RICS Home Reports vs Whole House Plans: What UK Homeowners Should Know Before Retrofitting or Buying
Buying a home or planning a retrofit? You’ll probably come across two types of reports: the RICS Home Report and the Whole House Plan. They might sound similar, but they’re built for very different jobs.
One helps you spot cracks in the walls. The other helps you stop heat escaping through them.
Knowing which is which (and when to use them) can save you time, money, and a whole load of hassle.
What is a RICS Home Report?
If you’ve ever bought a house, you’ve probably seen one.
RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) offers three levels of survey:
- Level 1: Condition Report – A basic snapshot. Good for newer homes with no obvious issues.
- Level 2: HomeBuyer Report – A more detailed look at the property’s condition and any urgent repairs.
- Level 3: Building Survey – The deep dive. Ideal for older, unusual, or fixer-upper homes.
These reports are designed to help you decide whether a property is structurally sound, not whether it’s energy efficient.
Where RICS Home Reports fall short
RICS surveyors are great at spotting cracks, leaks, and dodgy roofs. But when it comes to energy upgrades? That’s not their wheelhouse.
Here’s why:
- They’re not retrofit or energy specialists.
Though you might get advice on structural and visible defects, you won’t get detailed advice on insulation, ventilation, or heating systems – let alone on how to sequence improvements. - They can’t see what’s hidden.
Wall cavities, roof insulation, underfloor voids – all the places critical to energy performance where heat might escape – are often out of scope or inaccessible during standard surveys. - They don’t cover compliance.
Building Regs like Part L (energy) and Part F (ventilation)? Planning permission for solar panels or external insulation? Not included.
Enter the Whole House Plan
A Whole House Plan is like a retrofit roadmap for your home, outlining the measures you need to get your home as energy-efficient as possible. It’s created by a qualified retrofit coordinator (PAS 2035) and is tailored to your home, your goals, and your budget.
It includes:
- A detailed energy assessment – Heat loss calculations, insulation checks, heating system reviews, ventilation analysis — all covered.
- Prioritised retrofit measures – What to do, when to do it, and why it matters. Think insulation, heat pumps, moisture control, and ventilation — all sequenced to avoid nasty surprises like condensation or overheating.
- Compliance and planning guidance – Making sure everything ticks the boxes for Building Regs and planning permission, so you don’t get caught out by red tape.
- A phased approach – So you don’t blow your budget or retrofit yourself into a corner.
- Help finding trusted installers – Ideally TrustMark/MCS certified or equivalent.
If you’re curious and would like to learn more, why not start exploring your retrofit options with our free online tool? It’s quick, easy and built for busy homeowners.
👉 Create your free home retrofit plan in minutes
Why Whole House Plans Matter
Retrofitting is more than just adding insulation to your loft or swapping your crusty boiler out for a flashy new heat pump. A Whole House Plan will show you how your current (and future) home works as a system, taking into account the measures that work for you and your home – so you can improve your home’s energy efficiency and comfort without causing a whole host of new problems down the line.
Without a Whole House Plan:
- You might install upgrades that clash, like airtight insulation without ventilation (hello, mould!).
- You could waste money on measures that don’t deliver.
- You risk falling foul of regulations, which can cause headaches when selling or remortgaging.
Think of it like renovating a kitchen. You wouldn’t fit the worktops before running the plumbing, right? Same goes for retrofits. The order matters.
Can you use both? Absolutely.
Here’s how a RICS Home Report and a Whole House Plan work together:
- Use a RICS Home Report when buying a property. It’ll flag structural issues and help you avoid nasty surprises.
- Use a Whole House Plan when planning energy upgrades. It’ll guide you through the retrofit process with confidence.
And if you’re buying a fixer-upper with retrofit in mind? Get both. One tells you what’s wrong. The other tells you how to make it more cosy and carbon-efficient – safely, legally, and cost-effectively.
Ready to take the next step? Get a tailored Ecofurb Plan – a Whole House Plan for your home, designed by Ecofurb’s PAS2035-qualified Retrofit Coordinator team.
👉 Get a tailored Ecofurb Plan for your home
The bottom line
RICS Reports and Whole House Plans aren’t in competition, they complement each other. One helps you get savvy about what you’re buying. The other helps you map out the work you need to do to get your home future-proof.
If you’re serious about making your home warmer in winter, cooler in summer and greener all-year-round, don’t stop at a structural survey. Get an Ecofurb Plan for the full picture. Your future self will thank you!
🔎 Explore your retrofit options with the Ecofurb Options tool
👉 Or get started with a tailored Ecofurb Plan