Cost guide
How much does a home buyer health check cost?
A home buyer health check is a guided inspection of a property's gas, plumbing and heating systems, carried out by a qualified engineer before you complete on a purchase. It's carried out by a gas, plumbing or heating business, not by PlumbGrade, so the price is quoted by the business you book with.
What you'll pay
There's no single price: each business sets and quotes its own. The easiest way to find out is to ask a business near you for a quote for the property you're buying.
What affects the price
Every check follows the same structure, but how much there is to check depends on the property:
How many rooms there are
Plumbing is checked room by room, with each room’s radiators and fixtures graded individually, so a bigger home simply has more to check.
Which gas appliances are fitted
Boiler, hob and gas fire are each checked where present, along with pipework, flues and ventilation.
The heating and hot water set-up
The boiler’s make, model, age, condition, pressure and service history are recorded in full, and the hot water and water system are checked separately.
How it compares with a home survey
A home buyer health check isn't a structural survey (like a RICS Level 2 or 3 survey) and doesn't replace one. A survey is about the building; a health check focuses specifically on the gas, plumbing and heating systems inside it. Many buyers get both.
Health check vs home survey: which do you need? →What's included
Whatever the business charges, every check follows the same structure and includes:
- A guided digital checklist covering the exterior, gas, plumbing, boiler, hot water and water system
- A gas tightness test as part of the gas checks
- Photos of anything worth flagging, included in the report
- An overall Home Health Score out of 100
- A branded PDF report from the engineer’s own business, with digital signatures
How to book one near you
- Step 1
Find a business near you
Search the directory by town or area. Every business listed runs PlumbGrade and offers home buyer gas, plumbing & heating health checks.
- Step 2
Ask for a quote and book
Contact the business by phone or through their website, and book the check for the property.
- Step 3
Get your report
The engineer inspects on-site and sends you a branded PDF report with an overall Home Health Score.
When is a health check worth the cost?
Before you exchange
A hidden gas leak, a corroded pipe or an ageing boiler is far cheaper to know about before you exchange than after you move in.
When you want to negotiate
A clear, itemised report gives you real evidence to renegotiate the price or ask the seller to fix issues before completion.
When safety matters
Gas and heating faults can be dangerous as well as expensive. A proper check catches what a quick viewing never will.
For landlords between tenancies
A documented condition check alongside your annual Gas Safety Record, useful for insurance, disputes or reassuring a new tenant.
New to health checks? Read what a home buyer health check covers.