In short: A HomeBuyer Report (RICS Home Survey Level 2) suits conventional houses and flats in reasonable condition and summarises each element with a traffic-light condition rating. A Building Survey (Level 3) suits older, altered or non-standard properties and explains construction, defects and repair options in full. Construction and condition, not age alone, should decide which you need.
Last reviewed: 5 October 2026 by Patrick Oliver BSc (Hons) MRICS, RICS Registered Valuer.
One of the most common questions I'm asked before a survey is booked: "which one do I actually need?" The RICS offers three levels of Home Survey, but in practice almost every enquiry comes down to a choice between two of them — the HomeBuyer Report and the Building Survey. Picking the wrong one either leaves you under-informed about a property that needed closer scrutiny, or paying for a level of detail a straightforward modern house didn't need. This guide sets out the real differences.
What is the difference between a HomeBuyer Report and a Building Survey?
Both reports involve a qualified RICS surveyor inspecting the property and reporting on its condition. The difference isn't in how carefully the property is looked at — it's in how the findings are recorded, how much technical detail is included, and what kind of property each format is actually designed for.
What does a HomeBuyer Report (RICS Level 2) include?
The HomeBuyer Report uses a condition-rating system to summarise each element of the property — roof, walls, windows, services, and so on — on a simple three-point scale:
- Condition Rating 1: No repair currently needed; maintain in the normal way.
- Condition Rating 2: Defects that need repairing or replacing, but aren't serious or urgent.
- Condition Rating 3: Defects that are serious and/or need to be repaired, replaced or investigated urgently.
This traffic-light format gives a quick, scannable overview alongside a written commentary, and the report also includes a market valuation and an insurance reinstatement (rebuild) figure. It's a concise, standardised format that works well precisely because it doesn't try to explain the underlying construction in detail — it flags what needs attention and lets you act on it.
Best suited to: conventional houses and flats, built from standard materials, generally in reasonable condition, and usually of more modern construction (broadly post-1900, though this isn't a hard rule — it's about construction type and condition, not just age).
What does a Building Survey (RICS Level 3) include?
The Building Survey is a different exercise altogether. Rather than condensing findings into a rating, it's a full narrative report — typically running to considerably more pages — that explains not just what's wrong, but why, how the property is actually built, and what the practical options for repair are.
Where a HomeBuyer Report might flag "spalled brickwork – Condition Rating 2," a Building Survey explains that spalling occurs when frost action forces the weathered face off a brick to expose a softer, more porous core, sets out why it's happened at this particular elevation, and discusses whether localised repair or replacement brickwork is the more durable solution. It goes into the constructional principles of the specific building — solid versus cavity walls, the type of roof structure, how a Victorian or Edwardian property of that particular era was typically built — because that context is often essential to understanding why a defect has occurred and what it implies for the rest of the structure.
Best suited to: older properties (broadly pre-1900, though again this is a guide, not a rule), buildings that have been altered or extended over time, properties of unusual or non-standard construction, and anywhere you want a genuinely deep understanding of the building's condition rather than a summary of it.
How do I choose the right survey level?
The most common mistake I see is a straightforward Victorian terrace — converted into flats, no unusual construction, no obvious red flags — where a HomeBuyer Report would have done the job perfectly well, but a Building Survey was commissioned because "older property" was treated as an automatic trigger. The reverse mistake is more consequential: a genuinely unusual or heavily altered building surveyed at HomeBuyer level, where the condition-rating format simply isn't built to capture the kind of structural nuance that older, altered or non-standard construction often needs.
A good rule of thumb: if you could reasonably describe the property's construction in a sentence — "brick semi, pitched tile roof, built in the 1930s" — a HomeBuyer Report is very likely sufficient. If the description needs several sentences — multiple past extensions, a loft conversion of unknown vintage, exposed timber frame, a flat roof section, signs of previous structural repair — that complexity is exactly what a Building Survey is designed to unpack.
What does neither survey cover?
Both formats have the same fundamental limitations: they cover what's visible and reasonably accessible on the day of inspection, they don't involve opening up the structure, and specific concerns — suspected damp, structural movement, an electrical installation of unknown age — are often better addressed with a targeted specialist report in addition to, not instead of, the survey itself. Where a Building Survey identifies areas of concern, it will typically recommend further investigation by an appropriate specialist before you commit to purchase.
How AJA Surveyors can help
I carry out both HomeBuyer Reports and Building Surveys across South London, Surrey and Yorkshire, and I'm always happy to have a short conversation before booking to help establish which is the right level for a particular property — based on its age, construction and what you already know about it, rather than a blanket assumption either way. If you're not sure which you need, please get in touch.
Choosing a survey: frequently asked questions
Which survey do I need for a Victorian house?
Age alone does not decide it. A conventionally built Victorian terrace in reasonable condition can be well served by a HomeBuyer Report. A Building Survey is the better choice where the property has been extended or altered, shows signs of past structural repair, or is of unusual construction.
What do condition ratings 1, 2 and 3 mean?
In a HomeBuyer Report, Condition Rating 1 means no repair is currently needed. Condition Rating 2 means defects need repairing or replacing but are not serious or urgent. Condition Rating 3 means defects are serious and need to be repaired, replaced or investigated urgently.
Does a HomeBuyer Report include a valuation?
The HomeBuyer Report format I use includes a market valuation and an insurance reinstatement (rebuild) figure alongside the condition ratings. A Building Survey concentrates on condition and does not include a valuation unless one is commissioned with it.
Will a survey find hidden defects?
No survey can report on what cannot be seen. Both levels cover what is visible and reasonably accessible on the day, without opening up the structure. Where a concern is found, the report will recommend further investigation by an appropriate specialist before you commit to purchase.
Is a Building Survey worth it for a modern property?
Usually not. A straightforward modern house or flat in good condition is normally well served by a HomeBuyer Report. A Building Survey adds value where a newer property is of non-standard construction, has been significantly altered, or shows visible defects.
If you are buying, I can quote for a RICS Level 2 HomeBuyer Report or a RICS Level 3 Building Survey in under a minute through our instant quote.
Patrick Oliver BSc (Hons) MRICS, Chartered Surveyor and RICS Registered Valuer, Aston James Associates
This article is general guidance on RICS Home Survey levels and does not constitute advice on any specific property. Every property should be assessed on its own facts.
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