Building Condition Survey Checklist

A building condition survey checklist gives a surveyor a consistent, element-by-element framework for assessing a building's condition and recording defects. Because a condition survey covers the whole building, a structured checklist ensures nothing is overlooked and findings can be graded and compared consistently.

Use this as a framework; the depth and the competence required depend on the building and the survey's purpose.

Survey details (header)

Building, address, and reference.
Date, surveyor, weather/access notes.
Purpose and scope of survey.

Structure

Foundations — visible signs of movement, settlement, or cracking.
Frame/load-bearing walls — condition, cracking, distortion.
Floors — level, condition, deflection.
Roof structure — condition, signs of movement or water damage.

External fabric

Roof coverings — condition, slipped/missing units, flashings.
Rainwater goods — gutters and downpipes condition and function.
External walls/cladding — condition, cracking, pointing, render.
Windows and external doors — condition, operation, seals.
External decoration — condition.
Damp — signs of penetrating or rising damp.

Internal fabric

Ceilings, walls, floors — condition and finishes.
Internal doors — condition and operation (note fire doors separately).
Staircases and balustrades — condition and safety.
Damp, mould, condensation — signs and locations.
Fixtures and fittings — condition.

Building services (high level / specialist where needed)

Heating and hot water — apparent condition and age.
Ventilation/HVAC — condition.
Electrical installation — apparent condition, age, evidence of testing.
Plumbing and drainage — condition, leaks.
Lifts — condition, servicing evidence.
Fire systems — apparent condition (cross-reference fire inspections).

External areas

Drainage — gullies, manholes, evidence of blockages.
Paving, car parks, access routes — condition, trip hazards.
Boundaries, fencing, gates — condition.
Landscaping affecting the building (e.g. trees, vegetation on walls).

For each element: grade and record

Condition grade (e.g. good / satisfactory / poor / bad).
Defect description and location.
Photo.
Priority/timescale (urgent / short / medium / long term).
Indicative remedial action (and cost, where required).

Turn findings into a plan

The checklist's output should feed a prioritised, costed schedule of work — the bridge from "here's the condition" to "here's the maintenance plan and budget." Grading and priority are what make this possible.

Capturing it digitally

A digital inspection tool lets the surveyor work through the checklist on a tablet, grade each element, attach photos, set priorities, and generate the structured report — then feed it into a planned maintenance programme and re-survey against the baseline later. This removes the paper-and-re-keying overhead and keeps a comparable record over time.

Key takeaways

A building condition survey checklist covers structure, external and internal fabric, services, and external areas — grading each element and recording defects with photos, priority, and remedial actions. Work through it consistently, grade everything, and turn the findings into a prioritised, costed maintenance plan. Capturing it digitally makes the survey faster and the record comparable over time.