01 / Before making an offer
I’m thinking of making an offer.
Understand what your renovation, extension or modernisation plans could cost before deciding what to offer.
Budget My ImprovementsIndependent property cost advice
Know what the work could cost
before you buy.
Found a property that needs work? Our professionally reviewed construction cost reports help you understand the likely costs of repairs, renovations and extensions — so you can make a more informed decision before committing to your purchase.
Two moments. One clearer decision.
Where are you in the purchase?
Fictional demonstration page · not a real property or quotation
02 / After receiving your survey
I’ve had a survey.
Understand the likely cost of repairs and defects identified by your surveyor before deciding whether to proceed or renegotiate.
Cost My Survey FindingsSurvey and cost report
A construction cost report is not a building survey. You may need both.
A building survey helps you understand the condition of a property. Cost Before Keys helps you understand what the repairs and improvements you know about — or are considering — could cost.
Our professionally reviewed construction budgets complement the findings of your surveyor, helping you make sense of the potential financial commitment before buying.
A RICS building survey
- — Assesses property condition within the survey’s scope.
- — Identifies visible defects and potential concerns.
- — May recommend further investigations.
- — May provide repair-cost advice, depending on the service agreed.
- — Is undertaken by an appropriately qualified surveyor.
- — Provides professional condition-related advice.
A Cost Before Keys report
- — Reviews information supplied about the property.
- — Considers the buyer’s intended improvements.
- — Prepares indicative construction budgets.
- — Explains cost implications of reported defects.
- — Considers alternative construction approaches.
- — Identifies construction sequencing and cost dependencies.
- — Helps the buyer understand their potential expenditure.
- — Is professionally reviewed from a construction cost perspective.
Cost Before Keys does not replace an independent property survey, structural assessment, specialist investigation or property valuation.
The real purchase budget
The price of the house.
And the cost of making it yours.
Repairs, improvements, fees and contingency belong in the same financial picture — but not in the same column as the purchase price.
A total investment perspective helps you weigh affordability and make a more informed offer. We do not value the property or tell you what to offer.
Illustrative example · not a valuation
Property asking price£425,000
Essential repair allowances£17,500
Desired improvements£56,500
Professional & statutory fees£6,000
Contingency£4,500
Estimated total investment£509,500
Illustrative range £493,000 – £527,000
Purchase price is separate from construction allowances. This example excludes conveyancing, SDLT, finance and moving costs. It is not a recommended offer or market valuation.
Fictional demonstration page · not a real property or quotation
Inside your report
Detail you can
make decisions with.
Every item scoped and priced as a low–high range, with property-specific commentary, alternatives, phasing, a programme and the investigations to make before exchange. The sample runs to 22 pages.
- What your survey could mean financially
- Your estimated total investment
- Essential works and planned improvements
- Uncertainties, investigations and phasing
How we price
Construction costs that reflect your property and its location.
Our budgets are designed to be prepared using construction cost information relevant to the property’s location, the nature of the proposed works and the required specification — not one-size-fits-all national averages. Every assessment is reviewed by an experienced construction professional.
Each report states its pricing basis: the cost information used, its date and any location adjustments. Budget allowances are indicative ranges, not contractor quotations, and we do not obtain local quotations unless a report says so.
- 01Property location and regional construction costs
- 02Local labour and subcontractor rates, where supported by data
- 03Material and plant allowances
- 04Property age and construction
- 05Access and site conditions
- 06Nature and complexity of the works
- 07Specification requirements
- 08Contractor preliminaries and overheads
- 09Professional fees
- 10An appropriate contingency
The process
From questions to clarity.
- 01
Tell us about the property
Share the address, the listing details, the work you are considering, photographs and any documents you have. A building survey can be added if you already have one, but it is not required.
- 02
Choose your report
Pick the depth of assessment that suits your decision. The Snapshot is a concise initial budget check; the Comprehensive Report is a detailed construction cost assessment for buyers considering substantial works.
- 03
We prepare and review your assessment
Your information is reviewed and a construction cost report is prepared using relevant pricing information and professional construction expertise. AI may assist with preparation, but every report is professionally reviewed before release.
- 04
Receive your report
The approved PDF becomes available securely through your dashboard. The Comprehensive Report includes a 15-minute clarification call. Turnaround targets begin once we have sufficient information and the order is accepted.
Services & pricing
The right depth of advice.
From an initial sense-check to a comprehensive assessment. One property, your priorities, a considered financial picture.
Property Cost Snapshot
A concise initial budget assessment of likely repair or refurbishment expenditure before you make an offer.
24–48 working hours after all information is received · report length approx. 4–6 pages
For straightforward homes with a limited number of work items — not comprehensive refurbishments, complex extensions or extensive survey defects.
- Review of your particulars, photographs and documents
- Review of your proposed works
- Concise indicative construction cost ranges
- Significant assumptions and uncertainties
- Key construction considerations
- Priority works and potential expenditure
Recommended for major works
Comprehensive Property Cost Report
A detailed financial picture of the property you’re considering buying.
Our flagship report provides a comprehensive breakdown of likely construction expenditure, helping you understand what needs doing, what it could cost, how the work could be phased and where unnecessary spending might be avoided.
2–3 working days after all information is received · report length approx. 15–25 pages
View a Sample Comprehensive Report- Everything in the Snapshot
- Detailed property and customer brief
- Review of survey findings where supplied
- Itemised construction cost schedules
- Descriptive scopes of work
- Location-relevant pricing assumptions
- Alternative specifications and approaches
- Identification of potential duplicated expenditure
- Sequencing and recommended phasing
- Planning and Building Regulations considerations
- Matters needing specialist investigation
- Professional fee and contingency allowances
- Indicative construction programme
- Priority and urgency classifications
- Total purchase investment illustration
- Recommendations before exchange
- One 15-minute post-report clarification call
Site Visit & Detailed Assessment
A more detailed assessment of your proposed works, supported by a pre-arranged visit to the property.
Confirmed individually after the visit · report length supporting report
Available only where an experienced professional can attend; outside those areas you can send an enquiry. A visual construction cost assessment — not a RICS survey, structural inspection or defect diagnosis.
- Review of supplied property information
- Pre-arranged property visit
- Visual assessment of accessible areas relevant to the works
- Discussion of proposed improvements
- Detailed indicative construction cost assessment
- Access, sequencing and logistical considerations
Indicative construction budgets, not fixed-price contractor quotations. No VAT is charged on our fees; VAT on construction works is shown separately in reports. Online payment is not yet available.
Professional judgement
Technology organises.
People apply judgement.
The guided interview captures your brief. It does not invent construction prices. Professional review is essential to challenge assumptions, distinguish repair from investigation, and approve any cost advice before it is issued.
About the practiceFor property professionals
The financial context
beside your advice.
For RICS surveyors, independent buying agents, estate agents, mortgage brokers and property solicitors: independent construction cost advice to complement your client’s survey and purchase decisions. We do not replace surveys or specialist inspections, value property, or promise a seller will reduce their price.
Discuss a professional referral ↗A clearer next step