Property services
Chartered surveyors in Edinburgh and the Lothians
Home Reports, building surveys, defect reports and valuations.
Chartered surveyors produce the Home Report's Single Survey when a property goes on the market, and they also produce the reports a buyer or owner commissions separately: Level 2 home surveys, Level 3 building surveys, defect reports and valuations for tax, matrimonial or probate purposes.
The distinction owners most often need explained: the Single Survey in the Home Report is instructed by the seller and is available to buyers, but a buyer may still want an independent Level 3 survey on an older or unusual property.
When Edinburgh owners call chartered surveyors
- You are putting a property on the market and need a Home Report.
- A specific defect — cracking, damp, a bulging wall — needs an independent professional opinion.
- You need a valuation for probate, divorce, transfer of equity or tax.
- You are buying an older property and want a Level 3 building survey.
Local context: Edinburgh and the Lothians
Scotland's Home Report has been mandatory for most properties marketed for sale since 2008 and contains the Single Survey with valuation, the Energy Report and the Property Questionnaire the seller completes. It is instructed before marketing, not after an offer.
In Edinburgh, the Single Survey valuation matters more than in most UK markets because offers over pricing is benchmarked against it, and buyers must fund any excess above the lender's valuation from their own deposit.
What this work typically costs
Published ranges are market context gathered from local jobs, not a quotation. We do not price work, arrange it or take a cut of it — always get your own written quotes.
| Job | Typical range | What moves the price |
|---|---|---|
| Home Report, two-bedroom flat | £350-£650 | Priced on value banding; includes Single Survey, Energy Report and valuation. |
| Home Report, family house | £550-£1,200 | Value banding and location. |
| Level 3 building survey | £700-£1,600 | Age, size and construction type. |
| Defect or specific-issue report | £400-£900 | Narrow scope on one problem, often the most useful spend. |
| Probate or matrimonial valuation | £300-£700 | Red Book valuation for a formal purpose. |
Tenements and common repairs
A Single Survey on a tenement flat will comment on the common parts — roof, stonework, stair — because their condition affects your flat's value. A poor comment on the roof can shape every offer you receive.
If a common repair is already agreed or under way, tell the surveyor and provide the paperwork. A documented, funded repair reads very differently from an unresolved defect.
What to check before you instruct
- RICS registration — check the RICS online register
- Professional indemnity insurance
- Which level of survey you actually need
- RICS registration
- Check the firm on the RICS online register. Home Report Single Surveys must be produced by a Chartered Surveyor who is a registered valuer.
- Professional indemnity insurance
- Ask the level of cover. This is the profession where PI insurance genuinely matters to you.
- The right level of survey
- Ask which level fits the property before instructing. Paying for a Level 3 on a modern flat is often unnecessary.
- Local valuation experience
- Ask how many comparable sales in your area they have valued in the last six months.
We publish factual detail supplied by each business. We do not rate, rank, endorse or guarantee anyone listed, and no business pays for placement. Checking registration, insurance and references is always your decision.
Questions to ask before you instruct
- Are you a RICS registered valuer and can I see confirmation?
- Which level of survey do you recommend here and why?
- How long from inspection to receiving the report?
- Will you discuss the report with me by phone afterwards?
- Does the Home Report price include the Energy Report?
- What is your professional indemnity cover?
Businesses listed
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Lothian Property is a property information and professional-introduction service operated by Maybury Scotland Limited. Lothian Property is not an estate agency. Where requested, we may connect homeowners with independent estate agents and other property professionals. How we work.
Chartered surveyors: common questions
- What is the difference between a Home Report survey and a building survey?
- The Single Survey in a Home Report is prepared for a sale and gives condition ratings and a valuation. A Level 3 building survey is commissioned by you, is far more detailed on defects and repair, and is not part of the Home Report pack.
- How do I check a surveyor is RICS registered?
- Search the firm on the RICS online register, and for a Home Report check the surveyor is on the RICS Valuer Registration scheme. Professional indemnity insurance should also be confirmed.
- Can I commission a defect report on my own home before selling?
- Yes. Owners often instruct a specific defect or structural report before marketing so that any issue is understood and priced rather than discovered by a buyer's surveyor.