Types of surveyor and survey available through our site ...

Survey Types

Surveys for moving home

If you are moving home, you should always get a survey of your new home - see our article "Why you should get a home survey" for the reasons why.

There are two main standard survey types on offer: the RICS HomeBuyer Report, or a full Building Survey (also often referred to as a Full Structural Survey). for guidance on which survey you should choose, see "Which Survey do I need".

To get free, no obligation estimates for your home moving survey from up to 5 RICS surveyors, simply enter your details in the Get Instant Survey Estimates tab.

Valuation Surveys

There may be many reasons you need a Valuation Survey - for moving home, help-to-buy valuations, trust valuations, divorce, or probate for example. Valuation Surveys may only be carried out by RICS Registered Valuers and should follow the RICS "Red Book" guidelines. If you need a RICS Valuation of your property, again complete your details to receive valuation estimates from local RICS surveyors. 

Other survey types and surveyor services

Many Chartered Surveyors may also offer other residential property services, including:

• General Practice and Property Advice
• Party Wall Agreements
• Boundary Disputes
• Construction Project or Contract Management
• Lease Extensions
• Historic or Listed Building Surveys
• Rent Reviews

If you are looking for a local RICS surveyor to help you, then visit our "General Practice" page and choose the relevant survey type from the main menu. If you are not sure what service you want, select the "General Practice and Property Advice" option!

Commercial Property Services

Commercial property is more specialised than general residential work. Commercial property tends to be larger, and the requirements more complex. Consequently commercial property work is generally only undertaken by larger firms with more resources. We have commercial surveyors on our site, but these are more likely to be large regional or national firms, often with regional offices.

Typical work undertaken will be Commercial Property Surveys and Valuations, Condition Reports, and very often construction Project or Contracts Management. To find a commercial property surveyor, visit our Commercial Property Surveyors page

Because the general practice type and commercial services are not standardised, estimates aren't available, but any of the surveyors returned in a search should be able to give you an estimate based on your particular requirements.

Surveyor Types

RICS Surveyor Accreditations 

There are different grades of RICS membership denoted by the letters after the surveyor's name: AssocRICS (Associate Member), MRICS (Member) or FRICS (Fellow). Membership is for individual surveyors; companies cannot be members, but can be a firm Regulated by RICS. To be a regulated firm, the firm's principal or an executive director must be a RICS Member, and any work must be carried out in accordance with the RICS rules.

There are also additional classifications of professional qualification. To provide a valuation, a Chartered Surveyor must also be a RICS Registered Valuer and adhere to the RICS 'Red Book' procedure for valuations. Another common classification amongst the surveyors on our site is that of Chartered Building Surveyor. A Chartered Building Surveyor is a RICS Member who has completed additional training and specialises in building design and construction.

The surveyors on our site are all RICS Regulated and offer a wide range of surveying services, from the normal home survey types for home purchases, through specific services such as handling party wall agreements, lease extensions or boundary disputes, through general property and building development advice to commercial property surveys and project management.