Check Your Building Sum Insured Before A Claim Tests It
Why The Right Rebuild Value Matters
Your rebuild cost is not the same as your market value. It is the estimated cost of rebuilding the property, including labour, materials and relevant reinstatement costs.
If your building sum insured is too low, you may be underinsured. That can lead to a shortfall if you need to make a major claim. If the figure is too high, you may be paying for cover you do not need.
Exactum helps you replace guesswork with a clearer, evidence-based rebuild value for insurance purposes.
Why Choose Exactum?
Clear Reports. Trusted Data. Practical Advice.
Exactum provides rebuild cost assessments for domestic, commercial and portfolio properties. Our reports are designed to be clear enough for property owners and useful enough for brokers, insurers and property professionals.
Our assessments use trusted BCIS rebuild cost data, property research and professional judgement. Exactum is regulated by RICS, giving clients a stronger level of professional reassurance when checking their insurance position.
We provide desktop and site survey options depending on the property type, complexity and level of detail needed.
- BCIS-based rebuild calculations
- Regulated by RICS
- Desktop and site survey options
- Reports for insurance purposes
- UK-wide service
- Support for homeowners, landlords, brokers, managing agents and commercial property owners
- Clear reports to help review your building sum insured
Desktop Assessment Or Site Survey?
Which Suits You Best?
Not every property needs a site visit. Some buildings can be assessed using desktop research, mapping, property data, imagery and professional cost analysis. More complex properties may need an in-person survey.
A desktop assessment is usually suitable for standard homes, smaller commercial units and straightforward properties where reliable information is available. It is often quicker, more cost-effective and does not normally require a visit.
A site survey is usually better for listed, older, extended, high-value, commercial or unusual buildings. It allows the property to be inspected in person, which can reduce uncertainty where layout, construction or specification may affect the rebuild value.
Desktop Rebuild Assessments
Ideal for standard homes, smaller commercial units, and straightforward layouts. We carry these out remotely using high-resolution imagery, planning records, and modelling tools. It’s quick, efficient, and cost-effective.
Choose A Desktop Assessment If:
- The property is of standard construction
- You need a quicker insurance-ready report
- The layout and size can be checked remotely
- There are no major unusual features
- You want a cost-effective way to review your sum insured
Site Rebuild Assessments
Best suited to larger, architecturally complex, listed, or modified properties. One of our expert surveyors will visit your property in person, which ensures a full inspection of the structure, finish, and features.
Choose A Site Survey If:
- The property is listed, older, extended or heavily altered
- The building has unusual construction or specialist finishes
- The property is high-value, commercial or mixed-use
- Access, layout or specification may affect the rebuild value
- You need a more detailed inspection before reporting
What Your Exactum Report Includes
What We Review Before Calculating Your Rebuild Value
Your report gives you a clearer rebuild value for insurance purposes. Depending on the property and report type, Exactum may consider:
- Property size and layout
- Construction type
- Age and specification
- Location
- Standard of finish
- Extensions and outbuildings
- Demolition and site clearance
- Professional fees
- Access constraints
- Listed or non-standard features
- Current BCIS rebuild cost data
The aim is simple: to give you a more reliable figure for your building sum insured.
How Much Does A Report Cost?
Clear Pricing Based On The Property And Report Type
Exactum offers desktop and site-based report options depending on the property type, complexity and level of detail needed.
Desktop reports are usually the quickest and most cost-effective option for standard properties. Site surveys are better for listed, unusual, high-value, commercial or more complex buildings.
Prices start from £125 + VAT for a desktop report. Site survey pricing depends on the property type, location and level of detail required.
How Long Does A Rebuild Cost Report Take?
Most desktop reports are completed within 5 working days once we have the required property information and the order has been submitted.
Site survey timescales depend on access, property type and survey complexity. If your property is unusual, high-value, listed or commercial, we will explain the likely timeframe before the assessment begins.
This gives you a clear next step without leaving the report process open-ended.
More
Services
Rebuild Cost Assessments
Avoid the significant financial shock of underinsurance. Our professional reports provide the accurate reinstatement values you need for your policy - ensuring full protection when you need it most.
Portfolio Assessments for Brokers & Landlords
Manage multiple properties? We offer scalable solutions for brokers and landlords seeking consistent, high-quality assessments across portfolios.
Insurance Compliance Support
Ensure your policies meet current regulatory standards. We’ll help you stay in line with FCA guidance and RICS expectations - giving your clients the assurance they deserve.
About Us
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We work closely with insurance brokers, underwriters, and property professionals across the UK to provide accurate and up-to-date rebuild cost assessments based on trusted BCIS data. Our goal is simple: reduce the risk of underinsurance, protect assets, and support smarter decision-making for both individual clients and commercial partners.
Rebuild Cost Reports For Property Owners And Professionals
Support For Homes, Let Properties, Portfolios And Commercial Buildings
Homeowners
We help homeowners check whether their property is insured for a realistic rebuild value. This is useful when renewing a policy, buying a property, reviewing cover or replacing an outdated estimate.
Landlords
We help landlords review rebuild values across single properties or larger portfolios. This can reduce the risk of cover gaps and support better insurance records.
Insurance Brokers
We help brokers give clients a clearer route to checking their building sum insured. Reports can support more informed renewal conversations and reduce reliance on historic estimates.
Managing Agents
We support managing agents who need rebuild cost assessments for blocks, mixed-use buildings or managed property portfolios.
Commercial Property Owners
We provide desktop and site-based options for offices, shops, industrial units and other commercial buildings where accurate reinstatement values are important.
From Property Details To Clear Report
A Straightforward Process From Enquiry To Completed Report
The process is designed to be straightforward.
- Choose your report type
Select a domestic desktop report, commercial desktop report, domestic site survey or commercial site survey. - Send the property details
We collect the information needed to assess the property properly. - Research and assessment
Exactum reviews the property information, available data and relevant rebuild cost factors. - Report preparation
Your report is prepared in a clear, insurance-ready format. - Report delivery
You receive your report within the agreed timeframe. - Support if needed
If anything needs explaining, we can clarify the report and help you understand the next step.
Each report is reviewed before issue so the final document is clear, practical and suitable for its intended purpose.
Desktop Reports or Site Survey?
Domestic Desktop Reports
Fast, reliable professional property insights delivered without the need for a site visit.
Commercial Desktop Reports
Clear, cost-effective commercial property assessments based on expert desktop analysis.
Domestic Site Surveys
Detailed on-site surveys providing homeowners with accurate, dependable property reports.
Commercial Site Surveys
Professional on-site inspections delivering in-depth intelligence for commercial properties.
Why It Matters
Understanding Rebuild Cost Assessments
A Rebuild Cost Assessment (RCA) determines how much it would cost to completely rebuild your property from the ground up - materials, labour, planning, everything. It's not tied to market value or how much your property might sell for, but to the real-world cost of reinstatement after a total loss.
This figure directly influences your insurance. If it’s too low, you're underinsured; too high, you may be paying unnecessarily large premiums. Our assessments aim to get that number right - nothing more, nothing less.
The Risk of Underinsurance (and How to Avoid It)
The Risk of Underinsurance (and How to Avoid It)
Underinsurance affects more properties than most realise.
Many properties are found to be underinsured when their rebuild value is properly reviewed. If your building sum insured is too low and you need to make a claim, your insurer may not cover the full cost of reinstatement.
If you're underinsured and need to make a claim, insurers may only cover a portion of the cost, leaving you to bridge the gap.
Our BCIS-based reports are prepared by a RICS-regulated firm, helping you make a clearer decision about your building sum insured. We remove the guesswork so you can be confident your cover reflects the rebuild reality.
Example Rebuild Cost Assessment
A client with a four-bedroom detached property in Surrey had an original building sum insured of £275,000.
After assessment, the rebuild value was calculated at £395,000.
That difference mattered. If the property had suffered a major loss while insured at the lower figure, the client could have faced a significant shortfall. After receiving the report, the client was able to update their policy with a more realistic rebuild value.
This is the purpose of a professional report: to give you a clearer figure before a problem arises.
Clear Answers Before You Take The Next Step.
Have Questions? Let’s Talk
If you’re unsure where to start, we’re here to help.
Whether it’s clarifying BCIS data, choosing between a desktop or site-based assessment, or just understanding how your insurer will use the report, ask us.
We’re RICS professionals, but we also understand that not everyone speaks “surveying.” We aim to keep things clear, practical, and helpful from first contact to final report.
Order Your Report Or Speak To Exactum
Choose The Right Report With Confidence
If you need to check your building sum insured, Exactum can help you choose the right report.
For straightforward properties, a desktop assessment may be enough. For complex, high-value, listed or commercial buildings, a site survey may be the better route.
Order your report online or speak to Exactum first if you are unsure which option you need.
