A Level 3 Survey (also known as a Building Survey and sometimes referred to as a ‘full structural survey’) gives everything a Level 2 Homebuyer Survey gives, but involves a longer and more rigorous inspection of a property and provides a more detailed and comprehensive report. It is ideal for older properties or for properties where you are expecting there to be some issues.
The building survey goes beyond the Homebuyers Survey in a number of crucial ways:
| Feature | Homebuyer Survey (Level 2 survey) | Building Survey (Level 3 survey) |
| Inspection length | Usually a few hours. | Usually several hours for a typical family home – longer for larger properties. |
| Identification of issues | Issues identified and their seriousness explained and rated (1, 2 or 3). | Issues identified and their seriousness explained and rated (1, 2 or 3). |
| Causes of issues | The likely cause of an issue explained. | The cause of an issue is investigated and the findings are included in the report. |
| Advice | General advice about your next steps in dealing with an issue. | Where possible, specific recommendations about how to resolve an issue. |
| Identification of potential issues | Potential future issues not identified. | Where appropriate, common issues of a particular feature are explained and advice about maintenance is given to help to prevent potential problems in the future. |