Home Buyers Survey St Helens


Trusted by 100s of clients with their home survey in St Helens giving our panel of local RICS building surveyors detailed knowledge of properties in your area. We're booking from 21/02/2026* with same-day callback & fast reports starting from just £375 EXC VAT.

Get an Instant Property Survey St Helens Quote now or speak to a friendly member of our team on 0333 344 3234.

"Competitively priced service, the agent I dealt with was very helpful. On the day of the survey itself I received a call from the surveyor to run through his initial findings. The quality of the report produced was excellent, very detailed and thorough. If needed I will be using SAM Conveyancing's services again in the future for sure."

Read SAM Conveyancing's trustpilot reviews

National Coverage for House Surveys

National Coverage
Panel of RICS Surveyors for House Survey

Panel of RICS Surveyors
Same Week Availability for House Surveys

Same week availability*
House Survey Costs

Cost from £375 EXC VAT
Reports in 5 working days

Reports in 5 Days**

Local Building Survey St Helens

Our Building Surveyors specialise in the local area and have completed house surveys in Liverpool, Widnes, Huyton-With-Roby, Salford, Bolton, Wigan and Southport.

We work with specialist RICS Building Surveyors to undertake Home Buyers Surveys in St Helens. 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 St Helens we'll be able to give you the detailed St Helens HomeBuyers report that you will need to know and what defects there are with your property.


Defects flagged in a St Helens Home Buyers Survey


HomeBuyers Report St Helens
Local Tip 1
Sometimes for certain areas you might look to buy in around St Helens, you'll be advised to get a further ground stability search or coal mining search. This advice will be apparent as a recommendation from the findings of the main searches and/or your lender might insist on you getting one as a condition of getting a mortgage, should you be buying with one.

Such a report – in this case a Terrafirma Ground Report – was taken out for a property in Nutgrove Road, St Helens WA9 5JS. This detailed report had an in-depth assessment concerning whether coal or other mining nearby would be likely to cause ground instability and also considered other natural ground perils, recorded ground movement, the presence of radon gas, oil and gas activity and whether there were any mineral mining activities planned.

In the case in question, the only matter flagged up was that the property was located within 1000m of a valid mineral planning permission, however the report also stated that the permission did not mean the area in question had actually been developed and further, that any development was unlikely given the increasing urbanisation of the locale.
 HomeBuyers Survey St Helens
Local Tip 2
The Local Authority Search's main strength is in flagging up any land charges and matters relating to planning permission and building control which might affect the value of a property you're looking to buy.

For example, such a search, bought for a property in Richards Grove, St Helens WA9 2DN revealed that the dwelling was in an area subject to a smoke control order and that while there were no planning permissions lodged for the building, the correct building regulations sign-off had been noted for a gas fire installation and FENSA certificates lodged for a total of 18 windows and 2 doors.

Even an absence of planning permission records can be invaluable to your conveyancing solicitor; if your surveyor notes that alterations have been made to the property which would normally require planning permission, this can trigger your solicitor to make further enquiries to attempt to ascertain the true situation. This might ultimately result in negotiations with your seller, if remedy is required, or you deciding to pull out of the purchase if subsequent projected costs and hassle are adjudged to be too much to proceed to exchange of contracts.
Surveyor St Helens
Local Tip 3
Parish church claims on parishioners for chancel repair, where these occur, can be fairly costly, with individual households possibly being legally required to pay £1,000s.

Buying a chancel repair indemnity insurance policy for a property you're looking to buy in the St Helens area is an easy and efficient way of protecting yourself against this possible eventuality and among many others, one such policy was taken out for a property in Tickle Avenue, St Helens WA9 1RS. This policy generally costs around £20 to buy and normally covers the policy holder for claims to the limit of £1 million.

Types of property in St Helens?


St Helens mainly developed in the Industrial Revolution period so most properties observable there only go back as far as this period, barring the odd survival from earlier times. This latter includes the Quaker Friends' Meeting House, which, although it was converted for use by the Quakers in 1678, it had been used for another purpose a long time before then.

St Helens' modern Town Hall was built in 1876 and the Mill Street Barracks were completed in 1861. The Gamble Institute was built in 1896 and is now the town's central library. There are a number of Victorian residential properties visible, mainly terraced and cottages.

St Mary's Low House Catholic Church in North Road was opened in 1929 – it has a 40m tower and a dome of a mixed Gothic and Romanesque style. There are numerous standard construction properties built in various decades of the 20th century, built both privately and municipally, consisting of terraced, semi-detached and detached properties with a number of flat developments.

Church Square shopping centre was built in the early 1970s. Construction has continued to the present day and there are a number of new build developments.

Why Choose SAM Conveyancing for your Home Survey?

In helping over 15,339 survey clients since 2014, we've learned a lot about surveys in St Helens using our panel of over 100 Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). Your St Helens surveyor will be local to your property, so whether you're worried about subsidence, damp, infestations, extensions, or even just for peace of mind, we've got you covered.

Our HomeBuyers Survey costs are fixed and competitive, as you'll see from all our Excellent reviews on Trustpilot. This means you don't have to break the bank to get a full health check on your new home. Get a Home Buyer Survey Quote today, or if you're not sure which survey to choose and want to know the difference between a Level 2 Home Survey and a Level 3 Building Survey, then give us a cal,l and we'll happily tell you what you need - 0333 344 3234 (local call charges apply).


What defects are flagged in a Homebuyer's Survey?


Prev
Crack in outside wall above window flagged in a Home Building Survey
Cracks/Subsidence

Cracks are inspected and in the report will confirm if you need a structural engineer as there are signs of historical or current movement.

Damp and mould on a wall flagged in a Home Building Survey
Damp

The RICS surveyor will use a moisture meter in the rooms and report any high levels along with any mould or damp causing damage to the walls/windows.

Rotting wood on a window frame flagged in a Home Building Survey
Wood Rot

The wooden door frames and windows will be inspected for rotting and wood worm.

Rat Infestation flagged in a Home Building Survey
Infestations

The surveyor looks for signs of infestations through droppings, damage to piping/flooring and in some cases finding where the nest is.

Japanese Knotweed in a garden flagged in a Home Building Survey
Japanese Knotweed

The surveyor will check the grounds of the property and, where possible, check over the fences to neighbouring plots to identify if there is a risk of Japanese knotweed.

Drains and man hole covers flagged in a Home Building Survey
Drains and Manhole Covers

The surveyor lifts up accessible man hole covers to check if the drains are blocked. You may need to get your drains inspected with CCTV.

Roof loft space with insulation flagged in a Home Building Survey
Roof and Loft Space

The surveyor will enter into the roof/loft space if there is a safe and accessible ladder. They'll look for insulation, signs of leaking and and damage.

Next
Difference between a level 2 and level 3 house survey
A Level 2 HomeBuyers Report is for newer, conventional properties. A Level 3 Building Survey is for a comprehensive analysis, for older or larger properties.

Is a homebuyers survey worth it?
For conventional properties, a HomeBuyers Survey is invaluable. Identified defects can be used as leverage during price negotiations with the seller and can save 1000s of pounds.

Average Cost of Building Surveyor in 2026 in St Helens

The cost varies depending on the size and condition of the property, with the average cost of our HomeBuyers Survey starting at £375 EXC VAT. The average cost of a Building Survey is higher. Our fixed fees start at £499 EXC VAT.

To ensure accuracy, we utilise Rightmove or Zoopla to assess the property type, guaranteeing a fixed quote tailored to your needs. For guidance on choosing the right survey, contact our survey specialists at 0333 344 3234.



RICS Home Survey Level 2




RICS Home Survey Level 3


Frequently Asked Questions: Homebuyers Survey St Helens


LIAISE
TYPE
TIME
URGENT
DISCUSS
RELIABLE
COST
CHECKLIST
HOWSOON
NOTSATISFIED
LISTED
COVER
PLANNED
ConveyancingProcessMobile

FREE Online Conveyancing Process For Buyers

Our conveyancing process area includes:
  • online checklists
  • videos
  • free downloads
  • useful tips
It is completely free to use - from start to finish - and saves your progress along the way.


RICS Level 2 Home Survey with a Valuation

A RICS Level 2 Home Survey, which used to be called the HomeBuyer Report or a Home Buyer Survey, is generally suitable for:

  • Bungalows
  • Flats
  • Standard construction houses

The majority of St Helens's leasehold flats require only a RICS HomeBuyer Report but for any Victorian conversions, a Building Survey may well be required.

Click to see an Example HomeBuyers Report