University Profile
Want to skip uni? Become a house detective without a degree.
Qualify as a residential surveyor and join the league of house detectives inspecting people’s homes for issues and defects and giving homebuyers and owners peace of mind.
What does a residential surveyor actually do?
For as long as properties are bought and sold, residential surveyors will always be in demand!
Typically, a residential surveyor is commissioned by homebuyers or owners looking to find out more about a property. Maybe they’re considering buying a new home or they’ve spotted something that doesn’t look right in their current one. As a surveyor, it’s your job to inspect the property, uncover any issues and report back to keep your client informed. Here’s what a typical day might look like…
• Carry out desktop research
Start by researching the property you’re about to visit. Using a variety of tools, you can find out a lot about a house before you arrive, from property age to construction type.
• Visit your client’s property
Once your desktop research is done, you’ll head out to the property to do your inspection, taking measurements and surveying the property inside and out. But what does this entail?
• Uncover risks and defects
You’ll be trained to spot anything likely to cause issues for those living in or around that property e.g. damp and condensation, cracks in the walls, invasive plants in the garden. Once you spot an issue, you can follow the evidence trail to find out its origins!
• Write up your report
Record your findings and share these with your client. For homebuyers, this helps them decide if the issues you’ve found are small enough to remedy, large enough to mean they can negotiate on house price or too big to handle, resulting in them choosing not to proceed with the purchase.
Why train through the Sava School of Surveying?
Whilst a degree in a property-related subject can start you on your journey to becoming a residential surveyor, the learning is often broad and theory-based, taking 3-5 years before you can enter into a full-time surveying role. With the Sava School of Surveying, you can be qualified in just 24 months through the Diploma in Residential Surveying and Valuation – an accredited programme focused on residential property.