RICS Home Survey · Level 2
Level 2 HomeBuyer Survey Newcastle, Morpeth & the North East.
The right survey for most conventional homes — every visible and accessible element inspected and rated, defects explained in plain English, and the matters your solicitor should chase. From £425 + VAT.
What it is
Formerly the HomeBuyer Report. Still the survey most buyers need.
The Level 2 survey is a thorough inspection of everything that can be seen and safely reached — roof coverings from ground level and from the loft hatch, walls, floors, windows, chimneys, drainage, and the visible parts of the electrical, heating and plumbing services. Each element is given a condition rating and, unlike a Level 1, the report explains the defects and what should be done about them.
Dave carries out every inspection personally, and because he prices and manages building work for a living the report tends to be more specific about repairs than most: not just “roof covering defective — seek a roofer's advice”, but what is actually wrong and what a competent repair looks like.
What the report covers
- Construction, accommodation and services summary
- Condition ratings and defect descriptions for every element
- Advice on repairs and further investigations needed
- Damp readings where appropriate, and roof-void inspection where accessible
- Risks to the building, grounds and people; legal matters for your conveyancer
- Front-page summary of the matters that affect your decision
Typical North East Level 2 findings
Failed cavity wall ties on 1930s semis, bridged damp-proof courses behind raised paths, blocked or undersized gutters, ageing consumer units, flat-roof extensions at the end of their life, and — across the coalfield — the need for a mining report. A good Level 2 puts each in proportion.
Survey with repair costs. Add a chartered QS budget figure against each rated defect for £175 + VAT. How it works.
Level 2 fees
from £425+ VAT · standard homes
Steps by property value and size to £925 for homes over £1m. Full schedule · instant estimate.
Add repair cost estimates £175 · drone roof survey £95.
Instant estimate“A Level 2 should leave you knowing exactly what you're buying — and roughly what the first year will cost you.”
Dave Lovatt MRICS
Questions
Level 2 — asked before instructing.
Is a Level 2 the same as a HomeBuyer Report?
Yes. The RICS HomeBuyer Report was renamed the Home Survey Level 2 under the RICS Home Survey Standard. Some lenders and agents still use the old name; the content and standard are the same.
What properties suit a Level 2?
Conventionally built houses, bungalows and flats in reasonable condition — most inter-war and post-war homes in the North East. If the property is pre-1900, stone-built, listed, heavily extended or in poor order, a Level 3 is the better tool.
Does a Level 2 include a valuation?
Ours does not. We provide survey-only reports. If you need a valuation, an RICS Registered Valuer can provide one alongside our report, and your lender will arrange its own mortgage valuation.
Can I add repair costs to a Level 2?
Yes — for £175 + VAT Dave prepares a chartered QS budget estimate against every Condition Rating 2 and 3 defect, in priority order. It is our most-instructed add-on.
How quickly will I get the report?
Inspection within about a week of instruction, subject to agent access, and the report within five working days of the visit.
Get an instant estimate.
Enter the postcode, property details and asking price and see your survey fee in seconds — then we confirm it as a fixed fee in writing within one working day.
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