What to Expect When a Surveyor Visits Your Home
We understand moving home can be a stressful experience, especially when a Building Surveyor carries out a pre-purchase survey on your property as part of the process. At Gold Standard Design & Surveying, we appreciate that having a Surveyor visit your home to conduct a detailed inspection may feel intrusive. This guide is designed to help you understand what to expect during a pre-purchase survey.
Before the Inspection
Prior to the survey, we will contact you in advance to arrange a convenient date and time for the inspection. We will briefly outline the inspection process and provide an estimated duration for completion. However, please note that this is only an estimate, and the actual time required may vary.
During the Inspection
On the day of the inspection, we will introduce ourselves before beginning. The inspection typically follows this process:
Grounds & Boundaries – This includes a general inspection of any paths, steps, and driveways, as well as boundary walls, fences, railings, and gates.
Garages & Permanent Outbuildings – If you have a garage, outbuilding, or boiler house, these will also be inspected as part of the survey. Please ensure they are unlocked or that a key is available so we can access the interiors.
External Inspection – We usually start outside, conducting a top-down inspection of all external elements, including chimney stacks, roof coverings, rainwater goods, external joinery, external walls, windows, external doors, and above- and below-ground drainage systems. We may use drones to assist with inspecting features such as chimney stacks and roof coverings, depending on the scope of the survey and weather conditions on the day.
Internal Inspection – Once the external elements have been assessed, we will move inside and conduct a top-down inspection, similar to the external process. This includes inspecting the roof space (if accessible and safe to do so), followed by a systematic assessment of each room. The inspection is visual and non-invasive, meaning we will not move heavy furniture, lift carpets, or drill walls. However, we will open access hatches and doors for areas such as kitchen units, airing cupboards, and fixed wardrobes. If applicable, it is helpful to have relevant documents available, such as statutory approvals (if you have carried out alterations or extension work), boiler servicing records, electrical test certificates, and valid guarantees (e.g., cavity wall insulation).
It is normal for us to move in and out of the property at various stages during the inspection. This may be to collect additional equipment or, for example, to run taps and observe the external drainage system in normal operation. We also take notes and photographs as part of the inspection process for our records.
As the survey is detailed and thorough, we appreciate being given space to conduct the inspection with minimal interruption. However, as it is your home after all, you are welcome to go about your day as usual. We will work around you as best we can and can inspect certain rooms first or last, depending on your needs.
We strive to make the inspection process as smooth and efficient as possible. While we are happy to answer general questions about the survey at any time, we cannot share details of our findings on the day. The findings are strictly for our client, who will receive their survey report within 7-10 working days after the inspection (although this is often sooner).
If you have any questions or would like to arrange a survey on your onward purchase, feel free to contact us—we would be happy to help!
