If you need a mortgage to buy your new home, then your mortgage lender will ask that a valuation be conducted on the property, before they determine whether they will approve your mortgage offer or not.
There are three different types of home surveys available. The survey your lender will request to be made, is dependent on the type of property you are looking to buy. For peace of mind, you can however pay to have a full structural survey carried out on your property, before you commit to buying it.
Home condition survey: Most basic and cheapest survey, often used for new-builds
Homebuyer's report: More thorough, as it evaluates the inside and outside of the property
Building survey: A complete survey that assesses the full structure of the property, generally used for older or unusual properties.