RICS Level 2 Survey in AB22

Our Level 2 survey is a structured, professional inspection of your property. We assess every accessible element - roof, external walls, floors, ceilings, services, drainage, and grounds - and assign each element a condition rating. The report is standardised across all RICS Level 2 surveys, so you can compare results clearly and understand exactly where attention is needed.

Condition Rating 1 (green) means the element is in satisfactory condition. Rating 2 (amber) means repairs are needed but are not urgent - plan and budget for these within the next one to five years. Rating 3 (red) means urgent repair or further specialist investigation is required before you proceed. Any Rating 3 item should be fully understood and either resolved or reflected in the purchase price before you exchange contracts.

In a market where AB22 prices have fallen 6% in the last year and sit 9% below the 2015 peak, sellers may have deferred maintenance as affordability pressures have squeezed budgets. Deferred maintenance - a roof that has been patched rather than replaced, guttering that runs but poorly, a damp-proof course that has partially failed - shows up on a Level 2 survey as condition ratings of 2 or 3 and gives you documented evidence to negotiate a lower purchase price.

Our Level 2 report includes a market valuation as standard. For AB22 properties, where the average price has dropped 6% year on year, an independent valuation from our RICS-qualified surveyors gives you a current, condition-adjusted view of what the property is worth - not what the seller is asking for it.

• Condition ratings 1-3 for all accessible building elements
• Independent market valuation included
• Damp readings taken across all external walls and ground floors
• Roof inspection from eaves, ridge and inside the loft space
• Services assessment - consumer unit age, boiler condition, visible pipework
• Drainage and grounds inspection
• Report delivered within 3-5 working days

Grandhome is one of Scotland's largest planned residential communities - a masterplanned development covering approximately 550 acres at the northern edge of AB22, designed to deliver around 3,000 new homes alongside schools, commercial space and parkland. Stewart Milne Homes, Bellway Homes and other major housebuilders have been active across the site, delivering a mix of two to five-bedroom properties at a range of price points. Buyers purchasing at Grandhome often assume that new means defect-free.

New build properties come with an NHBC Buildmark warranty (or equivalent developer warranty) that provides cover for structural defects for ten years. This is not the same as a survey. A warranty responds to defects that become apparent and meet the warranty criteria; it does not give you an independent assessment of the property's condition at the point of purchase, and it does not cover cosmetic or minor defects.

For new build properties in AB22, a snagging survey is typically more appropriate than a RICS Level 2 survey. A snagging inspection identifies unfinished work, cosmetic defects, and items that do not meet build specification - things the developer is obliged to remedy before you accept the property. Identifying these before you legally complete gives you the leverage to require them fixed.

The RICS Level 2 survey is the right choice for the established housing stock in Bridge of Don and Danestone, where the property has been occupied, has a maintenance history, and may have accumulated defects that a developer warranty would not cover in any case. If the property you are buying is in an established AB22 estate rather than a new build development, a Level 2 survey gives you the assessment you need.

• Established Bridge of Don and Danestone properties - RICS Level 2 appropriate
• Newer AB22 properties in good condition - Level 2 appropriate
• New builds at Grandhome and equivalent developments - snagging survey recommended instead
• Properties with structural concerns or significant damp - consider Level 3
• Any property over 100 years old - discuss with our surveyors before booking

Your Level 2 report is a practical document. Once you receive it, the first step is to identify all Rating 3 items - these are the issues requiring urgent action or specialist investigation. Any Rating 3 should be fully understood before you exchange. If the report recommends a structural engineer's assessment, a drainage survey, or an electrical installation check, commission these before exchange.

Rating 2 items are the negotiation materials. These are repairs that need doing - not immediately, but within a foreseeable timeframe. Our surveyors include cost guidance for significant repair items where relevant. A roof that needs attention in the next three years, a damp-proof course that needs reinjection, or a flat roof extension that requires replacement are all items with an associated cost that the current owner has implicitly priced into the property as deferred maintenance.

In a market where AB22 prices are 6% below the previous year's level, sellers are generally motivated. A well-documented survey report with clear cost implications for specific defects gives you a professional basis to request either a price reduction or specific repairs before completion. This is particularly useful for buyers competing on affordability - if you are buying near your upper limit, knowing the repair cost profile of the property before exchange allows you to make an informed decision rather than discovering the costs after moving in.

Pass the full report to your conveyancer when you receive it. They will use the findings to inform their due diligence enquiries and flag any issues that require legal resolution - for example, building regulations sign-off for extensions identified in the survey, or coal or environmental search results relevant to drainage or ground stability.

• Act on Rating 3 items before exchange - do not defer these
• Get cost estimates for Rating 2 items to support price negotiation
• Follow up on all specialist investigation recommendations before exchange
• Share the full report with your conveyancer for due diligence
• Speak to our surveyor directly if any rating or recommendation is unclear