Home Buyer Surveys
Buying a home? A mortgage valuation protects your lender — our home buyer surveys protect you. Explore Level 1, 2 and 3 reports and find the right level of detail for your purchase.
Explore Home Buyer Surveys
Our Services
At Dundas, we provide comprehensive building surveys to help you make informed decisions about the property you are buying. Our team of experienced surveyors will assess the condition of your potential purchase, giving you peace of mind.
Insightful Overview of Property Condition
Our Level 1 Condition Report is perfect for those seeking a snapshot of their property’s health. Ideal for newer or well-maintained homes, this survey offers a concise evaluation, highlighting any visible defects or potential issues. It’s the first step in understanding your property’s condition and planning for its future.
- Concise assessment of property condition
- Highlights visible defects and potential issues
- Suitable for newer or conventional properties
Comprehensive Insight for Informed Decisions
Our Level 2 Homebuyer Report provides a comprehensive inspection, offering peace of mind for both buyers and sellers. Tailored for most residential properties, this survey delves deeper, identifying any significant issues or potential problems. With detailed advice on repairs and maintenance, it’s the key to making informed decisions about your property investment.
- Thorough inspection of interior and exterior
- Suitable for most residential properties
- Identifies significant issues and potential problems
In-Depth Analysis for Complex Properties
Our Level 3 Building Survey is the gold standard for detailed property evaluations. Tailored for older properties, listed buildings, or those in need of renovation, this survey leaves no stone unturned. From structural elements to hidden defects, we provide comprehensive advice and recommendations, ensuring you’re fully informed before making any decisions.
- A comprehensive inspection of all property aspects
- Ideal for older properties, listed buildings, or renovations
- Identifies structural issues and hidden defects
More Ways We Can Help
Beyond our standard survey levels, we offer specialist and buyer-focused services to help you understand a property with confidence.
Damp Investigation Report
Dealing with damp? Our independent Damp Investigation Report diagnoses the actual cause through inspection and moisture readings — and we don’t sell remedial work, so the findings are unbiased.
Explore Damp Investigations
Our RPSA Accreditation Sets Us Apart
At Dundas, we are proud to be accredited by the Residential Property Surveyors Association (RPSA). This prestigious accreditation demonstrates our commitment to providing high-quality homebuyer and building surveys. With our RPSA accreditation, you can trust that our surveyors have the expertise and knowledge to deliver accurate and reliable survey reports. We adhere to the highest standards set by the RPSA, ensuring that our clients receive the best possible service.
Let's Have a Chat
Looking for professional homebuyer and building surveys? Contact Dundas today to schedule a survey or learn more about our services.
Contact UsWhat Vendors Should Expect During a Building Survey
To carry out a thorough and accurate building survey, our surveyors need access to all areas of the property. We understand that inspections can be disruptive, so we aim to be respectful, efficient, and careful at all times. The information below outlines what vendors can expect on the day of inspection.
Our surveyor will require safe and reasonable access to all internal and external areas of the home. This may include garages, roof spaces and any detached structures. Please ensure keys are available for any locked areas.
As part of a standard inspection, our surveyor may:
- •Open and close cupboards, wardrobes, and cabinets
- •Open and close doors and windows
- •Flush toilets and briefly run taps
- •Operate light switches and exhaust fans
- •Inspect walls, ceilings, floors, skirting boards, and wet areas
- •Visually check fixed appliances (personal or complex appliances are not operated)
These actions are necessary to identify defects, moisture issues, ventilation concerns, and the overall condition of the property.
Externally, our surveyor may:
- •Walk around the entire building
- •Inspect fencing, retaining walls, decks, balconies, and pergolas
- •Check visible drainage points and services
- •Inspect roofing and gutters from ground level or other safe, accessible vantage points
To help the inspection proceed smoothly, we recommend:
- •Clearing access to cupboards, manholes, and service areas
- •Securing pets away from inspection areas
- •Ensuring water and electricity are connected
- •Advising us of any known issues or areas of concern
Our surveyors take care to leave the property as they found it. Taps are turned off, lights switched off, cupboards closed, and windows and doors returned to their original positions after inspection.
If you have any questions or concerns prior to the inspection, please contact us. We’re happy to explain our process and ensure the inspection is carried out efficiently and respectfully.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about our homebuyer and building surveys.
Contact UsThis depends on both the property as well as how detailed you would like the information to be. Level 1 is a basic check and most suited to new builds. Level 2 is suitable for most properties as it is in-depth enough to give you a clear idea of the property condition and any work that needs to be done, along with checking a handful of any specific concerns you may have. This is also suitable for most flats. Level 3 is best for older properties / complex construction / neglected maintenance. This is also the best report if you want a detailed check of all possible areas or have concerns regarding the overall condition of the property.
The main difference is in the level of detail and advice provided, therefore time spent both at the property and during the editing and follow-up phases. If the property seems fine or is a flat then most likely a Level 2 will be fine, though if the property is older or you have concerns then a Level 3 is recommended.
We aim to keep the lead-time down to 2 to 3 weeks.
We will ask for you to provide by email: Property full address, selling agent, purchase price, you full name / address / email / phone number, level of survey you would like and any specific concerns you have.
Yes the survey can be cancelled or postponed up to 72 hours prior to the visit, this is to allow us time to rearrange another survey for the vacant day.
We aim to email the report to you within 3 working days of the visit. On rare occasions when workload is high this can take up to a maximum of a week, though we can discuss the main points with you over the phone to inform you of the main points discovered.
Payment is required upfront at the time of booking and can be made by credit/debit card or bank transfer (BACS). Please let us know your preferred payment method when booking.
If you are obtaining a mortgage then your lender is likely to be conducting their own valuation which you should query. Alternatively there are companies that provide remote valuations if required.There are also many general practice surveyors who can supply services such as party wall negotiations / agreements and project management, as well as structural engineers who can assess specific issues such as severe cracking or movement.Feel free to let us know what you need and we will try and get you in touch with the most relevant professional in your area.