Survey costs
Why can two Level 2 quotes differ when RICS does not set one national price?
Because the fee is the firm’s, not a RICS tariff. Size, age, distance, outbuildings and how busy the diary is all change the price. RICS explains the levels and does not publish a single Level 2 fee. A higher quote is not automatically a Level 3, and a lower quote is not automatically a shortcut.
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 the written scope: level number, what is not inspected, whether VAT is included, whether outbuildings are included, and what happens if the seller refuses access. Two emails that both say “homebuyer” can be different products. Ask both firms to use the level number. Ask whether the fee includes a follow-up call after the report, which some firms offer and some charge for.
Do not ask a forum what a Level 2 “should” cost and then accuse a firm of overcharging. The forum has not seen the house. If you want a lower fee, ask what the firm would leave out, and decide whether you can live with that. Cutting the level to save money on an altered house is how the later specialist reports start.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- What does this fee include, and what is charged as an extra?
- Is this a Level 2, and will the report use condition ratings?
- What do you assume about size, distance and outbuildings?
What are the typical next steps?
- Get two written scopes if you are comparing price.
- Tell both firms the same facts about the house.
- Do not choose on the fee alone if one scope is thinner.
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
Does a higher fee buy a more cautious report?
It buys the firm’s time and its scope. It does not buy a predetermined list of defects. The house does that.
Can you recover the fee from the seller if the report is bad?
Not by any RICS rule. Who pays is in your agreement with the firm, and any price talk with the seller is separate.