Surveys are an all-over health check on a property, which tell you its exact current structural state.

The Building Survey is suitable for all types of property, whether they are listed, unusual or old, whether you wish to perform renovation work on them or whether the property has already had extensions added to it. The price of the survey will fluctuate according to the size of the property and its condition, the approximate value of the house, its location and time required for inspection. The actual survey does not provide a valuation, but the surveyor will include one if you request it. However, it is more likely that the Building Survey will be done for other reasons, as it provides such an extensive survey compared to the HSV.

The main details of the Building Survey will include:

• All major and minor faults found within the property, and the implications that these will have.
• How much the repairs for these defects will cost.
• Testing for dampness of the walls, and results for these tests.
• Testing of all woodwork for damp and woodworm, and the results of these tests.
• Investigation into the condition of damp proofing, insulation and drainage, although the drains will not actually be tested.
• Technical information about how the property was construction, and all materials which were used in the process.
• Information about the location of the property.
• Proposals for any further special inspections and subsequent work which may need to be done on the property.