Whether you are buying a Victorian terrace in Portsmouth, a post-war house in Worthing or a period property around Chichester, the basic buying process is similar. What changes is the building itself - its age, construction, alterations and condition.
The buying process in plain English
Who does what?
Estate agent
Markets the property and helps the sale progress, normally acting for the seller.
Mortgage broker or adviser
Helps you understand your borrowing options and find a mortgage suited to your circumstances.
Conveyancer or solicitor
Handles the legal purchase, including title, searches, enquiries and contracts. Legal checks and a building survey answer different questions.
Surveyor
Independently assesses the property’s physical condition for you as the buyer and reports the findings.
Mortgage valuation versus a survey
A lender’s valuation helps the lender decide whether the property is suitable security for your mortgage. An independent survey gives you a more detailed understanding of its condition, with advice to help you make an informed purchase.
Level 2 or Level 3 - which is right for a first-time buyer?
The correct survey level depends on the property, not on whether you have bought a house before.
RICS Level 2 Home Survey
A Level 2 is generally suited to conventional houses, flats and bungalows built from common materials and in reasonable condition. It provides a structured assessment of condition and highlights significant defects and matters requiring attention.
RICS Level 3 Building Survey
A Level 3 provides a more extensive and detailed assessment. It is often more suitable for older, larger, significantly altered, unusual or visibly deteriorated buildings, or where substantial works are planned.
Read about the RICS Level 2 Home Survey · Read about the RICS Level 3 Building Survey
What happens during a survey?
A survey gives you an independent assessment of the property you are buying. Steven physically inspects the building and grounds, considers how the different parts work together, and explains what their condition could mean for you as the future owner.
Understanding the building and its condition
The inspection considers accessible building elements such as roofs and chimneys, walls, windows and doors, floors, roof spaces, rainwater goods and drainage, together with visible services and relevant features in the grounds. Your report describes the main elements and their construction, so you can understand the type of property you are buying as well as its present condition.
Identifying defects and priorities
Observations are assessed in the context of the property’s age, construction and alterations. The report explains significant visible defects and signs of potential problems, identifies matters needing attention and helps you distinguish routine upkeep from more urgent repairs or issues that warrant further investigation.
Practical maintenance and advice
A survey is also useful for planning life in your new home. Depending on the survey level, the report provides advice on repairs, general maintenance and caring for the building, including matters such as roof coverings, gutters, external finishes and ventilation. This helps you plan future work and understand the ongoing responsibilities of ownership.
A report you can discuss with your surveyor
The findings bring the inspection together in a structured report, with the depth of explanation and advice appropriate to the survey level you choose. You can speak directly to Steven afterwards to clarify findings, discuss recommended next steps and understand what matters most for your property.
The scope depends on the survey level and safe access. Surveys are normally visual and non-invasive; concealed or inaccessible areas and any recommended further investigations are explained in the report.
Local property types matter
First-time buyers in Portsmouth and Southsea often look at Victorian and Edwardian terraces where traditional roofs, chimneys, suspended timber floors and later alterations deserve careful inspection. Worthing has a broad mix of period, inter-war, post-war and modern housing, while Chichester includes everything from historic buildings to more recent developments.
The survey should respond to the particular building in front of the surveyor rather than relying on age alone.
Common defects first-time buyers often underestimate
Many defects are not obvious during a viewing. Some are small details with potentially significant implications; others are simply maintenance issues that are useful to understand before ownership.
Weathered masonry, open pots, defective flaunching and shared repair responsibilities can all matter.
Regular horizontal cracking can sometimes be associated with corroding cavity wall ties.
The absence of a secondary underlay can be normal for the age, but the roof covering still needs careful assessment.
Disconnected or ineffective extract ventilation can contribute to moisture problems.
Unusual or makeshift drainage connections can create leakage and maintenance concerns.
Accessible floor voids can reveal uninsulated pipework, older materials and other concealed issues.
Flight holes alone may be historic; frass and surrounding timber condition help put the finding in context.
Bamboo, persistent weeds and vegetation close to boundaries can create ongoing maintenance concerns.
Explore the full Wren Knowledge Hub for more real inspection examples from properties across Hampshire and West Sussex.
Questions worth asking before you commit
- How old is the property, and has it been significantly extended or altered?
- Is it freehold or leasehold?
- Are there shared structures, boundaries, access arrangements or maintenance responsibilities?
- Has the seller mentioned previous leaks, structural movement, damp, roof repairs or insurance claims?
- Are there guarantees, planning approvals, Building Regulations documents or certificates for major works?
- Does the survey level suit the property rather than simply the budget?
What happens after the survey?
Read the report as a whole rather than focusing only on the highest condition ratings. Review the recommended next steps before exchange, and ask Steven about anything you are unsure of.
Download the first-time buyer checklist
A simple two-page checklist covering viewings, legal and mortgage steps, choosing a survey and the questions worth asking before exchange.
Download the checklist PDFUseful independent guidance
For wider information about buying a home, see GOV.UK - Buying a home. For independent information on RICS Home Surveys, see RICS consumer guidance.