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Non-standard construction

What does PRC mean when a survey calls a house non-standard?

PRC means precast reinforced concrete: wall or frame parts cast in a factory and assembled on site. It is one kind of non-standard construction, not a synonym for every unusual house. A home survey can describe the panels it can see. It cannot, by itself, say whether a lender will lend.

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 aims Level 1 and Level 2 at conventional homes of common materials. Concrete panel systems are a reason they point many buyers at Level 3, so the surveyor describes how that building works. The description might be “precast concrete panels” or “could not tell, because of the lining”. Those are different sentences. Ask which one you have.

Some PRC houses were later repaired under recognised schemes. The surveyor will not invent a certificate they have not seen. Ask the seller for any repair certificate and ask the lender, before you spend heavily on a Level 3, whether this construction is acceptable to them. We do not keep a list of systems called unmortgageable. That would go out of date and would not be your lender’s rule.

What should you ask your surveyor?

  • What did you actually see: concrete panels, a lining, or a name in the particulars?
  • Would you have wanted a Level 3 for this construction?
  • What certificate should I ask the seller for that you could not verify?

What are the typical next steps?

  1. Ask the lender about this construction before you pay for extra reports.
  2. Ask the solicitor for any PRC or repair paperwork. None may exist.
  3. Read the survey’s description. Do not replace it with a forum label.

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 PRC the same as no-fines concrete?

No. No-fines is a different concrete system, cast with no fine aggregate. A survey should not swap the names. If it is unsure, it should say so.

Does PRC mean the house contains asbestos?

Not as a rule. Asbestos is a separate question about materials. Ask the surveyor what they saw. Do not join the two words automatically.

Sources