Survey costs
Does RICS publish one national price for a Level 2?
No. RICS’s consumer guide explains that fees vary and describes Level 1 in broad terms as starting at a few hundred pounds, and some bespoke Level 3 services as costing over £1,000. It does not publish a single Level 2 price for every house. The quote from the firm is the price.
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?
Compare quotes on the same level, the same address and the same extras. A Level 2 with a valuation is not the same instruction as a Level 2 without one. A quote that excludes the garage is not the same as a quote that includes it. Ask each firm what they will not do. The cheap number may be a narrower inspection.
The figures in the RICS description are not a bill and not a target for your negotiation with a surveyor. They were checked for these pages on 24 October 2026 against the way that consumer guide is already cited here. Your letter of engagement is the contract. Scotland’s Home Report is paid for in a different way, by the seller’s system. Do not compare it with an English Level 2 quote as if it were the same purchase.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- What is included in this quote, and what is extra?
- Is a valuation included?
- Which outbuildings are out of scope?
What are the typical next steps?
- Get at least two quotes if you are comparing.
- Judge the scope, not only the number.
- Do not ask the seller to pay an English buyer’s survey as if it were a Scottish Home Report.
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
Why did one quote come back much higher?
Ask them. It may be the size, the distance, the level, or a misunderstanding about a valuation. It is not evidence of a national tariff.
Can the agent’s “pet” surveyor be the only quote?
You may use them, and you should still know the scope. You do not have to. The agent does not appoint your surveyor.