Cosey Homes are a national team of RICS accredited Chartered Surveyors with a strong local presence in Exeter, Devon and across the West Country. We have 10+ years of professional experience and an excellent reputation as a provider of specialist property and consultancy services to put at your disposal. Whether you are looking for your first, second or last home in the EX postcode area, we can help with deep local property market knowledge, expert impartial advice, detailed reporting and great customer service engagement.
Cosey Homes is accredited by some of the UK’s most esteemed industry organisations including the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) and the Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE). Contact us today to find out more about our services and get a free quote.
Are you thinking of investing in a property in Exeter or the surrounding area? Whether you are looking at St Leonard’s, Heavitree or Topsham or further afield in Crediton, Honiton or Exmouth, Cosey Homes have all the relevant local market knowledge to give you the information you need to make the right decision when buying a home in Devon.
We provide a wide range of home surveys for all types of property – from contemporary apartments to modern family homes and quirky country cottages – that are designed to give you all you need. Our reports provide detailed information, are well-formatted and easy to read. Crucially, we have no commercial links with estate agents or lenders, so we can give you our undivided attention and impartial advice and guidance that’s focused on what you need.
You can request a RICS Homebuyers Survey quote by completing a simple form.
The Senate
Southernhay Gardens
Exeter
EX1 1UG
A must for anyone buying a new home
For older or altered buildings
For a highly accurate valuation
Investing in property is a huge financial commitment. Before you sign on the dotted line, it makes sense to ensure that the property you’ve chosen is a good buy. By commissioning a professional property survey, you get to look ‘under the hood’ of the building, with all the necessary facts you need in order to make the right decision. At Cosey Homes, we can help homebuyers in Exeter and across Devon with a choice of independent surveys: RICS Condition Report (Level 1), RICS HomeBuyer Report (Level 2), RICS Building Survey (Level 3) and RICS Residential Valuations for all types of property.
A RICS Building Survey (Level 3) is the most comprehensive property survey we carry out. Formerly known as a ‘full structural survey’, this Level 3 investigation is recommended for older properties (70+ years), period homes, historic and listed buildings. It is also the best choice for particularly large properties, fixer-uppers or structures with complex surveying needs. A Cosey Homes surveyor will attend the property and carry out a detailed visual inspection and collate the findings in an in-depth report. Issues addressed include potentially significant structural problems including subsidence, damp and timber decay. The survey report will also include our professional recommendations for urgent remedial action and future maintenance.
A RICS Homebuyers Survey (Level 2) is a mid-range survey that we would typically recommend for modern properties of standard construction that are in a reasonable state of repair. Our surveyor will conduct a non-invasive visual inspection including all accessible building elements, and present the findings in a professional survey report that delivers an overview of the condition of the building and highlights any urgent defects. The survey report uses a templated format and the RICS traffic-light condition ratings, to make the report easy to digest by a layperson. At Cosey Homes, free market valuations are included as standard in Level 2 surveys, which is not necessarily the case with other surveyors. A RICS HomeBuyer Report is designed to give you all the information you need to make an intelligent decision about your purchase.
If you require a formal market valuation for a residential property in Exeter, Cosey Homes can help. Our experienced team of highly trained RICS Registered Valuers can provide accurate market valuations that are far more robust than any estate agents’ market appraisal you may receive. With the benefit of extensive local property market knowledge in Exeter, East Devon, Mid Devon, Teignbridge and beyond, we deliver formal residential valuations that stand up in a court of law. From divorce settlements and matrimonial matters to personal asset valuations, mortgage and insurance purposes, tax and probate matters and more, our residential valuations can be utilised for a wide range of purposes.
A RICS Condition Report (Level 1) is the simplest home survey you can have and, as such, we would only recommend it for new-build or nearly new properties that look to be in excellent condition. If you are after peace of mind that your investment is sound, a Level 1 investigation may well suffice. We will carry out a short site visit inspection and produce a summary report that comments on the property’s overall condition. While we wouldn’t expect to find any defects with new or nearly new buildings, this isn’t to say that there won’t be any. If we spot any obvious problems, they will be flagged in the report though we won’t be able to go into detail or recommend remedial action
At Cosey Homes, we would always recommend an in-depth Building Survey (Level 3) for properties that are older than 70 years. This includes Victorian and Edwardian homes, properties situated in a Conservation Area as well as listed buildings. A Level 3 survey offers sufficient scope to cover the unique features, qualities and requirements of a historic character home.
A HomeBuyer Report (Level 2) is a mid-range investigation designed to give an overview of the building’s condition and highlight any urgent areas of concern. A Building Survey (Level 3) is a more detailed analysis that covers all major defects. This is the best choice for older or larger buildings, ‘fixer upper’ projects and non-standard properties.
If the survey findings flag up unexpected problems or urgent remedial works, you are well within your rights to renegotiate the sale price. Many buyers ask for a discount to cover the cost of unexpected repairs (or obtain assurances from the seller that he will fix the problem before contracts are exchanged). Of course, there is no guarantee that the seller will accept a lower offer but there’s certainly no harm in trying.
According to English property law, a transaction only becomes legally valid once contracts have been exchanged. Gazumping is a perfectly legal (though frowned upon) practice whereby the seller accepts a higher offer before exchange, effectively pushing you out of the transaction.
With so many different property surveys on the market, it can be hard to know which is the right one to choose. At Cosey Homes, we recognise that you need professional guidance and advice to talk through all available options including the pros and cons of each survey type. Why not get in touch today for a friendly chat with our expert team?
We pride ourselves on our excellent customer service and will work as swiftly as we can to deliver your report. As a general rule, you can expect to receive it by email as a PDF document within 5 working days after the site visit. If you require an additional hard copy, this can be arranged for an extra fee.