Choosing a survey level
The firm offers a Level 1 on a thatched cottage. Why do RICS limits on Level 1 make that a poor match for this roof?
Not a good match. Level 1 is the limited product, and thatch is unusual construction, so RICS points you toward a more detailed survey. Level 1 is a basic visual overview for a conventional home. It is not built to advise how an unusual roof should be managed, and thatch is not a conventional covering you shrug onto the shortest report. Offering Level 1 is not illegal. It is a poor match. Ask the firm why that level was proposed for this roof, and what a more detailed survey would add before you accept the limited one.
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?
RICS describes Level 1 as the least detailed of the three home surveys. It suits a conventional property and it generally does not tell you how to manage defects. A thatched roof is unusual construction. The consumer guidance points unusual buildings toward a more detailed inspection, where the surveyor describes how that building is put together. A cottage with thatch is exactly the sort of roof that conversation is for. The limit is the product, not a ban on the firm mentioning Level 1.
Do not accept Level 1 merely because it was the offer on the table, and do not accuse the firm of breaking a law by offering it. Ask whether they will actually report the thatch, the chimney junctions and the timbers they can see, or whether Level 1 will stay a short condition note. If you need advice on an unusual roof, say so and discuss Level 3. The poor match is the reason to pause.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Why is Level 1 being offered on a thatched roof?
- What would a more detailed survey say about this thatch that Level 1 would not?
- Will the report treat thatch as unusual construction?
What are the typical next steps?
- Ask the firm why Level 1 was offered for this thatch.
- Treat Level 1 as a poor match, not as an illegal product.
- Discuss a more detailed survey before you accept the limited one.
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
Is it illegal for a firm to offer Level 1 on thatch?
No. It is a poor match because Level 1 is the limited product and thatch is unusual construction, not because the offer is unlawful.
Does unusual construction point away from the shortest survey?
Yes. RICS points unusual construction toward a more detailed survey. That is why Level 1 sits badly on this roof rather than fitting it.