Homebuyer Report (Level 2) – The “Starting-Point” Survey.
A Homebuyer Report is one of the most familiar survey formats on the market – it has been around for untold years and, for many purchases, it remains the sensible first rung on the ladder. This type of report provides the Surveyor's opinion of urgent or significant matters that may need action or further evaluation by the client before contracts are exchanged.
What It Covers
Think of the Homebuyer Report as a mid-range, fabric-only inspection. The surveyor will walk, probe, and tap every safely accessible surface – including roof spaces, walls, floors, and joinery – plus the immediate grounds, drives, and small outbuildings. The inspection also includes the boundaries of the property (where these are not too extensive), immediate paving, and additional structures within the boundary. Services (plumbing, electrics, heating, drainage) are visually checked but not tested; if you need functional testing, this can be arranged separately.
This report is not designed for all properties. It is not suitable for properties older than about 100 years, heavily extended homes, or anything with obvious structural alteration – those deserve a higher level Survey. Additionally, today’s Homebuyer Report does not include a valuation as standard (though it once did); we can add one if required, but this attracts an extra fee.
For modern or lightly altered houses, a HomeBuyer Report is incredibly valuable as it flags the urgent or significant issues you should understand. This might include damp ingress, slipped tiles, or high moisture readings in the loft. Identifying these issues allows you to budget for repairs or renegotiate the purchase price before contracts are exchanged. Think of it as a sensible health check for your potential new home, rather than a forensic autopsy.
