Cosey Homes is a professional practice of skilled Chartered Surveyors and structural engineers providing a wide variety of property surveying and consultancy services in North London and across the capital. Operating for well over 10 years and serving thousands of happy clients, you can count on us for impartial expert advice, high-quality reporting and great customer service.
We are proud to be accredited by industry-leading organisations such as the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). For full details of our surveying services in London or to book a property survey, please call Cosey Homes’ London office on 0203 764 7083 or send us a short message via our contact page here.
Cosey Homes have a wealth of local property experience in North London and across the capital and the Home Counties. Working independently from estate agents and mortgage providers, we are able to make unbiased judgements to enable buyers to make the right decision.
We have the expertise and experience to compile valuable, well-formatted reports, allowing our clients to consider their purchase based on factual information. Whether you are concerned about specific aspects of the building or are looking for a clean bill of health, Cosey Homes is at your service.
You can request a RICS Homebuyers Survey quote by completing a simple form.
A must for anyone buying a new home
For older or altered buildings
For a highly accurate valuation
If you are looking to buy a residential property in North London or anywhere in the capital, common sense dictates that you should take the necessary precautions to protect your investment. As experienced RICS Chartered Surveyors with extensive local knowledge, we specialise in carrying out RICS HomeBuyer Reports (Level 2), Building Survey (Level 3) and Residential Valuations in any type of property. Whether you are looking to buy an Edwardian family home or a modern apartment, Cosey Homes can help with:
Our most detailed property survey is the RICS Building Survey (Level 3), formerly known as a Full Structural Survey. This is a Level 3 report most suitable for older properties built at least 70 years ago, very large homes, or buildings that have been majorly altered in the past or are planning to undergo substantial refurbishments.
A detailed visual inspection of all accessible building elements is designed to deliver a thorough understanding of the building’s condition including any major defects such as structural movement, damp issues or timber decay. The Building Survey (Level 3) will also contain recommendations for remedial action and future maintenance, including costings.
A HomeBuyer Survey (Level 2) is a Level 2 investigation that we would typically recommend for modern properties of standard construction materials and methods that have been reasonably maintained.
The site visit consists of a non-invasive visual inspection of the accessible elements of the building, with the aim of providing an overview of the building’s condition and highlight any urgent issues or defects. Our HomeBuyer Report (Level 2) also includes a market valuation.
We use the RICS standard templated traffic-light reporting format for ease of reference and understanding, which has proven popular with clients. With a RICS HomeBuyer Report (Level 2), you will have all the salient facts at your disposal to enable you to make a reasoned decision on how to proceed with your purchase.
A RICS Condition Report (Level 1) is our most basic level of home survey. If you are considering the purchase of a home that is brand new or was built in the last few years, this may be all that is required to provide you with the peace of mind that the building is in good condition.
We will carry out a brief site visit to assess the property’s current state of repair, and produce a summary survey report. While we wouldn’t expect to find any serious defects in a recently constructed building, any obvious areas concern will be highlighted, though no advice will be provided with regard to repair and maintenance. If you are unsure which is the right type of survey for your upcoming home purchase, please contact us and we will be delighted to advise and guide you towards the best solution.
For period properties, homes located in Conservation Areas and designated Grade I, Grade II* or Grade II listed buildings, we would advise that a RICS Building Survey (Level 3) is the right choice. This is the only home survey with enough scope to go into the necessary detail needed to cover the unique architectural features and specific requirements of a historic character home.
One of the best reasons to get a property survey is that the report will tell you about urgent serious building defects and urgent remedial works that need doing, while relevant cost estimates may also be provided. Many buyers use this important information given by an independent professional surveyor to help them negotiate some money off the purchase price to allow for the cost of any urgent repairs.
A HomeBuyer Report (Level 2) is a mid-range property investigation and report that delivers a reasonable overview of the building’s condition. It is most appropriate for modern homes in a good state of repair. A Building Survey (Level 3) is an in-depth property survey that covers all major defects including some hidden ones. The latter is the best choice for older buildings, larger buildings, or properties with historical alterations.
With such a lot of choice on offer, it can be difficult for a layperson know which is the best survey for the property in question. This is where Cosey Homes can add value. Our experienced surveyors can talk you through the pros and cons of each survey type, outlining the options available and guiding you towards making the best decision for the needs of the property you are thinking of buying.
In England and Wales, a property transaction only becomes legally binding at the point of exchange of contracts. Until then, both buyer and seller can pull out of the agreement without penalty. Gazumping is an unfortunate, though perfectly legal, behaviour whereby the seller accepts a higher offer from another buyer before your contracts are exchanged. The consequence of this is that you are pushed out of the transaction and lose the property along with any monies already spent on it.
Once our surveyor has completed his site inspection and finished compiling your survey report, it will be checked by us for quality control. The final report will then be sent out by email as a PDF document. If an additional hard copy is required, this can be arranged for an extra fee. At Cosey Homes, we endeavour to work as swiftly as we can to provide the best possible customer service. You can expect to receive your copy of the survey report about 5 days after the inspection visit.