It is our intention to provide you with all the information you need to make a decision. However, there will sometimes be circumstances where further investigations are required. We try to mitigate the need for them, but it cannot always be helped.

For example: If we suspect there is a defect underneath a timber floor, but we cannot safely access the sub-floor area, we will have to request that you ask a contractor to carry out further investigations with the floor coverings and floor boards lifted to rule out any serious problems. As the inspection is non-invasive, we cannot freely enter these areas without written prior approval of the owner.

The cost of the survey will depend on a number of factors including the age of the property, its size, whether any alterations have been carried out, whether there are any outbuildings, and the purchase price.

The Home Condition Survey starts at £400 and can cost £950+.

The RICS Accredited Valuation starts at £249 and can cost £350+.

When quoting for a job I use the facts about the property to decide how long I will need to produce a valuable report and how much risk I am exposing myself to.

Qualified and registered surveyors are listed on the RICS website. The listing for Dowdall Surveying can be found HERE.

Look for where it shows ‘RICS Regulated’. Regulated surveyors also have the ‘Regulated by RICS’ logo displayed. You can find ours at the bottom of this page.

If you disagree with the results of the survey, you should speak to your surveyor to discuss your concerns.

We can provide a copy of our complaints handling procedure on request.

No, a survey can only identify issues that are visible and accessible at the time of the survey. Whilst we make every attempt to access all areas of the property, this is not always possible as it is sometimes not safe, or openings/entrances can be locked or concealed. If you know of any concealed areas, such as cellar entrances that are blocked, let us know before the inspection.