Cosey Homes is a professional firm of Chartered Surveyors and structural engineers in Bristol and across the West of England. Our experienced team has worked with thousands of satisfied property clients providing expert advice, impartial guidance and a first-rate customer service. With 10+ years in business, we are accredited by the leading professional bodies in the UK including the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), the Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE) and the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB).
We have a wealth of local property knowledge and the technical expertise to carry out residential property valuations, RICS HomeBuyer Survey (Level 2) and full structural Building Survey (Level 3). Whether you are thinking of buying a small flat or a large house, a modern property or a period cottage, Cosey Homes can provide you with a thorough understanding of the condition of the building you are about to buy, enabling you to make an informed decision.
An independent professional survey should be an essential tool in the purchasing process, regardless of whether you have specific concerns regarding the property you are thinking of buying. Many structural problems and other building issues may not be immediately obvious to the layman, requiring specialist analysis to disclose the full facts. Cosey Homes offer a wide range of surveys, reports and property valuations that are designed to provide you with this valuable information, presented in an easy-to-understand format.
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
A RICS Building Survey (Level 3) is the most in-depth property report carried out by Cosey Homes. Formerly known as a Full Structural Survey, it is based on a Level 3 investigation that is appropriate for properties that are 70+ years old, very large or buildings that have been significantly altered in the past, or where there are plans for major works.
The survey consists of a detailed visual inspection of all accessible elements of the building to gain a thorough understanding of its condition and state of repair, with details of all major defects and issues such as damp, timber decay and structural movement. The report also includes recommendations for remedial action and future maintenance, including cost estimates.
As a Level 2 property investigation, a HomeBuyer Survey (Level 2) is suitable for modern homes of regular construction that are in a reasonable state of repair. The report is based on a non-invasive visual inspection of the accessible building elements in order to provide an expert overview of the building’s condition, highlighting any obvious issues or defects. It also includes an independent valuation.
Cosey Homes use the RICS standard reporting format which highlights the severity and urgency of any problems found by way of a traffic light system, which is both jargon-free and easy for a layperson to understand. RICS HomeBuyer Reports (Level 2) are designed to provide the necessary facts to enable home buyers to make an intelligent, informed decision on how to proceed with their purchase.
As a Level 1 property investigation, the RICS Condition Report (Level 1) is the least detailed option for your home purchase. It comprises a brief site visit to establish the property’s overall condition on the day, and a short summary report to provide peace of mind or highlight any obvious areas of concern. A Condition Report does not include recommendations for remedial action or for maintenance.
As such, this most basic level of survey is only really suitable for new-build residential property or recently constructed homes, where no building defects are expected to be found. For professional advice and guidance on the best survey for your needs, please contact the Cosey Homes team.
A mortgage valuation survey is a property assessment that mortgage lenders commission to help them gauge the level of risk of the loan. Often no more than a brief tick-box exercise to check whether the property satisfies specified lending criteria, the assessor will produce a report for the sole benefit of the lender. A mortgage valuation is not an independent home survey – in fact, you may not even be eligible to see a copy of the report. And even if you see the report, it won’t give you any information about the condition of the property. For your own peace of mind, and to protect your own investment, an independent RICS home survey is highly recommended.
Choosing the right survey for your property and your needs can be a confusing decision. You are looking for the right level of detail to provide you with all the important information about the condition of the property so that you can make an informed purchase decision. The choice of survey – RICS Condition Report, RICS HomeBuyer Report or RICS Building Survey – depends on the property you are thinking of buying and we can help you make the right decision. The team at Cosey Homes are happy to bring their professional expertise to help you advise on the pros and cons of each type of survey, helping you make the best decision for your purchase.
Whether you chose a Level 1 Condition Report, a Level 2 HomeBuyer Survey or a Level 3 Building Survey, the report will not contain any detailed insights into the property’s gas and electrical installations and services. This is because Chartered Surveyors are not qualified gas or electricity engineers, meaning we are unable to test services by law. Our surveyors will conduct a visual inspection of these elements and typically recommend that you ask a qualified professional to carry out further investigations for more detailed findings.
Gazumping is a perfectly legal (albeit generally frowned up) tactic that a property seller may decide to employ to his financial advantage, based on the fact that a property transaction only becomes legally binding at the point when contracts are exchanged. Until then, it is possible for another buyer to come along and make a higher offer, which the seller is perfectly within his legal rights to accept. If he does, you will be pushed out of the process and lose the property along with any monies spent on the purchase thus far.
Once our surveyors have compiled the survey report and it has been checked for quality control, you will be sent your copy as a PDF document via email. Where required, we can also send a hard copy in the post to you for an additional fee. At Cosey Homes, customer satisfaction is key, meaning we will endeavour to work as swiftly as we can to deliver your report. As a rule of thumb, you should expect to receive your report within 5 working days from the date of the survey visit.
At Cosey Homes, customer satisfaction is key, meaning we will endeavour to work as swiftly as we can to deliver your report. As a rule of thumb, you should expect to receive your report within 5 working days from the date of the survey visit.