Condition ratings
Does a condition rating contain the cost of the repair?
No. The RICS definitions say what is wrong and how urgent it is. They do not contain a price. For rating 3, the definition tells you to obtain written quotations before legal commitment. For rating 2, it tells you the repair is not serious or urgent, and that the property must still be maintained. Neither sentence is a builder’s invoice.
Last reviewed 24 October 2026. Written for buyers in England and Wales unless this answer says otherwise. No named surveyor has signed this page. It is general guidance, not a report on your house, and not legal advice.
What is the fuller explanation?
This is the mistake that makes negotiations silly. A rating is a classification so you know where to spend attention. The cost depends on the element, the access, the materials and the specification, especially in a listed building or a flat where the lease says who pays. RICS does not publish a tariff that turns rating 3 into a percentage of the purchase price. Anyone who offers you that tariff is not quoting RICS.
Get the quotes the definition points you to, then talk to your solicitor about a price change or about walking away. The surveyor can explain the defect. They are not obliged to chair the negotiation, and the “What to do now” note is advice to you, not a demand sent to the seller.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Which ratings need quotes before we discuss money?
- Which repairs would be specified differently if the house is listed or leasehold?
- What should we not ask you to put a pound figure on?
What are the typical next steps?
- Collect written quotes for rating 3 items before exchange.
- If you cost rating 2 items, keep them labelled as non-urgent.
- Take the quotes to your solicitor if you want the price changed. Do not send the seller a rating and a made-up sum.
Costs vary with the building and with who you instruct. Where this page does not cite a published figure, ask the surveyor, a relevant specialist, or your solicitor for a written quote. Do not treat a forum average as the price.
Also asked about this
Can the surveyor recommend a contractor’s price?
They might know a reasonable approach. A formal quotation is still the contractor’s document. Ask the contractor.
If two quotes differ, which one is the rating?
Neither. The rating started the enquiry. You and your solicitor decide which quote to rely on.