Choosing a survey level

What should you do with a quote that says “RICS type survey” but never names Level 1, 2 or 3?

Ask them to name the level before you pay. RICS home surveys come in three levels with different inspections and different advice. A phrase like “RICS type”, “full structural” or “building survey” is not a level. If they will not name one, you do not yet know whether you are buying a visual overview or a Level 3.

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?

Level 1 generally will not tell you how to manage defects. Level 2 adds repair and maintenance advice for straightforward homes. Level 3 is the detailed survey RICS describes for older, altered or unusual buildings. Those differences are the product. A firm can be RICS-regulated and still send a vague quote. Regulation is not a substitute for the level on the page.

There is no national fee that makes the vagueness acceptable. RICS’s consumer guide describes a range and still tells you to get a written quote that names the level. Do not accept “same as a HomeBuyer” unless they confirm that means Level 2, survey only or with valuation. Do not let an English-sounding phrase replace the document that this purchase actually uses.

What should you ask your surveyor?

Which level is this quote?
Is a valuation included?
What will you not inspect?

What are the typical next steps?

Do not pay until the level is in writing.
Treat “full structural” as an unanswered question.
If they are not offering a RICS home survey, ask them to say that plainly.

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 a building survey always Level 3?

No. That was the old name. Ask them to say Level 3 if that is what they will do.

Does chartered surveyor mean Level 2?

It describes a person. It does not select the product. Read the quote.