Desktop Assessment
Desktop reinstatement cost assessment.
Wherever your property sits in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, our RICS‑regulated surveyors calculate your rebuild figure from property records and cost data alone, ideal for buy‑to‑let landlords, homeowners and standard commercial units who need an insurer‑ready sum insured without arranging site access.
What it is
A full rebuild cost, without the site visit.
A desktop reinstatement cost assessment establishes the true cost of rebuilding your property from scratch, not its market value. Rather than sending a surveyor to site, we draw on detailed property records, floor area data and live cost data from the Building Cost Information Service (BCIS), the construction industry’s benchmark for build costs originally established by RICS, to reach an accurate, defensible figure for the property’s location.
For the majority of standard‑construction homes and commercial units, this is the fastest and most cost‑effective route to a RICS‑regulated sum insured. Every figure is produced by the same RICS‑regulated surveyors, using the same recognised BCIS cost data, and is widely accepted by insurers for standard, common‑construction property.
In line with the RICS professional standard for reinstatement cost assessment, we recommend the figure is refreshed at least every three years, with annual index‑linking in between, so your sum insured keeps pace with construction costs (RICS).
Behind every desktop reinstatement cost assessment is a dedicated RICS‑regulated surveyor, focused entirely on your property’s rebuild cost. With more than 50 years of combined experience in reinstatement cost assessments, our desktop figures give you a robust, defensible sum insured for standard property. For listed, non‑standard, complex or high‑value buildings, where a physical inspection captures detail a desktop review cannot, we always recommend an on‑site survey.
How it works
Four steps, forty‑eight hours.
Step 1
You instruct us
Send the property address and a few basic details. No appointment or access to the building is needed.
Step 2
We gather the data
We pull property records, floor areas and construction details, then apply live BCIS cost indices for the property’s location.
Step 3
We calculate the rebuild
A RICS surveyor produces a full rebuild figure covering demolition, professional fees and regulations.
Step 4
You receive the report
A broker‑ready, RICS‑regulated report lands in your inbox within 48 hours, ready for your insurer.
Who needs it
Ideal for standard UK property.
Homeowners & landlords
Standard houses and flats where a fast, accurate rebuild figure protects against underinsurance.
Buy‑to‑let & HMOs
Portfolio landlords who need compliant sums insured across multiple standard units nationwide.
Retail & warehouse units
Straightforward commercial premises of standard construction with no listed status.
Brokers & managing agents
Professionals needing a quick, defensible figure to place or renew cover with confidence.
Why it matters
Underinsurance is a nationwide problem.
Rebuild costs have risen sharply right across the UK, and it is not a blip. UK inflation hit a 41‑year high of 11.1% in October 2022 (ITV News), driven largely by the surge in energy prices that followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. That energy shock fed straight into construction: UK steel prices jumped by around 50%, and the cost of energy‑intensive materials such as brick, cement and glass climbed with it (Building).
The BCIS Materials Cost Index shows construction material prices up more than 20% since 2020, with reinforcing steel bar rising 38% and pre‑cast concrete around 26% year on year (BCIS). More recently, Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping have forced vessels the long way around the Cape of Good Hope, adding up to 20 days to journeys and pushing up the cost of imported building materials again (Building). A sum insured based on a purchase price, a mortgage valuation, or an old online calculator almost always understates today’s real cost of rebuilding.
Most policies apply a condition of average: if you are insured for less than the true rebuild cost, the insurer can cut your claim by the same proportion, even on a small loss. A desktop RICS assessment closes that gap quickly and gives you a figure you can stand behind at renewal.
What’s included
More than walls and a roof.
Hover or tap each item for a plain‑English explanation.
- foundationThe full rebuild of the propertyRebuilding the whole structure from the ground up, foundations, walls, roof and floors, to today’s standards, not just patching up damage.
- deleteDemolition and debris removalSafely clearing and disposing of what’s left after a total loss, which has to happen before any rebuilding can begin.
- architectureProfessional and design feesThe architects, engineers and surveyors needed to design and sign off the rebuild, often 10–15% of the total cost.
- gavelBuilding‑regulation complianceMeeting current building regulations, which are usually stricter than when the property was first built.
- fenceOutbuildings and boundariesGarages, sheds, walls, fences and gates that also have to be rebuilt or replaced.
- trending_upInflation over the rebuild periodAn allowance for building costs rising while the claim is settled and the work is carried out.
UK‑wide coverage
Anywhere in the UK, remotely assessed.
Because a desktop assessment needs no physical visit, we cover the whole of the UK with the same speed and accuracy, from London and the South East to the Midlands, the North, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- London
- Manchester
- Birmingham
- Leeds
- Liverpool
- Bristol
- Sheffield
- Newcastle
- Nottingham
- Leicester
- Southampton
- Brighton
- Cardiff
- Edinburgh
- Glasgow
- Belfast
Frequently Asked Questions.
Common questions about desktop reinstatement cost assessments for UK property.
What is a desktop reinstatement cost assessment?
A desktop reinstatement cost assessment is a RICS‑regulated calculation of what it would cost to rebuild your property, produced remotely without a site visit. Our surveyors use property records, floor area data and live BCIS construction cost indices to establish an accurate rebuild figure for your buildings insurance sum insured.
Is a desktop assessment accurate enough for my property?
For standard‑construction houses, flats, buy‑to‑let units, HMOs, retail units and warehouses anywhere in the UK, a desktop assessment is accurate, cost‑effective and accepted by insurers. Listed buildings, non‑standard construction and complex or high‑value properties are better suited to an on‑site survey where full detail can be captured.
How quickly can you deliver a desktop assessment?
Most desktop reinstatement cost assessments are delivered within 48 hours of instruction. Expedited turnaround is available on request if you are working to a renewal deadline.
Will my insurer accept a desktop RICS assessment?
For standard‑construction property, yes. Every desktop assessment is RICS‑regulated and BCIS‑indexed, prepared to be broker‑ready and widely accepted by insurers as evidence of an accurate sum insured. For listed, non‑standard, complex or high‑value buildings, an on‑site survey is the more appropriate route and some insurers will expect one.
Where in the UK do you cover?
The whole of the UK. Because a desktop assessment needs no physical site visit, we assess properties in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland with the same speed and accuracy, from London and the South East to the Midlands, the North and beyond.