Detailed structural surveys for Edinburgh's sandstone tenements, Georgian townhouses, and UNESCO World Heritage properties
Regulated
Around 64% of Edinburgh's housing stock consists of flats — overwhelmingly traditional sandstone tenements built between the 1760s and 1910. The city's Old and New Towns form a UNESCO World Heritage Site containing roughly 4,500 buildings, with some 1,700 individually listed. Sandstone walls absorb moisture, timber floors in tenements are vulnerable to rot, and shared ownership structures mean defects in communal areas often go unrepaired for years. A RICS Level 3 Building Survey gives buyers the structural detail needed before committing to property in a city where stone decay, penetrating damp, and hidden timber defects are routine findings.
£313,000
Average House Price
1,700+
Listed Buildings
Within World Heritage Site
From £530
Level 3 Survey Cost
Edinburgh pricing
51%
Tenement Flats
Of total housing stock
Edinburgh's building stock carries risks that are distinct from most English cities. The dominant construction material is sandstone — primarily Craigleith, Hailes, and Binny stone — which weathers differently from brick. Over decades of exposure to Edinburgh's wind-driven rain and freeze-thaw cycles, sandstone faces can spall, delaminate, or erode back to bare aggregate. Behind that stonework, timber lintels and joist ends embedded in solid walls absorb moisture and develop wet rot or dry rot, often with no external warning. Tenement buildings add another layer of complexity: shared roofs, communal stairwells, and mutual walls mean one owner's neglected repair can cause water ingress across multiple flats.
A Level 2 survey records visible defects and rates them using a traffic-light system. For a sandstone tenement flat in Marchmont or a Georgian townhouse in the New Town, that is not thorough enough. The Level 3 approach traces defects to their origin — lifting floorboards to check joist ends, inspecting roof voids for failed sarking boards, and examining shared drainage runs. It produces a structural narrative of the building's condition rather than a summary of what can be seen from a standing position. In a city where 40% of the housing stock predates 1919, that level of investigation regularly uncovers problems a visual survey would miss.
Source: Scotland's Census 2022. Edinburgh has the second-highest proportion of flats of any Scottish city.
Edinburgh's sandstone buildings deteriorate from the outside in. Spalling — where the stone face flakes away — is widespread on tenements across Marchmont, Bruntsfield, Morningside, and Stockbridge. Once the protective outer skin is lost, water penetrates deeper into the wall, accelerating decay and reaching internal timbers. Replacing damaged sandstone ashlar blocks on a tenement elevation typically costs £8,000–£20,000 per flat's share, and the Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004 means all owners must contribute. The Level 3 inspection assesses the full extent of stone deterioration before you buy, so repair liability is clear from the start.
| Survey Type | Edinburgh | National Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| RICS Level 3 | From £530 | From £619 | -£89 |
| RICS Level 2 | From £340 | From £395 | -£55 |
| Valuation Only | From £215 | From £250 | -£35 |
RICS Level 3
Edinburgh
From £530
National Avg
From £619
Difference
-£89
RICS Level 2
Edinburgh
From £340
National Avg
From £395
Difference
-£55
Valuation Only
Edinburgh
From £215
National Avg
From £250
Difference
-£35
Prices based on average 3-bed property. Scottish prices reflect regional market. Note: Scotland's Home Report system means sellers provide a Single Survey, but buyers often commission a separate Level 3 for older properties.
The RICS surveyors we work with in Edinburgh have hands-on experience with the city's distinctive building stock. They can assess sandstone condition, identify dry rot behind lath-and-plaster walls, and evaluate whether shared tenement repairs have been carried out to an acceptable standard. They understand the difference between original lime mortar joints and damaging cement repointing, and they know how Edinburgh's geology — volcanic basalt overlaid with glacial till — affects foundation performance on the city's steep gradients.
Fill in the property details — address, type, approximate age, and number of bedrooms. You'll get a price immediately. If the property suits a Level 3 survey, you can book and pay online. We'll contact the seller or their agent within 24 hours to arrange access.
A local RICS surveyor inspects the property. For a typical Edinburgh sandstone tenement flat, expect the visit to take 3–5 hours. Larger properties — Georgian townhouses in the New Town, converted villas in Morningside, or properties with significant shared elements — may take 6–8 hours as the surveyor examines communal roofs, stairwells, and external stonework alongside the flat itself.
The written report arrives within 2–6 working days. It covers structural condition, defects found, repair cost guidance, and recommendations for your solicitor. Our bookings team can walk you through anything in the report and help arrange follow-up specialist inspections if needed.
Scottish sellers must provide a Home Report containing a Single Survey (equivalent to a Level 2) before marketing their property. Buyers sometimes assume this covers them. It does not provide the structural depth needed for Edinburgh's older building stock. The Single Survey is designed to inform the sale price, not to investigate hidden defects behind plasterwork, within floor voids, or across shared tenement fabric. If you are buying a pre-1919 property in Edinburgh — and that covers a large share of the market — a separate Level 3 survey commissioned by you is the only way to get an independent, thorough structural assessment.
A mortgage valuation confirms the property is worth what you are paying. It does not investigate structure. With Edinburgh's average property price at £313,000, the cost of a Level 3 survey — typically £530 to £900 depending on property size — represents less than 0.3% of the purchase price. Dry rot treatment in an Edinburgh tenement flat commonly runs to £5,000–£15,000 once floor timbers and wall plaster are stripped back. Sandstone facade repairs shared across a four-flat tenement block can land each owner with a bill of £8,000–£20,000. A survey that identifies these problems before completion gives you the evidence to renegotiate or walk away.
Edinburgh Level 3 surveys start from around £530 for a standard 2-bed tenement flat. Prices rise with property size and complexity — expect £700–£900 for a larger Georgian townhouse or a villa with extensions. Edinburgh pricing sits below the national average (from £619) because Scottish survey costs generally reflect lower property values than London and the South East, though Edinburgh is the most expensive city in Scotland.
The Home Report Single Survey is a seller-commissioned Level 2 equivalent. It records visible defects and assigns condition ratings, but it is limited by design — the surveyor cannot lift floorboards, open up walls, or investigate concealed areas. In a sandstone tenement, dry rot often develops inside floor voids and behind lath-and-plaster finishes where a Single Survey cannot reach. Commissioning your own Level 3 survey gives you an independent assessment that examines the building fabric in far greater depth. For pre-1919 Edinburgh properties, the difference between the two levels of inspection is significant.
For a typical Edinburgh tenement flat — two or three bedrooms with a shared stair — the on-site inspection takes 3–5 hours. A New Town Georgian townhouse or a detached villa in areas like Corstorphine or Cramond may take 6–8 hours because of the additional floor area, garden ground, and outbuildings. The written report follows within 2–6 working days. Older Edinburgh properties take longer than modern homes because the surveyor needs to check sandstone condition, timber elements, roof structure, and shared building fabric in detail.
Yes. A Level 3 survey on a tenement flat includes the shared elements that directly affect the property — the roof above, external walls, communal stairwell, shared drainage, and any common drying greens or bin stores. The surveyor will assess the condition of these shared areas and flag potential repair liabilities. Under the Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004, flat owners share responsibility for communal repairs, so knowing the state of the roof or external stonework before you buy is essential for understanding your future financial exposure.
Sandstone condition is a central part of any Level 3 survey on an Edinburgh property. The surveyor will examine external elevations for spalling, erosion, cracking, and inappropriate cement repairs. They will assess whether previous repointing was done in lime mortar (correct for sandstone) or cement (which traps moisture and accelerates decay). The report will include guidance on the likely cost of stone repairs and whether urgent work is needed. For listed buildings within the World Heritage Site, the surveyor will also note any constraints that affect how repairs must be carried out.
Most surveyors take 1–2 days to quote.
We'll price your survey in seconds.
We'll price your survey in seconds.
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