RICS Level 3 Building Survey in Exeter

A RICS Level 3 Building Survey is the most detailed visual inspection we offer. Our surveyors look at all accessible parts of the property, including the roof space, walls, floors, windows, loft, sub-floor areas and visible services, then comment on how the building has been put together and how it is behaving now. In Exeter, where home.co.uk shows an average asking price of £378,790 in May 2026, that extra depth can matter as much as the offer figure itself.

The report does more than list defects. It explains the likely cause, the seriousness, and the kind of repair that may be needed, then sets out maintenance priorities so you can judge what needs fixing first. A loose tile at one end of a roof, minor timber decay around a bay window, or staining under a bathroom may look small on a viewing day, yet the long-term effect can be far larger if water keeps moving through the fabric. Our surveyors spell out the likely consequences of delay, which is the part many buyers need most.

We do not carry out destructive opening-up works. Carpets are not lifted, drainage is not CCTV inspected, and services are not tested like a specialist would test them. That boundary is deliberate. A Level 3 is a deep visual survey, not a strip-down or a contractor's inspection, so where the building raises a question that needs tools, sampling or testing, we say so clearly and point you to the next step.

The report is usually 20 to 60 pages long, depending on the size and complexity of the property. In Exeter's market, that can mean a terraced house with a later rear extension, a detached house with loft alterations, or a flat in converted stock where shared repairs matter just as much as the interior finish. Our aim is to give you a document you can use in negotiations, repair planning and conveyancing decisions, not a glossy summary that leaves you guessing.

• Full visual inspection of accessible parts
• Notes on construction and materials
• Clear defect ratings and repair advice
• Maintenance priorities and consequences of delay

Exeter sits within a mixed market, and the sales data in the Exeter postcode area shows that mix clearly. Detached homes made up 33.9% of sales in the last 12 months, terraced homes 31.7%, semi-detached homes 21.5% and flats 12.9%. That spread means a Level 3 survey has to stay alert to different building forms, from older terraces that may have been extended at the rear to detached houses where later alterations have changed the load path or the roof detail.

We have not relied on unverified claims about local geology or flood mapping here, because a good survey should speak to the building in front of you, not guess from a postcode. What we can say is that mixed Exeter stock often needs close checks around roofs, chimneys, rainwater goods, floors and junctions where one phase of work meets another. A rear extension that does not tie properly into the original wall, a roof that has been patched several times, or a bay window with movement around the lintel can all become expensive if they are left to drift.

The recent market shift also matters. homedata.co.uk records 7,100 property sales in the Exeter postcode area over the last 12 months, but that was 1,600 fewer transactions than the year before, a drop of 15.9%. In a slower patch, buyers often keep their eye on the asking price and overlook the repair budget. A Level 3 helps balance that view, because a £950 survey can reveal work that is far larger than the savings you hoped to make on the offer.

For buyers looking at converted flats, terraced homes or houses with added rooms, the report tends to focus on water ingress, ventilation, timber decay, insulation gaps, roof wear and signs that past works were done cheaply. In a city where home.co.uk shows 209 newly built homes sold in the last 12 months, only 3.0% of all sales, many buyers are still choosing older stock. That older stock can be fine, but it needs a survey that reads the fabric instead of assuming the house is sound because the decoration looks fresh.

• Roofs and flashings
• Bay windows and lintels
• Rear extensions and junctions
• Floors, timbers and ventilation