country politically and this is enhanced by the concentration of skilled workers gravitating towards the capital.
Listed Building Survey London
We have local RICS Listed Building Surveyors who specialise in listed building surveys in London. To find out more go to - Listed Building Surveys - Building Surveyor and Survey Cost in London
Building Survey London Planning
You can review what planning applications have been granted or denied for properties in your area by contacting London Local Authorities 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 London
Our Building Surveyors specialise in the local area and have completed house surveys in West London, North London, South London, East London, South West London, North West London and South East London.
We employ only expert RICS Building Surveyors to undertake Home Buyers Surveys in London. 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 London we'll be able to give you the detailed London HomeBuyers report that you will need to know and what defects there are with your property.
Home Buyers Survey London
Recently completed HomeBuyer Reports and Building Surveys near you:
- Walterton Road, Maida Vale, London, W9 3PH
- Ormeley Road, Balham, London, SW12 9QG
- Broad Lane, South Tottenham, London, N15 4DU
- Battersea Square, London, SW11 3RA
- Oslow Tower, Flat number 11 Oslow Tower, Naomi Street, London, SE8 5EP
Love our Competitive
Homebuyers Survey Costs
Specialist RICS HomeBuyer Report at affordable prices with no corners cut.
Local Greater London
Building Surveyors
Our Building Surveyor uses their local knowledge of London 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 London.
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 London, 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)
Should any issues be flagged up in the Home Buyers Survey, our surveyor will tell you what you need to do to get more in-depth advice on the extent and seriousness of the issue affecting your property in London and what needs to be done to remedy it.
If you are worried about a crack or cracks or indeed any other defects that you think your property has, we strongly recommend you get a Home Buyers Survey as the cost of remedying the problem might snowball into many thousands of pounds further down the line.
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.
How long does your survey take?
We book the earliest possible slot for your RICS surveyor to carry out their inspection for your RICS home buyers survey.
Then, on the day, they visit the property and inspect all accessible areas, concentrating on signs and suspicions of defects and issues.
Then, on the day, they visit the property and inspect all accessible areas, concentrating on signs and suspicions of defects and issues.
The actual time your surveyor takes over the inspection varies with each property – you can imagine that one for a small flat for a HomeBuyers Report will normally take less than one for a large mansion for a Building Survey.
It is likely to be anything between 1 ½ hours to 3 hours.
It is likely to be anything between 1 ½ hours to 3 hours.
SAM Conveyancing's RICS surveyors call you on the day of the inspection after carrying it out to go over any major concerns and findings and then they complete the report and return it to you within 5 working days.
HomeBuyers Report in London
A HomeBuyers Report is general visual inspection for flats, new properties or bungalows of standard construction.
Most leasehold flats in London should have a HomeBuyers Report, however the only exception are converted properties which may need a Building Survey.
Most leasehold flats in London should have a HomeBuyers Report, however the only exception are converted properties which may need a Building Survey.
Building Survey in London
Most freehold houses in London 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.
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.
If you are unsure which survey to choose you can call our surveyors and they'll help you choose - Call 0207 112 5388.
Choose which survey based on its type, style and age then get a competitively priced Home Buyers Survey London quote.
