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RICS Level 2 Surveys

RICS Level 2 Survey in EH36

Chartered surveyors covering Humbie and the wider EH36 postcode in East Lothian

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RICS Level 2 Survey in EH36, Humbie

The EH36 postcode covers Humbie and the surrounding East Lothian countryside - a rural area where property prices reflect the scarcity and character of homes available. With average sold prices in the range of £363,000 to £450,000, purchasing in EH36 is a substantial commitment, and our RICS Level 2 survey helps you understand exactly what condition you are buying before you proceed to exchange of contracts.

Our chartered surveyors carry out thorough visual inspections of the property's structure and condition. We assess every accessible element - from roof and chimneys down to floors and drainage - and give each one a clear condition rating. Our written report is straightforward and detailed, so you know which issues require attention now, which to monitor over time, and which are simply minor maintenance tasks for a new homeowner.

Rural EH36 properties tend to be older and more substantial than typical suburban homes. Farm cottages, detached rural houses, and traditional stone-built properties are common in this part of East Lothian. These building types come with specific considerations - older construction methods, working in exposed weather conditions, and the likelihood of historical modifications carried out without modern standards. We have extensive experience with exactly this kind of property.

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EH36 Property Market at a Glance

£413,250

Average Sold Price

Humbie and EH36 postcode area

£363,000 - £450,000

Price Range

Sold prices over the last 12 months

Rural

Property Character

Predominantly detached and village properties

East Lothian

Location

South-east of Edinburgh

Why EH36 Properties Need a Careful Survey

Humbie and the EH36 area lie in the rolling East Lothian countryside, south-east of Edinburgh. Homes here are often older, more remote, and originally built for agricultural use or rural living. That mix of age, exposure and building type brings a higher-than-average chance of defects that need proper investigation, the sort a standard mortgage valuation will not pick up.

Across rural Scotland, older properties often have roofs that have been patched and repaired over many decades instead of being fully renewed. Chimneys with several flues, outbuildings in different states of repair, and drainage that depends on septic tanks rather than mains connections all deserve close attention. We look carefully at every one of these features in each survey we carry out in EH36.

The EH36 price range, with sold prices from £363,000 to £450,000 over the last 12 months, gives a good picture of the character and size of homes here. At that level, the cost of a Level 2 survey is a small part of the purchase price, yet it can uncover problems worth thousands of pounds when you are negotiating or deciding whether to proceed.

EH36 also has some commercial and industrial activity, with Glennon Brothers operating in the Windymains area of Humbie in the timber industry. Local employment like this can affect nearby homes through heavy vehicle movement, dust and noise, so our surveyors note anything relevant to the property’s setting and external surroundings during the inspection.

What Our RICS Level 2 Survey Covers

A RICS Level 2 Home Survey, sometimes called a HomeBuyer Survey, looks at the major structural and condition elements our surveyor can access visually. We inspect the roof structure and covering, chimney stacks, gutters and downpipes, external walls, windows, doors and all outbuildings. Inside, we assess ceilings, walls, floors, the loft space where it can be reached safely, and all built-in fittings.

For rural EH36 homes, roofing and drainage get particular attention from us. Detached properties in East Lothian can have large roof areas spread across several outbuildings, and a failed roof covering on a rural house can mean a substantial repair bill. Septic tanks and other drainage systems also need specific checks, and we carry those out as part of every rural property survey.

Each item in our report is given a condition rating on a three-point scale. 1 means no repair is needed at present, 2 means repair or replacement is needed but not urgently, and 3 means the issue needs urgent attention or further specialist investigation. We set this out in plain language, so you know what each point means and what action, if any, is needed.

Roof structure, covering, ridge, and all chimney stacks
External walls, masonry, and lime or cement pointing
Windows, external doors, and all timber elements
Internal ceilings, walls, and floor surfaces
Loft and roof space where safely accessible
Guttering, downpipes, and surface drainage
Damp and moisture readings using professional meters
Outbuildings, garages, boundaries, and external areas

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Common Defects in Older Rural Scottish Properties

Homes in East Lothian, including those in the EH36 postcode, tend to show the same recurring defects that our surveyors see again and again. These are not problems unique to the area, but age, Scottish weather exposure and years of missed maintenance mean they crop up more often in rural properties than in suburban ones.

Roof condition is one of the main concerns every time. Traditional Scottish buildings used natural slate, which lasts for many decades but does eventually need replacement. Patches made with different slate types, failed lead flashings around chimney stacks, and gutters that are blocked or overflowing all point to a roof that has been repaired reactively rather than looked after steadily. We check roofs closely and record any sign of leaks or water ingress in the roof space.

Damp in several forms is another common finding. Rising damp can affect ground-floor walls in older properties built without a damp proof course, while penetrating damp may come through failed pointing, cracked render, or blocked gutters spilling onto walls. In rural homes, damp caused by ground levels being built up above the damp proof course is also frequent, as gardens and paths collect soil over time. Condensation can show up in rooms that have been shut up or left unheated for long periods.

Roof failures including slipped slates, failed flashings, and blocked gutters
Rising damp in ground-floor walls of pre-damp-proof-course era properties
Penetrating damp through failed pointing, cracked render, or overflowing gutters
Dry rot and wet rot in floor joists, window frames, and subfloor voids
Deteriorating lime mortar pointing on traditional stone walls
Outdated drainage systems and septic tanks in need of servicing or replacement
Structural movement in outbuildings or attached farm buildings
Condensation and mould in poorly ventilated rooms or ground-floor extensions

RICS Level 2 Survey Cost by Property Value

Under £200,000 £384 avg

£200,000 - £500,000 £455 avg

Above £500,000 £586 avg

UK national average survey costs. Most EH36 properties fall in the £363,000-£450,000 range, putting them in the middle band. Get an exact quote for your specific property using our online tool.

Our Qualified Chartered Surveyors in EH36

Every survey we carry out in EH36 is handled by a fully qualified RICS-registered chartered surveyor. Our surveyors understand traditional Scottish rural construction, how older stone buildings behave in wet weather, what historic repairs look like, and which issues are routine maintenance rather than serious structural concerns. That mix of professional experience and local knowledge shapes every inspection.

We cover the whole East Lothian area, EH36 included, along with the Humbie countryside. Reaching rural properties sometimes takes extra time and planning, and we allow for that in our scheduling rather than rushing the visit. A proper survey of a rural detached home in EH36 takes longer than a flat survey, so we set aside the time needed to give you an accurate report.

Reports are sent digitally within five working days of the inspection. At the front of every report, we include a clear summary section, so you can get to the key findings quickly before reading the detail. The surveyor who carried out the inspection is available by phone after delivery to talk through anything you want to discuss, because we want the survey to be genuinely useful, not just another file on a desk.

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Rural EH36 Properties: What to Consider Before Booking

EH36 properties often come with land, outbuildings and non-standard drainage. A Level 2 survey covers all accessible parts, but if the property has complex agricultural buildings, private water supplies or drainage systems beyond a standard mains connection, raise those points with our team when you book. Where there is substantial land, extensive outbuildings or structural concerns already mentioned by the estate agent, a Level 3 Building Survey may give more detailed coverage of the extra elements.

Level 2 vs Level 3 Survey for EH36 Properties

Feature	RICS Level 2	RICS Level 3
Best suited to	Conventional homes in reasonable condition	Older, larger, or complex rural properties
Report depth	Condition ratings with plain-language explanations	Full structural assessment with cost guidance
Outbuildings coverage	Accessible outbuildings included	More detailed coverage of ancillary buildings
Typical cost for EH36	From £455 (national avg, £363k-£450k bracket)	From £630
Damp investigation	Visual check plus moisture meter readings	Detailed analysis with remediation recommendations
Structural assessment	Visible defects rated and explained	Comprehensive structural assessment throughout
Report delivery	5 working days	5-7 working days

For rural EH36 properties with complex building histories, significant outbuildings, or any elements giving cause for concern, a Level 3 Building Survey gives a more complete picture of what you are taking on.

How to Book Your EH36 Survey

Get a Quote Online

Put your EH36 property address into our online quote tool and you will get an instant price. If the property has several outbuildings or non-standard features, call us as well, and we can talk through what you need before you book.

Choose Your Appointment

Choose a date and time from the slots we have available. We schedule rural EH36 inspections with enough time for the size of the property, and we can often fit bookings in within 5-7 days of instruction.

Surveyor Carries Out the Inspection

Our RICS-registered surveyor then visits the EH36 property and carries out a detailed visual inspection. Rural homes usually take 2-4 hours, depending on size, how many outbuildings there are, and access to all areas.

Digital Report Delivered

Your completed report is delivered digitally within five working days. It includes condition ratings for every element, a summary of the key findings, and our direct contact details in case you have follow-up questions.

Our Inspection Approach in EH36

When our surveyor arrives at an EH36 property, the inspection follows a set sequence that begins at the roof and moves methodically through every accessible part. For rural homes, that means walking the full perimeter, checking all outbuildings and looking at boundary features too, not just the main house on its own.

We take professional moisture meters to every survey, which lets us pick up damp readings in walls and floors that you would not see with the naked eye. In rural homes where damp has been present for a long time, historic staining may be hidden behind fresh decoration. Our meters give objective readings, and the report records them in full, whatever the interior finish may look like.

Where EH36 properties have access to the loft space, we inspect the roof structure from inside and look for leaks, poor insulation, timber decay or signs of pest infestation. For older rural homes, this is often one of the most valuable parts of the survey, because early roof problems usually show up here before they affect the rooms below.

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EH36 RICS Level 2 Survey Questions

How much does a RICS Level 2 survey cost for an EH36 property?

For EH36 properties, where sold prices over the last 12 months run from £363,000 to £450,000, a RICS Level 2 survey usually sits in the national average band of around £455 for homes in this price range. The final fee depends on the size of the property, its value, and how many outbuildings and ancillary structures need to be inspected. Use our online quote tool with your exact EH36 property address for a precise price, with no obligation to book.

Is a RICS Level 2 survey suitable for rural EH36 properties?

A Level 2 survey suits most EH36 homes in conventional condition, meaning they are not listed buildings, do not have complex structural alterations, and are not excessively large. For EH36 properties with substantial agricultural buildings, complicated roof structures, or anything that raises concern during a viewing, our surveyors may recommend a Level 3 Building Survey instead, as that gives a more detailed structural assessment. Call us if you are unsure about your property before booking.

How long does the inspection take for a rural EH36 property?

A typical EH36 rural property inspection takes between two and four hours, depending on the size of the main building, the number of outbuildings and how easy it is to reach every area. Larger detached homes with several outbuildings naturally take longer than a village cottage. After the site visit, our surveyor writes the full report and we send it digitally within five working days of the inspection.

What rural property issues does the Level 2 survey flag in EH36?

For EH36 homes, our surveyors give close attention to roofing condition, especially on older stone or slate-roofed buildings, along with damp penetration, timber decay in subfloor voids and outbuildings, and the condition of drainage systems. Rural properties in East Lothian sometimes rely on septic tanks or private drainage, and we flag any drainage access problems or signs of drainage failure that we find during the inspection. We also note any sign of structural movement or settlement in outbuildings or extensions.

Can a survey help me negotiate the price of an EH36 property?

Yes, a survey report can be a strong negotiating tool when it highlights defects. If our inspection of your EH36 property uncovers major roof repairs, damp issues or timber decay, you have a RICS-registered professional’s assessment to support a request for a price reduction. EH36 sold prices range from £363,000 to £450,000, so even a modest percentage cut can mean a meaningful saving. Many buyers find the survey cost is recovered many times over through negotiation alone.

Do I need to be present during the survey of my EH36 property?

You do not need to be there during the survey. Our surveyor just needs access to the property, usually arranged through the estate agent or the current owner. Once the inspection is finished, you receive the full written report digitally, and our surveyor is available by phone to go through any part of the findings. If you would like to attend, you are welcome to do so, though we ask that you do not distract the surveyor from the systematic assessment while the visit is under way.

What happens if the survey reveals serious issues with an EH36 property?

If our survey identifies serious defects, such as structural movement, active roof failure, major damp or serious timber decay, the report will mark these as condition rating 3, which means urgent attention is needed. From there, you can ask the seller to fix the defects before completion, negotiate a price reduction to reflect repair costs, request specialist reports from a structural engineer or damp specialist, or withdraw from the purchase. A formal RICS survey report gives you professional documentation to support whichever route you take.