Planning permission can be a long and costly process for homeowners wanting to make changes to their property. However, in the UK, many minor building projects and home improvements can be carried out without needing full planning consent, under what are known as ‘permitted development’ rights. This allows homeowners to make certain alterations or extensions […]
Chartered Surveyors in South Devon
Unlike some firms we are regulated by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) to ensure we are delivering the high standard of service expected by the profession and that we are compliant with the RICS requirements for Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII) and Complaints Handling Procedure (CHP) should anything go wrong.
HomeBuyer Survey
The most popular survey in the UK, the HomeBuyer Survey (level 2) is endorsed by RICS, this type of report is ideal for conventional homes that are less than 50 years old and in generally good repair.
Building Survey
Formerly known as a ‘full structural survey’, Building Surveys provide in-depth inspection of period properties, unusual building materials, especially large homes and structures that show indications of damage or decay.
Valuations
H&S Surveyors offer professional valuations of residential properties across Devon, delivering concise reports for matrimonial purposes, tax calculations, probate and more for a private and commercial clients.
Why get a home survey?
Many homeowners underestimate the value of commissioning a report of their prospective new home. In some cases, this is due to not understanding the benefits of a property survey, while others mistakenly believe that their mortgage valuation will tell them about any defects.
Having a survey is the only way to get a professional opinion about the condition of the building you are about to buy. Even if you think the property is sound, surveyors are trained to spot the symptoms of a problem that typically go missed by the average person, potentially allowing you to save thousands in unexpected repair costs when you move in. In fact, a RICS survey determined that 1 in 5 buyers without a survey ended up spending £5,750 in remedial work once they moved in.
A comprehensive survey will help you determine the true value of any property so that you can make an informed decision about proceeding.
Choosing the Right Survey
At H&S Surveyors, we offer two types of property survey endorsed by RICS: the HomeBuyer Survey and the Building Survey. To get the most value out of your report, it’s essential that you choose the most appropriate survey for your property. For example, a HomeBuyer Survey is suited to the majority of properties in the UK but will not go into enough detail to fully understand the condition of a listed building or period home. A Building Survey is highly detailed and offers a comprehensive review of a property’s construction and maintenance requirements, but it may be excessive for a conventional home that seems to be in good repair.
ExcellentBased on 13 reviewsAmi Lee2024-04-04I am a first time buyer and get quite overwhelmed by technical details. I have so appreciated Chris and the team for how friendly, professional and patient they have been. Chris has taken the time it's needed to help me understand the details of his report and helped me to feel that there's a professional, really on my side in this rather daunting process! I would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone.James Cook2023-11-25Really honest and detailed service provided by Andrew Crossman. Andrew spent a good chunk of time with us answering any questions. The exhaustive report produced was broken down into sensible chunks of information written in language we could understand. And the team were available to answer any queries we had. Can't recommend enough...Lianne Hamilton2023-11-02We used Chris to do a level 2 homebuyers survey and he was excellent. Would definitely recommend and use again in the future.Caroline Ford2023-10-27Really great service from Chris. He identified a problem with a roof that hadn't been picked up by the previous buyers surveyor and prevented us having problems with costs and movement with the extension in the future. Really responsive and genuinely wanted to help and go the extra mile. Thanks so much.Simon Thompson2023-09-21First rate service, highly recommended. Our survey was booked in and completed within just a few days. Chris phoned me shortly after completing the survey to gave me an overview of his findings and also his thoughts on some provisional plans we have for changes to the house.Sarah Covey2023-09-15From my first contact with them, H & S provided an excellent service - prompt, responsive, helpful and professional. I had a Level 3 survey done on a Victorian converted flat in Teignmouth; the survey report was very clearly written and Andy Crossman, the surveyor, was very helpful in answering my follow-up questions. I would recommend them highly.Daniel Sims2023-08-04I would high recommend H&S Surveyors. I used them for a Level two survey and valuation. I am really impressed with the friendly and professional service that I have received from H&S Surveyors. I initially contacted a few Surveyors and over the years this is now the second Surveyors that I have used. H&S Surveys were friendly and knowledgeable when I initially contacted them. The booking process was quick and efficient and they arranged all the necessary steps with the estate agents. The cost is competitive with other surveyors. The completed survey report was sent to me within two weeks and was sent via email and paper copy. The quality of the property survey was in-depth and invested for a level two survey and valuation. The individual that completed my survey was Andrew Crossman, who had highlighted a few issues with the property and I had relevant documents that confirmed a few of the issues raised from the survey such as the fensa status of the windows and the checks on the boiler, gas and electrical checks. A query raised by my solicitors that I directed back to Andrew a few weeks after the survey he quickly and in detail offered his professional opinion.Steve Philpott2023-07-20Thank you for the concise and detailed report and for all recommendations/suggestions within. Of particular interest was the roof structure and A-frames which were so expertly captured, and fully appreciate your comments/feedback given the age of property. It was nice to have the pictures too and offered some re-assurance before purchase. Thanks again for a professional service, and will not hesitate to recommend H&S Surveyors to friends/family.Leah Rodriguez2020-10-14We recently used H&S Surveyors Ltd for our Homebuyers Report and could not fault them. Friendly and very responsive to our emails from the initial enquiry. All queries were answered in detail and the report itself from Ian is very informative and thorough. We would highly recommend their services.Chris Wrighton Leftarm2020-07-29I just wanted to say a huge public thank you to Andy @ H & S for such a professional service and for going the extra mile. Throughout the engagement, he clearly explained the process and findings with us, was willing to speak to the estate agent and vendor on several occasions to solve an issue that came up, developed a great solution, and remained committed until the issue was resolved. All of this has meant that we've felt reassured at times when we were at risk of panicking a bit (!), and we've felt like the matter was completely in hand when we didn't fully understand the technical side of things. Andy's service has been first class, and I'd thoroughly recommend him again!
At H&S Surveyors, we offer two types of property survey endorsed by RICS: the HomeBuyer Survey and the Building Survey. To get the most value out of your report, it’s essential that you choose the most appropriate survey for your property. For example, a HomeBuyer Survey is suited to the majority of properties in the UK but will not go into enough detail to fully understand the condition of a listed building or period home. A Building Survey is highly detailed and offers a comprehensive review of a property’s construction and maintenance requirements, but it may be excessive for a conventional home that seems to be in good repair.
ExcellentBased on 13 reviewsAmi Lee2024-04-04I am a first time buyer and get quite overwhelmed by technical details. I have so appreciated Chris and the team for how friendly, professional and patient they have been. Chris has taken the time it's needed to help me understand the details of his report and helped me to feel that there's a professional, really on my side in this rather daunting process! I would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone.James Cook2023-11-25Really honest and detailed service provided by Andrew Crossman. Andrew spent a good chunk of time with us answering any questions. The exhaustive report produced was broken down into sensible chunks of information written in language we could understand. And the team were available to answer any queries we had. Can't recommend enough...Lianne Hamilton2023-11-02We used Chris to do a level 2 homebuyers survey and he was excellent. Would definitely recommend and use again in the future.Caroline Ford2023-10-27Really great service from Chris. He identified a problem with a roof that hadn't been picked up by the previous buyers surveyor and prevented us having problems with costs and movement with the extension in the future. Really responsive and genuinely wanted to help and go the extra mile. Thanks so much.Simon Thompson2023-09-21First rate service, highly recommended. Our survey was booked in and completed within just a few days. Chris phoned me shortly after completing the survey to gave me an overview of his findings and also his thoughts on some provisional plans we have for changes to the house.Sarah Covey2023-09-15From my first contact with them, H & S provided an excellent service - prompt, responsive, helpful and professional. I had a Level 3 survey done on a Victorian converted flat in Teignmouth; the survey report was very clearly written and Andy Crossman, the surveyor, was very helpful in answering my follow-up questions. I would recommend them highly.Daniel Sims2023-08-04I would high recommend H&S Surveyors. I used them for a Level two survey and valuation. I am really impressed with the friendly and professional service that I have received from H&S Surveyors. I initially contacted a few Surveyors and over the years this is now the second Surveyors that I have used. H&S Surveys were friendly and knowledgeable when I initially contacted them. The booking process was quick and efficient and they arranged all the necessary steps with the estate agents. The cost is competitive with other surveyors. The completed survey report was sent to me within two weeks and was sent via email and paper copy. The quality of the property survey was in-depth and invested for a level two survey and valuation. The individual that completed my survey was Andrew Crossman, who had highlighted a few issues with the property and I had relevant documents that confirmed a few of the issues raised from the survey such as the fensa status of the windows and the checks on the boiler, gas and electrical checks. A query raised by my solicitors that I directed back to Andrew a few weeks after the survey he quickly and in detail offered his professional opinion.Steve Philpott2023-07-20Thank you for the concise and detailed report and for all recommendations/suggestions within. Of particular interest was the roof structure and A-frames which were so expertly captured, and fully appreciate your comments/feedback given the age of property. It was nice to have the pictures too and offered some re-assurance before purchase. Thanks again for a professional service, and will not hesitate to recommend H&S Surveyors to friends/family.Leah Rodriguez2020-10-14We recently used H&S Surveyors Ltd for our Homebuyers Report and could not fault them. Friendly and very responsive to our emails from the initial enquiry. All queries were answered in detail and the report itself from Ian is very informative and thorough. We would highly recommend their services.Chris Wrighton Leftarm2020-07-29I just wanted to say a huge public thank you to Andy @ H & S for such a professional service and for going the extra mile. Throughout the engagement, he clearly explained the process and findings with us, was willing to speak to the estate agent and vendor on several occasions to solve an issue that came up, developed a great solution, and remained committed until the issue was resolved. All of this has meant that we've felt reassured at times when we were at risk of panicking a bit (!), and we've felt like the matter was completely in hand when we didn't fully understand the technical side of things. Andy's service has been first class, and I'd thoroughly recommend him again!
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Testimonials
“Thank you very much for your original report and for the detailed additional information that you have provided with regards to requirements relating to building regulation control for alterations to the property.”
N Strachan