When Should You Book a House Survey? The Best Time to Arrange One

A common question I am asked by buyers is:

“When is the right time to book my survey?”

It usually comes shortly after an offer has been accepted, when everything suddenly seems to start happening at once.

The estate agent wants your solicitor's details, your mortgage application is getting underway, paperwork is arriving from your conveyancer and somewhere amongst all of that you need to decide when to arrange the survey.

Should you book it straight away? Wait for the mortgage valuation? Hold off until the chain is complete? Or wait until your solicitor's searches have come back?

There isn't one rigid answer that suits every purchase, but for most buyers my advice is fairly straightforward:

Start speaking to a surveyor shortly after your offer has been accepted and aim to have the survey completed comfortably before exchange of contracts.

The important point is that contacting a surveyor and having the survey carried out do not necessarily need to happen at the same time.

There can be perfectly sensible reasons for waiting a little before committing to the inspection, particularly if there is uncertainty over the mortgage or the seller's onward purchase.

What I would avoid is waiting until everything else is nearly finished before even starting to think about the survey.

The survey is there to help you make an informed decision about the property. For it to do that properly, you need enough time afterwards to understand the findings, ask questions and investigate anything significant before you become legally committed to the purchase.

When Is the Best Time to Book a House Survey?

For most purchases, I recommend starting the conversation with a surveyor once your offer has been accepted.

At this stage, the property will usually be sold subject to contract and your solicitor and mortgage lender, if you are using one, will start progressing their respective parts of the purchase.

Your survey can then run alongside that process.

What I would not recommend is treating the survey as one of the final things to arrange.

The purpose of a RICS Home Survey is to give you information about the property while you still have the opportunity to act on it.

If something significant is identified, you may need time to:

• speak to your surveyor about the findings

• obtain quotations for repairs

• arrange additional specialist advice

• ask your solicitor to investigate something further

• raise questions with the seller

• reconsider your offer where appropriate

• or decide whether you remain comfortable proceeding with the purchase

All of that is much easier when exchange of contracts is still some way off.

Booking the Survey and Having the Survey Done Are Not Quite the Same Thing

This is something I think buyers sometimes overlook.

You do not necessarily need to have the property inspected immediately just because you contact a surveyor immediately.

Surveyors can become booked ahead, particularly during busy periods.

If you wait until you are completely ready before making your first enquiry, you may then discover that your preferred surveyor cannot inspect the property for another couple of weeks.

By contacting a surveyor shortly after your offer is accepted, you can establish:

• which survey is appropriate for the property

• how much it will cost

• what is included

• when the surveyor is available

• how quickly you are likely to receive the report

• and whether there is anything unusual about the property that should influence the type of survey you choose

You are then in a much better position to plan the inspection around the rest of your purchase.

Booking early does not necessarily mean rushing the survey. It means giving yourself options.

Should I Wait for the Mortgage Valuation Before Booking My Survey?

This is probably the next most common question I am asked.

You do not have to wait for the mortgage valuation, although there are circumstances where doing so can make sense.

First, it is important to understand that a mortgage valuation and your own survey are two very different things.

A mortgage valuation is primarily carried out for the lender.

The lender is looking at whether the property provides suitable security for the amount of money they are proposing to lend.

It should not be treated as a detailed assessment of the property's condition on your behalf.

Your own RICS Home Survey Level 2  or RICS Home Survey Level 3 is commissioned for you as the buyer.

It considers the condition of the property, visible defects, potential risks, maintenance requirements and matters that may need further investigation before you proceed.

This means a property can be perfectly acceptable to a mortgage lender while still having defects that you would very much want to understand before buying it.

However, there is another side to this.

If there is genuine uncertainty about your mortgage application or you believe the lender may have concerns about the property itself, you might prefer to wait until their initial valuation has taken place before paying for your own survey.

That can reduce the risk of paying for a survey only for the mortgage application to encounter an immediate problem.

Even in that situation, I would still suggest speaking to your surveyor early and finding out their availability.

You can then make an informed decision about exactly when you want the inspection to take place.

Do I Need to Wait for My Full Mortgage Offer?

No.

There is no general requirement to have your formal mortgage offer in place before commissioning your own house survey.

For a straightforward purchase, waiting for every part of the mortgage process to finish before arranging the survey can simply use up valuable time.

I think a better question to ask is:

Is there currently a particular reason to think this purchase may not proceed?

If your mortgage application appears to be progressing normally, the seller is committed and the transaction is moving forward, there may be little benefit in deliberately delaying the survey.

If there is genuine uncertainty about your finance, the property, the chain or another significant matter, waiting for a short period may be reasonable.

It is a judgement call rather than a fixed rule.

Should I Wait Until the Property Chain Is Complete?

This can be more difficult.

Imagine you have had an offer accepted, but the seller has not yet found somewhere to move to.

Should you immediately start spending money on surveys and legal work?

Understandably, some buyers are reluctant to incur all of their purchase costs while there is still considerable uncertainty around the chain.

There is nothing wrong with taking that into consideration.

However, waiting until an entire chain is perfectly established before doing anything can also cause unnecessary delay.

I would look at the overall position.

Has the seller instructed a solicitor?

Are they actively looking for their onward purchase?

Has the memorandum of sale been issued?

Is your mortgage progressing?

Does everybody appear committed to the transaction?

If things appear to be progressing normally, arranging the survey may be a perfectly reasonable next step.

If the position remains uncertain, you can still contact your preferred surveyor, obtain your quotation and understand their availability before deciding exactly when to proceed.

Should I Wait for the Searches Before Getting a House Survey?

Usually, no.

Your solicitor's searches and your house survey investigate different aspects of the property.

Conveyancing searches can provide information relating to matters such as drainage, environmental risks, local authority records and other legal or location-related issues.

Your survey is concerned primarily with the physical property you are proposing to buy.

The two processes will therefore commonly run alongside each other.

Waiting until every search has been returned before arranging your survey is not normally necessary and can result in valuable time being lost.

There is an exception.

If your solicitor identifies something significant very early in the transaction which could potentially prevent you from proceeding, it may make sense to understand that issue before committing to further expenditure.

Again, I would look at the individual transaction rather than following a rigid timetable.

How Late Is Too Late to Get a House Survey?

Technically, you can arrange a survey relatively late in the transaction as long as everything is dealt with before exchange.

In practice, leaving it too late can put you under unnecessary pressure.

The important question is not simply:

“Can I get the report before exchange?”

It is:

“Will I have enough time to do anything about what the report finds?”

For example, imagine your survey identifies significant deterioration to the roof.

After discussing it with your surveyor, you decide that you want a roofing contractor to inspect the area and provide a quotation before you proceed.

The contractor needs to be found.

Access has to be arranged.

They need to inspect the property.

The quotation then needs to be prepared.

You need to consider what the cost and disruption mean for you.

You may then want to speak to the seller.

If you are already expecting to exchange contracts in two days, you suddenly have a lot of decisions to make under pressure.

The same problem identified several weeks earlier is far easier to deal with calmly.

This is why one of the most important pieces of advice I can give is:

Do not just leave enough time to receive the survey report. Leave enough time to act on it.

What If the House Survey Finds Something Serious?

Another common concern is what actually happens if the survey finds a problem.

Finding defects during a survey is normal.

No house is perfect, and even properties that have been well maintained will usually have items requiring repair, improvement or future maintenance.

The presence of defects does not automatically mean you should pull out of the purchase.

The important thing is understanding those defects properly.

For anything significant, I want my clients to understand:

• what the defect is

• its likely cause

• how serious it is

• whether it appears active or historic

• what repairs may be required

• how urgently those repairs need attention

• whether further investigation is genuinely necessary

• and what the issue means in the context of the property as a whole

That is one of the reasons I believe being able to speak to your surveyor after the inspection is so useful.

Sometimes something that sounds alarming when written down is actually manageable.

On other occasions, something that appeared relatively minor during a viewing can have wider implications once the building is properly inspected.

If the survey identifies a Condition Rating 3, it is important to understand why that rating has been given rather than simply assuming that every red rating means the property is a bad purchase.

Context matters.

Can I Renegotiate the Price After a Survey?

Potentially.

However, I would not recommend approaching a house survey with the expectation that every defect should result in money being taken off the purchase price.

Every property needs maintenance.

If you are buying a Victorian house, for example, it would not be realistic to expect every element of the building to be brand new or meet the standards of a recently constructed property.

Some age-related repairs and maintenance are simply part of owning an older home.

However, a survey may identify a significant defect that you could not reasonably have known about when making your original offer.

In those circumstances, it may be appropriate to investigate the problem further and then discuss it with the seller.

Where possible, base that discussion on evidence.

If significant repairs are required, obtaining quotations from suitable contractors will normally give you a much better basis for making a decision than simply choosing an arbitrary amount to deduct from the purchase price.

Again, this comes back to timing.

If you receive your survey immediately before exchange, you may not have time to obtain those quotations.

What Happens After My Offer Is Accepted?

A typical purchase will not follow exactly the same timetable every time, but this is broadly how I would approach the survey side of things.

1. Your Offer Is Accepted

The seller accepts your offer and the property is normally marked sold subject to contract.

You start progressing your solicitor and mortgage arrangements.

2. Contact a Surveyor

I recommend doing this relatively early.

Provide the address or the estate agent's property particulars.

This gives the surveyor an opportunity to consider the property's likely age, construction, size, condition and any obvious extensions or alterations before recommending the appropriate survey.

3. Decide Which Survey You Need

For many conventional homes in reasonable condition, a RICS Home Survey Level 2 will be appropriate.

Older, extensively altered, unusual or more complex properties will often benefit from a RICS Home Survey Level 3.

If you are not sure which one is appropriate, read my guide to Level 2 vs Level 3

Surveys.

4. Decide When You Want the Inspection

If everything appears to be progressing normally, arrange the survey.

If there is a specific concern about your mortgage, the seller's onward purchase or another important aspect of the transaction, you may decide to wait briefly.

The important thing is that you already know your surveyor's availability and can plan accordingly.

5. The Survey Inspection Takes Place

Your surveyor will normally arrange access directly with the estate agent or seller.

You should also let your surveyor know beforehand if there is anything in particular that has concerned you during your viewings or anything you would especially like considered during the inspection.

6. Read the Report

When the report arrives, read it as a whole.

Do not simply scroll through looking for the red condition ratings.

One defect can sometimes relate to another, and understanding the overall building is more useful than viewing every issue in isolation.

7. Speak to Your Surveyor

If anything concerns you, ask.

This is particularly important if the report recommends further investigation or identifies an issue that could affect your decision to proceed.

At JWA Surveyors, post-survey support forms part of the service because I want clients to understand the report rather than simply receive a document and be left to interpret it themselves.

8. Obtain Further Advice Where Necessary

Not every defect requires a specialist investigation.

Where further advice genuinely is required before purchase, however, arrange it at this stage.

This could include advice from a structural engineer, electrician, roofing contractor, drainage contractor or another suitably qualified specialist depending on the issue identified.

9. Make Your Decision

By this stage, you should have a much clearer understanding of the physical property alongside the legal and financial information being gathered by your solicitor and lender.

You can then decide whether you are comfortable proceeding towards exchange.

Should I Book a Level 2 or Level 3 Survey?

This is another question I am asked regularly, and the answer depends much more on the property than on its purchase price.

A RICS Home Survey Level 2 will often be appropriate for a conventional property of standard construction which appears to be in reasonable condition and has not been extensively altered.

A RICS Home Survey Level 3 gives a more detailed assessment and will generally be more appropriate for older, larger, heavily altered, unusual or poorly maintained properties.

For example, a relatively modern conventional house may only require a Level 2 even if it is expensive.

A much cheaper Victorian cottage which has been substantially extended and altered could justify a Level 3.

If you are unsure, you can read my more detailed guide on which type of house survey you need.

I also look at the individual property before recommending a service.

If I think a Level 2 is sufficient, I will say so rather than automatically recommending the more expensive survey.

Can I Book a Survey Before Making an Offer?

You can, although for a normal private house purchase it is relatively uncommon.

If you have not yet had an offer accepted, there is always a risk that you pay for a survey on a property you ultimately do not buy.

For most normal purchases, arranging the survey after the offer has been accepted makes more sense.

Auction purchases are different.

Depending on the type of auction, you may become legally committed very quickly once your bid is successful.

Appropriate legal and physical due diligence may therefore need to take place before bidding rather than afterwards.

What If the Purchase Falls Through After I Have Paid for the Survey?

Unfortunately, there is no stage before exchange where a property purchase is completely guaranteed to proceed.

A transaction can fall through because of the mortgage, the chain, legal issues, a change in someone's circumstances or numerous other reasons.

That means there is always some risk of incurring abortive costs.

I completely understand why buyers want to minimise that risk.

The difficulty is that waiting too long introduces another risk: becoming so far advanced in the transaction that you do not have enough time to properly investigate the property before exchange.

I therefore think the sensible approach is to consider how secure the transaction appears and whether there is any particular reason to delay.

You do not need to rush blindly into arranging the survey the moment your offer is accepted.

But equally, do not leave it until the solicitor asks whether you are ready to exchange before deciding it might be time to have someone inspect the house.

So, When Should You Book Your House Survey?

For most buyers, my advice is:

Contact your surveyor shortly after your offer has been accepted and arrange for the inspection to take place comfortably before exchange of contracts.

You do not necessarily need the inspection carried out immediately.

If there is genuine uncertainty about your mortgage, the seller's onward purchase or another important part of the transaction, there may be a sensible reason to wait for a short period.

But there is an important difference between delaying for a reason and simply leaving the survey until later.

Speaking to a surveyor early allows you to:

• understand which survey is right for the property

• obtain your quotation

• check availability

• ask any initial questions

• and plan the inspection around the rest of your purchase

Most importantly, give yourself enough time afterwards to properly understand and act on anything the survey identifies.

A house is likely to be one of the largest purchases you ever make.

Your survey should form part of the decision-making process.

It should not be a box you hurriedly tick immediately before exchange.

House Surveys in Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire

JWA Surveyors provides independent RICS Home Survey Level 2 and RICS Home Survey Level 3 Surveys across Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire.

This includes Cambridge, Royston, Melbourn, Hitchin, Letchworth Garden City, Baldock, Stevenage and surrounding towns and villages.

I consider the individual property before recommending which survey is appropriate rather than automatically recommending the most expensive service.

Where appropriate and conditions allow, drone equipment can also be used to assist with the inspection of otherwise difficult-to-view roof areas.

Following the inspection, you will receive your written report promptly and have direct access to me if you want to discuss any of the findings afterwards.

If you have recently had an offer accepted and are unsure which survey you need or when you should arrange it, request a survey quotation and send me the property details.

I will take a look at the property and advise which survey I believe is the most appropriate.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How Soon After an Offer Is Accepted Should I Get a Survey?

You can start arranging your house survey as soon as your offer has been accepted.

The inspection does not necessarily need to happen immediately, but contacting a surveyor early allows you to check availability and make sure the survey can be completed with enough time before exchange to deal with anything it identifies.

Do You Get a House Survey Before or After a Mortgage Offer?

You do not have to wait for your full mortgage offer before arranging a house survey.

Some buyers prefer to wait until the lender has carried out its initial mortgage valuation, particularly where there is uncertainty surrounding the mortgage application, but your lender's valuation and your own survey perform very different roles.

Should I Get a House Survey Before Exchange of Contracts?

Yes.

Your survey should be completed and any significant findings understood before you exchange contracts.

Ideally, you should also leave enough time to obtain further advice or quotations if anything important is identified.

Is a Mortgage Valuation the Same as a House Survey?

No.

A mortgage valuation is primarily carried out for the mortgage lender to assess whether the property is suitable security for the loan.

A RICS Home Survey is commissioned for you and provides considerably more information about the property's condition.

Should I Wait Until the Chain Is Complete Before Booking a Survey?

Not necessarily.

If there is considerable uncertainty surrounding the chain, you may decide to wait before incurring the survey cost.

However, it is still worth contacting your preferred surveyor early so that you understand their availability and can arrange the inspection once you are comfortable proceeding.

Should I Wait for Searches Before Having a Survey?

Usually not.

Your solicitor's searches and your survey investigate different aspects of the property and will commonly progress at the same time.

What Happens If My Survey Finds a Problem?

Your surveyor should explain the significance of the defect, its likely cause, what needs to happen next and whether anything requires investigation before you proceed.

Depending on the issue, you may simply need to budget for future maintenance, obtain a contractor's quotation, seek specialist advice or raise further enquiries through your solicitor.

Can I Reduce My Offer After a House Survey?

Potentially, although not every defect justifies renegotiating the purchase price.

If the survey identifies a significant problem that was not apparent when you made your offer, it may be appropriate to obtain quotations or further advice and then discuss the matter with the seller.

How Long Does a House Survey Take to Come Back?

Report turnaround varies between surveying firms, so this is worth asking before you instruct.

At JWA Surveyors, reports are normally provided promptly (usually within 24-48 hours) following the inspection so that you can consider the findings while the purchase is still progressing.

What Type of Survey Do I Need?

The appropriate survey depends on the property's age, construction, condition, size and complexity.

A Level 2 Survey is often appropriate for conventional properties in reasonable condition, while a Level 3 Survey is generally better suited to older, substantially altered, unusual or more complex buildings.

For a more detailed explanation, read Level 2 vs Level 3 Survey: Which One Do I Need?