RICS Home Surveys
RICS Level 2 Home Survey
Previously the RICS HomeBuyer Report. The right choice for most conventional properties in reasonable condition.
Quartz provides the RICS Level 2 Home Survey (previously the RICS HomeBuyer Report) for houses and flats across the UK. We are an independent, RICS-regulated practice, and we act solely in your interest.
If you are purchasing a property of standard construction in reasonable condition, a Level 2 survey gives you a clear account of what you are buying before you exchange. It is the survey most buyers of conventional homes need.
What is a Level 2 Home Survey?
A RICS Level 2 Home Survey is a visual inspection and written report on the condition of a conventional residential property. It identifies defects that may affect your decision to buy, flags the maintenance you should plan for and highlights anything that needs urgent attention, using the RICS traffic-light condition ratings.
What the survey covers
- The general condition of the building, inside and out, in all accessible areas
- Defects that may affect your decision, rated by seriousness
- Maintenance issues you should plan and budget for
- Guidance for your legal adviser on matters to raise before exchange
- Advice on anything that needs further investigation before you commit
A Level 2 survey does not open up the structure. Where a property is older, extended or visibly altered, we will usually recommend a Level 3 Building Survey instead, and we will tell you so before you instruct us.
What it enables
The report gives you evidence, not guesswork. Buyers regularly use Level 2 findings to renegotiate the purchase price, ask the seller to put defects right before exchange, or proceed with confidence knowing the property is sound. Your legal adviser can act on the report directly.
Read a sample Level 2 report
The sample below shows the structure, condition ratings and plain-English advice a Level 2 report gives you. You can read it here, page by page, before you instruct us.
Sample RICS Level 2 Home Survey
Read the report page by page in your browser, with zoom and keyboard navigation. A download link is available inside the reader.
How instruction works
Send us the property address and we will confirm the fee and the right survey level. Once instructed, we agree access with the estate agent or seller, carry out the inspection and deliver your report. We then remain available to talk the findings through with you. Please contact us to discuss the right survey for your purchase.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Level 2 survey the same as a homebuyer report?
Yes. The RICS Level 2 Home Survey is the current name for what was previously called the RICS HomeBuyer Report. The content and purpose are the same: a condition report on a conventional property, with advice on defects, repairs and maintenance.
How much does a Level 2 survey cost?
The fee depends on the size, value and location of the property. We provide a clear written quotation before you instruct us, with no obligation. Please contact us with the property address and we will confirm the fee the same day where possible.
Do I need a Level 2 or Level 3 survey?
Choose a Level 2 survey for conventional houses and flats in reasonable condition. Choose a Level 3 survey where the property is older, extended, visibly altered or of non-standard construction. If you describe the property to us, we will advise on the right level before you instruct.
What happens after I instruct a Level 2 survey?
We agree access with the estate agent or seller, inspect the property, and prepare your report. We then remain available to talk the findings through with you, so you understand what is serious, what is urgent and what can wait.
Request a Level 2 survey quotation.
Tell us the property address and we will confirm the fee and timescale, with no obligation.