What are the differences in inspection between a Level 2 and Level 3 Survey?

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Timestamps:
0:00 What are the differences in inspection between a Level 2 and Level 3 Survey?
1:17 Roof Space
2:01 Windows and Doors
3:03 Electrics
4:07 What other differences are there?
5:02 OK, but I still do not know what type of survey I need!
6:23 How can Harrison Clarke help?

It can be confusing to know which type of survey to choose, and which will be most appropriate to your circumstances. After all, most of us do not buy property very often, and for some people this might be a once in a lifetime event. It is important to choose the right survey and not doing so could be costly – either because you will end up paying too much for a complicated survey, or if you choose a more basic survey, you might need to follow up with more detailed investigation if defects are found.
We have separate explainer videos about what each of the Level 2 Homebuyer report and Level 3 Building surveys, but this video seeks to explore how our surveyors approach inspections differently, depending on the type of survey chosen.

This video only applies to Harrison Clarke’s team of expert surveyors, and is not an explanation of the RICS’ Home Survey Standards. The reason for this is that we tend to exceed these requirements, particularly with our Level 2 surveys.

Roof Space

When our surveyors inspect for any type of survey, they will enter any accessible roof voids. However, sometimes roof spaces are very difficult and therefore time consuming to access. In these cases, a Level 2 survey will often only report on what can be seen from the easily accessible roof area.

As the fee, and therefore time allowed on site, is greater on a Level 3 survey, our surveyors can take more time to access difficult to reach areas, particularly if following a ‘trail of suspicion’, when trying to diagnose the exact route of water ingress for example. In all cases, our surveyors will only access areas when it is safe to do so.

Windows and Doors

On a Level 2 survey, particularly on larger properties, if windows are visually in a similar condition to one another, our surveyor might only open a sample of windows, particularly if access is made difficult by furniture or clunky blinds for example. This allows the surveyor to provide an overview of the condition of windows and a high level summary of any works required.

For a Level 3 survey, our surveyors will seek to operate all openable windows. This allows them to provide a more detailed description of the condition of individual windows, and as such they can provide a more defined summary of any works required.

In the same way, while normally all internal doors will be tested, if there are obstructions, a surveyor will have more time to clear these on a Level 3 survey, otherwise on a Level 2 survey, the surveyor can be happy that unobstructed doors provide a representative sample. As with the windows, we can be more specific with defect descriptions of doors due to the additional time allowed on site.

Electrics

Building surveyors will not safety test the electrical installation in either survey, as this is outside their sphere of expertise. However, this does not mean that they can not provide helpful information on the electrical installation. Typically, they will consider the age of the system and type of components used. A Level 3 survey might go further and record quantities of power outlets in each area, if appropriate. As standard, a Level 3 survey will provide specific guidance on the energy efficiency of a building, but in most cases, a Level 2 report will also provide guidance if appropriate do so.

Our surveyors dictate their site notes, so they will often go into more detail in the services section of the report on a Level 3 than a Level 2, as the additional time on site allows for this. This can help to give you a really detailed understanding of your building, whereas the Level 2 report is designed to offer a high level summary.