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RICS Home Surveys

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The RICS Home Condition Report

This is the most basic type of the home buyer surveys series available. This home surveys report is beneficial if you have no experience of property and you want reassurance from an experienced surveyor that the property is a reasonable proposition for purchase and there are no serious problems.

The home buyer surveys series incorporates the RICS ‘traffic light’ signals as to the condition of various parts of the property. Green means everything is satisfactory, orange is some source for concern, and red means serious repairs are vital.

  • A summary of the risks to the condition of the building

  • Highlights areas where guarantees, warranties, planning and other consents need to be investigated by your legal advisers

  • It is designed to complement your mortgage valuation or a private purchase

  • It provides you with a summary of risks to the building.

  • Clear ‘traffic light’ ratings of the condition of different parts of the building, services, garage and outbuildings, showing problems that require varying degrees of attention
The RICS Home Survey with or without Valuation

The Home Buyer Report is the most popular of the home buyer surveys and recommended for conventionally built, newer homes in a reasonable condition.

  • It will tell you any observable major problems – obvious wet or dry rot, subsidence, etc.

  • It provides an open market valuation and a rebuilding insurance reinstatement value (how much you would receive from your insurers if the property were to burn down).

  • Alternatively, we offer the RICS Home Buyers Survey without valuation or reinstatement of insurance for a slightly reduced cost).

  • The survey is non-intrusive: we will not look behind furniture, nor lift up floor boards or test services and appliances.

  • This is home buyer surveys provides further information to the buyer by giving a summary of the property’s general condition helping you to make an informed decision on whether to proceed or renegotiate the agreed sale price.

  • It will also highlight problems that need further investigation before entering a legal commitment to purchase.

  • If required, It provides three condition ratings 1, 2 or 3. These state the condition of individual or sub-elements of the property such as roof, walls and floors.

home surveys green

Condition Rating 1

Currently in good condition and no repairs or replacements are currently needed.

home surveys yellow

Condition Rating 2

Defects that need repairing or replacing but are not considered to be serious or urgent

home surveys red

Condition Rating 3

Defects that are serious and/or need to be repaired, replaced or investigated urgently.

RICS or Independent Building Surveys

RICS or independent building and home buyer surveys can be tailored to meet your specific needs. Our survey reports provide detailed advice on the overall condition of your proposed property purchase including:

  • Identification ofany visible defects or deterioration supplemented by a diagnostic appraisal
  • Whether the property has been significantly altered and if consents were required
  • Detailed technical information on materials and construction methods used
  • Details of any serious/significant defects
  • The extent of the remedial measures or repairs required
  • Reinstatement building insurance

Our reports can be used as a negotiating tool in a potential purchasing scenario. We include a market valuation appraisal if required and when requested a supplementary report on the services installations undertaken by our associate and qualified services engineers. Chesterton Smart can appoint these specialists as part of an all-inclusive home surveys package for property across the whole of Leicestershire.

Property Valuation

Market valuation for purposes such as: establishing if the agreed purchase price is correct, confirming the value of an owned property or properties for tax, asset portfolio, matrimonial and probate purposes

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Testimonials

“Nicholas Riozzi from Chesterton Smart has been outstanding to work with. His assistance and guidance throughout our purchase has been invaluable. Always prompt, professional and courteous, Nicholas has been a pleasure to deal with. I would absolutely recommend his services.”

J Kluver
Loughborough 10.12.14

“I employed Chesterton Smart to carry out a residential building survey on a house I was looking at buying. The property was in fairly poor condition, Nicholas complied a very detailed report for me, which was a great tool for costing the renovation and finding out exactly what I was up against! Communication was excellent throughout the process, especially the guidance on how to use the information in the report and likely outcomes in terms of building control. Nicholas is very knowledgable and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Chesterton Smart to others contemplating buying to refurbish.”

A Raynor
Leicestershire 19.7.15

“Nick carried out two Homebuyers Surveys for me and I was extremely impressed by the detail he provided in relation to the two properties we had hoped to purchase. Having had Homebuyer’s Surveys in the past and being extremely disappointed by the lack of information provided, the ones Nick carried out were informative and helped me to make decisions about whether to proceed with the purchase.

Nick knew we were in a hurry to buy and went out of his way to visit the properties and get the report to us very quickly. He was reliable and always at the end of the phone to answer any queries I had about the report.

I would definitely use his service again in the future and would recommend him to anyone looking for a more comprehensive Homebuyers Report.”

H Perkins
Syston, Leicestershire 18.7.15