RICS Level 2 Survey in B8

For a typical B8 two or three-bedroom terrace, our RICS Level 2 survey costs from £399. The exact fee depends on the property's size and complexity - a two-bedroom property typically falls in the £394-£577 range, and a three-bedroom home in the £409-£633 range. Older properties, those with non-standard construction, or properties with complex features such as outbuildings or extensions may attract a higher fee. Get your fixed quote online with no obligation.

The HomeBuyer Report is the older RICS name for what is now called a Level 2 survey. The two terms describe the same inspection product: a visual assessment of the property's main structural elements, internal and external fabric, and permanent fixtures, graded using the RICS traffic-light condition rating system. The RICS rebranded its survey products in 2021 to use Level 1, 2, and 3 terminology, but many solicitors, estate agents, and mortgage lenders in Birmingham still use the HomeBuyer Report name. If you see either term, they refer to the same type of survey.

The on-site inspection for a typical B8 terrace or semi-detached home takes around two to three hours. Larger properties, or those with outbuildings, significant extensions, or complex roof configurations, will take longer. Our surveyors then compile the written report, which is delivered to you by email within three to five working days of the inspection. We do not issue same-day verbal summaries as the full written report is what you and your solicitor rely on through the purchase process.

Across B8's period and inter-war housing stock, the most frequently found defects are damp (both rising from failed DPC and lateral penetration through failed pointing or render), roof covering defects including slipped slates, cracked ridge tiles, and failed chimney flashings, outdated electrical installations with old fuse boards and rubber-insulated cable, and failed brickwork pointing. In post-war flatted stock we also commonly identify failing flat roof sections, cracked render, and heating systems well past their service life. Every property is different, and our report documents the specific findings for your property.

A RICS Level 2 survey is suitable for most B8 terraces and semi-detached homes that appear to be in reasonable condition and are of conventional brick construction. A Level 3 building survey is recommended where the property is in poor condition, has had significant structural alterations, uses non-standard construction methods, or is a listed building. If you are buying a B8 property that has been extended, shows obvious external defects, or has a complex construction history, our quote process will flag whether a Level 3 is more appropriate for your situation.

Yes - and many of our B8 clients do exactly this. Where our survey identifies significant defects, buyers typically have two options: request that the seller carries out specific repairs before exchange, or ask for a reduction in the agreed purchase price to reflect the cost of remediation. For example, if our survey identifies a roof requiring replacement costing an estimated £8,000, a price reduction request of equivalent amount is well-supported by the documented survey evidence. Your solicitor can help you frame the negotiation using the survey report as the basis for your request.

For a B8 terrace priced at £150,000-£200,000, a Level 2 survey at around £399-£437 represents less than 0.3% of the purchase price. Against the potential costs of undisclosed damp remediation at £2,000-£8,000, full rewiring at £3,000-£7,000, or roof replacement at £6,000-£15,000, the survey cost is straightforwardly justified. For first-time buyers using mortgage financing, lenders require a mortgage valuation but this is not a structural survey and will not identify defects. The Level 2 survey is a separate, independent assessment commissioned solely in your interest.

Parts of B8 - particularly streets near the River Rea in Bordesley Green and Saltley - sit in surface water and fluvial flood risk zones identified by the Environment Agency. Our Level 2 survey will record any visible signs of past water ingress or flooding inside the property, but a formal flood risk assessment is outside the scope of a Level 2 survey. We recommend all B8 buyers instruct a full environmental search through their solicitor, which confirms the flood zone status for the specific property address and flags any historical flooding incidents recorded by the Environment Agency or local authority.