UK market rates · What affects the fee
Typical UK fees by asset type, what changes the price, and how valuation costs are handled by the estate.
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How much does a probate valuation cost? A probate valuation in the UK typically costs between £40 and £500 depending on the asset. Jewellery and watches usually cost £50–£150 per item, art and paintings £75–£200, antique home visits £100–£300, classic cars £150–£400, gold £40–£100 and a RICS property valuation £150–£500. Most executors with a typical estate pay £350–£1,600 in total.
These are indicative market rates rather than our fees. Each valuer sets its own price and will quote once it knows the assets, location and report scope. For an overview of when a valuation is worth obtaining, see our guide to probate valuations.
Fees vary with the type of asset, its complexity and whether a home visit is required. The ranges below reflect current market rates charged by independent valuers across the UK.
| Asset type | Typical cost | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Jewellery | £50–£150 per item | Inspection, hallmark analysis, gemstone grading, comparable auction research, written report |
| Watches | £50–£150 per watch | Reference verification, condition assessment, box and papers check, auction research |
| Art & Paintings | £75–£200 per piece | Attribution assessment, condition report, provenance research, comparable auction results |
| Antiques | £100–£300 per visit | Home visit, room-by-room assessment, individual and grouped valuations, photographs |
| Classic Cars | £150–£400 per vehicle | Physical inspection, matching numbers check, documentation review, specialist market research |
| Gold & Precious Metals | £40–£100 per assessment | Precision weighing, purity testing, LBMA spot price reference, numismatic assessment |
| Coins & Medals | £60–£200 per collection | Identification by date, mint and grade, bullion calculation, numismatic and medal research, itemised report |
| Property | £150–£500 per property | RICS surveyor inspection, measurement, comparable sales research, Red Book report |
| House Contents | £100–£300 per visit | Room-by-room home visit, items listed individually where required, grouped residue figure, IHT407 schedule |
| Shares & Investments | £75–£300 per portfolio | Quarter-up pricing of quoted holdings, dividend accruals, unquoted share valuations, IHT411/412 schedules |
| Whole Estate | £350–£1,600 per estate | Property, contents and specialist valuations coordinated across the estate |
Ranges are indicative and vary by location and complexity. Many valuers reduce the per-item rate when several items are assessed in a single appointment.
A single diamond ring is quicker to assess than a mixed antique collection spanning several periods. Old Master paintings, rare watch references and unusual gemstones attract higher fees because of the research needed to establish a defensible Open Market Value.
Furniture, full house contents, classic cars and property normally need an in-person inspection. Smaller items can often be assessed from detailed photographs. A single visit covering jewellery, art and antiques together costs less than separate appointments.
Valuers commonly quote a reduced rate per item for a collection assessed in one appointment — ten pieces of jewellery might be £300–£500 in total rather than £50–£150 each. Ask how unidentified items and work outside the agreed scope are charged.
Fees can run higher in London and the South East, and travel is sometimes charged separately beyond a set radius. Standard turnaround is commonly 5–10 working days; expedited work costs more, so start early if the six-month Inheritance Tax deadline is close.
Three worked examples based on common estate compositions.
Property valuation, three pieces of jewellery, one watch
| Property valuation (RICS) | £200–£350 |
| Jewellery (3 items) | £100–£200 |
| Watch (1 item) | £50–£100 |
| Estimated total | £350–£650 |
Property valuation, jewellery collection, several paintings, antique furniture home visit
| Property valuation (RICS) | £250–£500 |
| Jewellery (8–10 items) | £200–£400 |
| Paintings (4–6 works) | £200–£400 |
| Antiques home visit | £150–£300 |
| Estimated total | £800–£1,600 |
Two properties, jewellery and watches, art collection, antiques, classic car, gold coins
| Property valuations (2 × RICS) | £400–£800 |
| Jewellery and watches (15+ items) | £400–£700 |
| Art collection (10+ works) | £400–£800 |
| Antiques home visit (full house) | £200–£400 |
| Classic car | £200–£400 |
| Gold coins and bullion | £60–£100 |
| Estimated total | £1,660–£3,200 |
All figures are illustrative estimates. Actual costs depend on the items, their complexity and the valuers instructed.
Estate accounting
The estate bears the cost, not the executor personally. A properly incurred valuation fee is ordinarily paid from estate funds, and where an executor pays first, the payment and reimbursement should be recorded in the estate accounts.
Valuation fees are not deductible for Inheritance Tax. HMRC's IHT400 notes state that fees incurred in dealing with the estate, including fees for valuing assets, cannot be deducted when calculating Inheritance Tax.
What does move the tax figure is the valuation basis. Open Market Value at the date of death is usually well below an insurance replacement figure, so using the correct basis — rather than copying across an old insurance valuation — is what keeps the estate from being overstated.
For estate-specific tax or accounting advice, speak to a probate solicitor, accountant or tax adviser.
A cheaper quote sometimes simply excludes work another valuer has included. Ask for these points in writing so you can compare like for like.
Costs vary by asset type: jewellery and watches typically £50–£150 per item, art £75–£200, antiques £100–£300 per visit, classic cars £150–£400, gold £40–£100 and a RICS property valuation £150–£500. Most executors with a typical estate pay £350–£1,600 in total. Valuers set their own fees, so ask for a written quote covering scope, VAT and travel before instructing.
The estate pays, not you personally — a properly incurred valuation fee is ordinarily met from estate funds and recorded in the estate accounts. It is not deducted when calculating Inheritance Tax: HMRC's IHT400 notes exclude fees incurred in dealing with the estate, including valuation fees.
Fees reflect the valuer's expertise, the inspection and research needed, and the scope of the report. A low-cost opinion with little supporting evidence may not answer HMRC's questions if the figure is reviewed. Check relevant experience, verify any professional membership, ask about insurance, and confirm exactly what the written report includes.
Usually, yes. Many valuers quote a reduced per-item rate for a collection assessed in a single appointment — ten pieces of jewellery might be £300–£500 in total rather than £50–£150 each. It is not universal, so ask how additional items, specialist referrals and research outside the original scope are charged.
A RICS probate property valuation typically costs £150–£500 depending on property type, value and complexity — standard residential at the lower end, unusual properties, agricultural land or commercial premises higher. Ask whether a Red Book report is appropriate, and whether VAT, travel and responses to Valuation Office Agency queries are included. The estate can pay the fee, but it is not deducted when calculating Inheritance Tax.
No — not for the Inheritance Tax calculation. HMRC's IHT400 notes say fees incurred in dealing with the estate, including fees for valuing assets, cannot be deducted when working out Inheritance Tax. The fee is still paid by the estate rather than the executor personally. What does reduce an overstated estate figure is valuing at Open Market Value instead of a higher insurance replacement value.
An estate agent may offer a market appraisal, sometimes without charge, but the purpose and evidence can differ from a formal date-of-death valuation. Ask the solicitor or tax adviser what evidence is proportionate. For material, unusual or potentially taxable property, consider whether a suitably experienced RICS valuer and a Red Book report are appropriate. No credential guarantees that HMRC or the VOA will accept a figure without questions.
Read our full guide: estate agent vs RICS valuations for probateMost executors with a typical estate — a property and a handful of personal items — pay between £350 and £1,600 in total. A larger estate with multiple properties, collections or a classic car costs more. Confirm which assets and reports are included, whether each specialist contracts separately, and the full estimate including VAT and travel. Fees are paid by the estate but are not deducted when calculating Inheritance Tax.
There is no official average, and HMRC does not publish one. Ordinary household contents — furniture, appliances, everyday possessions — are valued at what they would realistically fetch if sold, which for most estates comes to a modest figure in the hundreds or low thousands of pounds, far below insurance replacement cost. What moves the total is individual items of genuine value: jewellery, art, antiques, watches or collections, which should be identified and valued in their own right rather than absorbed into a general contents estimate. A room-by-room walk-through is the usual way to separate the two.
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