What is a structural survey?

There are several reasons why you might need a structural survey. Perhaps you’re in the process of buying a new home and have some specific concerns. Maybe you’ve noticed signs of possible property movement in your home. Or perhaps you’re planning an extension and need to know what structural support you’ll need to put in place.

This guide will take you through everything you need to know about structural surveys and how they differ from other types of property survey.

What is a structural survey?

A structural survey is a property inspection carried out by a structural engineer, rather than a property surveyor.

There seems to be some confusion about this, especially if you’re looking on the internet. This confusion often arises because level 3 building surveys used to be called ‘full structural surveys’ (which was often shorted simply to ‘structural survey’). Some people still refer to a level 3 building survey as a ‘structural survey’, but that isn’t accurate.

A structural survey will be carried out by a structural engineer. A level 3 building survey will be carried out by a surveyor.

What’s the difference between a building survey and a structural survey?

There are two big differences between a structural survey and a level 3 building survey: who carries them out and what they are looking for.

A structural survey will be completed by a structural engineer and will be investigating a specific area of the property or cause for concern. A structural survey will also be required if you’re planning to do major building work that will impact the structure of your home, eg. an extension that requires the removal of a wall.

Building surveys are usually carried out as part of the property buying process. The survey will be carried out by a chartered surveyor and will look at the overall condition of the whole property. It will highlight any areas of potential concern and recommend further investigation (by a structural engineer or other specialist) if appropriate.

If you need a structural survey, but are unsure whether you’re asking the right person, finding out who they’re regulated by will help. Property surveyors (able to carry out normal property surveys) will be regulated by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). Structural engineers (qualified to carry out structural surveys) will be regulated by The Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE).

Building survey vs structural survey – what’s the difference?

	Structural Survey	Level 3 Building Survey
Who carries out the survey	Structural engineer	Property surveyor
Scope of inspection	Specific area of the property of concern	Overall condition of the property, highlighting any potential issues/areas that need further investigation
When to have one done	If you have a specific area of concern about a property you are buying or already own, of if your property survey has recommended further investigation.	If you are purchasing a property and want a thorough understanding of any potential work required. A level 3 building survey is an appropriate buying survey for an older or more unusual property.

Why might you need a structural survey?

Structural engineers have specialist knowledge and are able to do a much more thorough investigation than a property surveyor. They will have a more in-depth understanding of building structures and how to remedy issues.

There are several reasons you might want or need to get a structural survey carried out, including:

• An issue has been identified in a property survey that requires further investigation
• You have concerns about an issue in a property you already own (eg. cracks or other signs of potential movement) and want to understand how to fix it
• You’re planning a property extension or renovation and need structural advice on how to prevent damage to the property – this might include an extension that requires the removal of walls or a chimney breast

How much does a structural survey cost?

Structural engineer costs will vary depending on the size and location of the property. Structural engineers in London and the South-East are usually more expensive.

As an indication, structural engineers usually charge between £90 and £200 per hour. You can expect a structural survey to cost between £175 and £2,000, depending on the severity of the issue and how much investigative work is required.

The structural engineer should be able to give you a cost for the survey at the point of enquiry.

How long does a structural survey take?

How long a structural survey takes will depend on the scope of the inspection.

You can expect an initial structural survey to take between one and five hours. Depending on the extent of investigation required, follow-up visits may be necessary.

What does a structural survey involve?

A structural survey will start as a visual inspection of the area but may require additional, more invasive investigation. The purpose of a structural survey is to assess the structural integrity of the property. To do this, the structural engineer may need to do things like lift floorboards and perhaps even make small holes in walls to assess the wall support structure. If you own the property, this level of investigation will be less of an issue, but it may not be appropriate on a house you are considering buying.

If you’ve been advised to geta structural survey carried out on a property you’re interested in buying, you will need to agree with the current property owner what level of assessment they’re happy with. The structural engineer will need permission from the current owner before they can go ahead with the structural survey.

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