Survey quote - seems high!

[Hopepark]

Hi
We have been quoted £1900 for a level 3 survey on a 4 bed 193Os semi.
This is almost double what we were expecting!
Is this the going rate?
It is a local, independent firm that we have contacted.
Also wondering whether we actually need a level 3 survey - they have advised it based on the age of the property and the fact that it has been extended, but it won’t cover the electrics and boiler/heating system that we would ideally want to be checked out.

It depends where you are-and most surveyors will quote depending on the value of the house-so if you’re in a high value area, you’ll be paying more for the equivalent house in a cheaper area. Does seem steep, though.

We got an online quote for a level 3 survey cheapest was £650 most expensive was £1200 - the house is worth £500k

@Glasspen

We got an online quote for a level 3 survey cheapest was £650 most expensive was £1200 - the house is worth £500k

Was the online quote from a national firm? I’m wondering whether I’d be paying a premium for the local firm. The property value is around £725k. Hadn’t thought of the property value affecting the survey cost. I thought it be based more on the size, age, number of bedrooms etc.

The quote we accepted was a local firm it was £850 - our house is Victoria in age.

The quote sounds pretty steep then I think. Almost tempted to get a level 2 survey plus independent electrics and heating services.

That sounds like a lot. We had our level 3 survey done on a 5 bedroom 3 storey house a couple of weeks ago for £800 (it was £600 for just homebuyers). It is a nearly new build though (less than 10 years old) so I don't know if that affected the survey price.

I'm having a level 3 survey on an older, converted house with 5 beds next week - £700. It's a local company but we used a comparison site for quotes then contacted them directly.

@Summersdreaming

I'm having a level 3 survey on an older, converted house with 5 beds next week - £700. It's a local company but we used a comparison site for quotes then contacted them directly.

Please can I ask roughly geographically where you are based? We are SE

NW. I used the site www.reallymoving.com/ for the quotes

I'm SE too OP. If you want a recommendation I can tell you the name of the guy we used a few weeks ago so you can get a quote. We chose him because he was frustratingly thorough on thr survey done when we sold our house!!

@surreygirl1987

I'm SE too OP. If you want a recommendation I can tell you the name of the guy we used a few weeks ago so you can get a quote. We chose him because he was frustratingly thorough on thr survey done when we sold our house!!

Yes please. I’ll look him up and see if he covers our area. Moving costs just keep on adding up!

We paid £1200 for a Level 3 survey on a 3,000 sq ft Victorian house. The survey was genuinely useful - I’m a surveyor myself (not residential). Happy to recommend if you’re around South Bucks.

SW19 London and paid £1300 including VAT for a full structural survey. I also paid £800 for a Homebuyers (on a different property) and got just as much info. Four bed terrace.

Wow, I’m really glad I asked. Nobody seems to have paid anywhere like our quote and I don’t think the house that we are buying is in any way large or complicated enough to justify it. I'll keep looking.

Maofteens, interesting that you felt the Homebuyers survey gave you as much information.

We got quotes from 300-3000+vat

We took one for 5-600 (can’t remember) from a local independent who provided a long report full of photos, estimated costs, and potential options, plus a long off the record phone call where he said what he would do personally even if he couldn’t write it without being uninsurable (essentially live in the house for a year and expect most of the potential issues highlighted to be non issues).

The bank included a free survey from a national chain who would have charged about the same, their report was brief and full of stuff demonstrably incorrect from our other survey. It also very strongly recommended another group who pedal entirely disproven damp treatments provide a survey and quote for injecting a wall that out other surveyor had said to fix a leak and improve ventilation. They also suggested a large retention until this was done.

Ultimately we told the bank to lodge their surveyors report somewhere profoundly uncomfortable along with their retention. When faced with the independent report and the accusation their national provider was on the take they threw out the retention also.

In short I would go for a local independent who isn’t too cheap (apparently the surveyor for the national chain was likely supplementing a crap wage with ‘referral fees’ from some of the things he was pushing).

Our surveyor also did the outbuildings and land by the way, the national chain one couldn’t even find the oil tank.

@Asdf12345 and @Porridgeislife - if by any chance you see this, would you mind dm-ing me the name of the surveyors you used, please, as am looking for a good surveyor for a period property and your ones sound like what I'm looking for?

Thank you