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How to Prepare Your Home for a Surveyor's Visit?

Whenever we talk about a home survey, one thing that comes to mind is decluttering. We all do this whenever we call someone for a survey, and the reason behind it is to make a way for them or to clear the view for them. However, when it is specifically about preparing your house for a survey, the scenario is more about a clear building for a smooth investigation.


I mean, just think about this particular scenario, where you are the surveyor, and your task is to survey a home filled with furniture, cupboards, closed doors, or storage spaces filled with items. How would you begin, or what would be your first thought?


Well, it would be impossible for you if every corner of the house were filled with things, and there was no space to move around to find out the interior and exterior details of the building. So, for this purpose, cleaning the house is essential for a smooth survey.


Now, the question is what kind of preparation you should do? So, to help you with this preparation, here is a guide you must follow


Declutter the Spaces

The first step in preparing your house for a survey is clearing the surveying access. This includes decluttering rooms, kitchen spaces, washrooms, and all closed spaces of the house. The purpose of decluttering is to make the home accessible to surveyors for seamless surveying. To declutter, remove furniture and everything placed in different corners of the house, like under the sink, under the staircase, and many more.

Clean the Property

After decluttering, it is time to clean the house to make it look tidy. However, cleaning is an essential part of preparing the house because the decluttering process always creates a mess. So, instead of making it tough for surveyors, it is essential to clean the different pathways of the house. At this point, you can also wash the house to get rid of dust, dirt, and structural pieces on the floor and open spaces of the house. 


Keep the Utilities of the House Functional

Apart from cleaning and decluttering, the preparation of the house also includes smooth utilities, or the functional different systems of the house. It means you have to keep the electrical and heating systems of the house functional. According to Professional building surveyors,  if the lights work, they make it easier for surveyors to investigate or access the house comfortably. Moreover, make sure that the boilers and water system of the house are working, and surveyors get a chance to reach the root cause of water leakage and other issues in the building. So, check for all the house's utilities, and share their details with surveyors to update them beforehand.

Clear Outdoor Spaces

When preparing the house, it is essential to clear the external pathways. When you clean the doorways, declutter the garden area, or trim the bushes, surveyors get a clear passageway for surveyors. However, cleaning outdoors also targets the loft patches, the basement area, and the house's garage. When you tidy up everything, surveyors easily investigate the house's exterior to find out the issues that are risking your home. 

Collect Essential Documents

One thing that people often forget while preparing the house for surveying is document collection. They offer the house without collecting the important documents, like electricity and gas certificates, dampness and roofing warranties, renovation permits, or ownership documents. However, when you are preparing the house for a level 3 survey, it is crucial to keep the paperwork with you instead of losing it during the surveying process.

Secure Your Pets

If you have pets in your house, taking them away with you for the time being is essential. The reason behind it is their life safety, as surveying is a process where advanced technology is used to assess the interior and exterior of the building. So, if you have pets in your house, keep them with you, or make a temporary living space for them. Also, when you secure your pets, surveyors can work without taking the toll of protecting your pets during the surveying process. 

Inform Surveyors Before Moving Out

One thing that you must do before asking surveyors to start the process is to share all the known issues of the house, be honest about them, and share everything to help them with their service. However, when you are transparent in sharing, it helps surveyors understand the extent of damage or the hidden issues of the building. You can also share different repair records or renovation tracks with them for clearer insights.

Wrap Up 

The process of preparing your house for a survey is about taking precautionary measures for a smooth and hassle-free surveying. The different steps of preparing the house are decluttering the interior and exterior of the building, collecting important documents, cleaning the outdoor and indoor spaces, keeping the utilities functional, fixing minor repairs, and keeping the pets in a safe place. When you take all these steps, it becomes easy for surveyors to move in and do the job.


At Surveying People, the team is highly professional and collaborates with you when you prepare your house for surveying. So, if you live in London, you can choose them for top-notch house surveys. 


Surveying People

6th Floor, 200 First Central, 2 Lakeside Drive,

Park Royal, London, NW10 7FQ

T: 020 8203 1281

E: info@surveyingpeople.com

"An experienced group of RICS Chartered Surveyors, here to support your journey whether you are buying, renting or selling your property."

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