A home survey can run to dozens of pages, with every part of the building given a condition rating. Knowing what those ratings mean, and which items a general contractor can deal with, makes it much easier to budget, negotiate or plan the first months in a new home. Voltify Contractors provides property maintenance in Woolwich as part of its documented SE18 coverage, including plumbing, electrical repairs, decorating and general repairs, and can quote for the survey items that fall within that work.
What the condition ratings mean
RICS Home Survey reports rate each element of the property on the same scale. The wording below is taken from the RICS Level 3 report template.
| Rating | What RICS says | What it means for planning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No repair is currently needed; the property must be maintained in the normal way. | Nothing to budget for now beyond routine upkeep. |
| 2 | Defects that need repairing or replacing but are not considered serious or urgent. | Add to a repair list and get prices, but they rarely need doing before you move in. |
| 3 | Defects that are serious and/or need to be repaired, replaced or investigated urgently. | Get these investigated and quoted before you commit to the purchase. |
| NI | Not inspected. | Ask the seller about it, or arrange a check if it matters, such as a covered-up electrical cupboard. |
Which survey items a contractor can price
Survey reports group their findings by part of the building. Some sections lead straight to a trade Voltify Contractors covers; others need a specialist first.
| Survey finding | Where it usually goes |
|---|---|
| Leaking taps, WC or waste pipes; poor water pressure at an outlet; a missing stopcock label | Plumbing repairs |
| Damaged sockets or switches, dated light fittings, no RCD protection | Electrical services. Where the surveyor recommends an inspection of the whole installation, arrange that first so repairs can be priced from its findings. |
| Cracked plaster, worn decorations, damaged skirting or architraves | Painting and decorating |
| Sticking internal doors, loose handrails, worn kitchen fittings, missing extractor fans in a bathroom or kitchen | Handyman and property maintenance, or electrical work for the fan |
| Roof coverings, chimneys, structural cracks, rising damp, drainage, timber decay | A specialist investigation first. Decorating or making good can follow once the cause has been dealt with. |
| Boiler, gas supply or flue | A Gas Safe registered engineer. Gas work is not among the services Voltify Contractors lists. |
Getting quotes before you exchange
The RICS report template advises buyers to obtain written quotations for repairs before they are legally committed to the purchase, and to get at least two quotations from experienced contractors. That timing matters: once contracts are exchanged, the cost of any repair is yours.
If you do not own the property yet, a visit to price the work has to be arranged with the seller or estate agent. When you get in touch, send the relevant pages of the report, or the survey item numbers, with any photos the surveyor included, and say who holds the keys. Grouping items by trade in this way usually produces a clearer quote than a single list of everything.
Sellers who receive a buyer’s survey can use the same approach to decide whether to fix an item or negotiate on price.
Working with Voltify Contractors in Woolwich
Standard working hours are 7am–5pm, Monday to Friday. The documented standard minimum call-out is £80 for the first hour; larger survey repairs are priced on the work and materials involved. If an item turns out to be urgent, such as an active leak or scorched socket, out-of-hours emergency call-outs are available at different pricing. Call 020 3411 1855 or email info@voltifycontractors.co.uk.
Woolwich is part of the SE18 coverage that also includes Plumstead, Plumstead Common, Shooters Hill and the Royal Arsenal, and Voltify also serves SE10 areas such as Greenwich. See all areas we cover or our full range of services.
