Building Surveys for London Victorian Terraces: Choosing the Right Survey and What to Expect

THE ROYAL INSTITUTION OF CHARTERED SURVEYORS (RICS) DEFINES THREE SURVEY LEVELS FOR RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES:

RICS LEVEL 1 (CONDITION REPORT): A BASIC TRAFFIC-LIGHT ASSESSMENT OF THE CONDITION OF ELEMENTS. NO ADVICE, NO COMMENTARY ON CAUSES OR REMEDIES. NOT APPROPRIATE FOR VICTORIAN PROPERTIES. COST: £200-400. AVOID FOR ANY PERIOD PROPERTY.

RICS LEVEL 2 (HOMEBUYER REPORT): A STANDARD FORMAT REPORT WITH TRAFFIC-LIGHT RATINGS (CONDITION 1, 2, 3) AND BRIEF COMMENTARY. INCLUDES VALUATION (OPTIONAL). APPROPRIATE FOR: CONVENTIONAL PROPERTIES IN REASONABLE CONDITION WITH NO MAJOR ALTERATIONS. FOR A LONDON VICTORIAN TERRACE: A LEVEL 2 IS ADEQUATE ONLY FOR A PROPERTY IN GOOD CONDITION THAT HAS BEEN RECENTLY RENOVATED AND WHERE NO SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURAL ISSUES ARE SUSPECTED. FOR AN UNMODIFIED, OLDER, OR PROBLEMATIC VICTORIAN TERRACE, A LEVEL 3 IS MORE APPROPRIATE.

RICS LEVEL 3 (BUILDING SURVEY — FORMERLY KNOWN AS FULL STRUCTURAL SURVEY): THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE SURVEY TYPE. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ALL ACCESSIBLE ELEMENTS; ASSESSMENT OF DEFECTS AND THEIR LIKELY CAUSES; RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REPAIR; AND ADVICE ON HIDDEN DEFECTS AND RISKS. NO STANDARD FORMAT — SURVEYOR DESCRIBES IN THEIR OWN WORDS. APPROPRIATE FOR: VIRTUALLY ALL UNMODIFIED OR PART-MODIFIED LONDON VICTORIAN TERRACES.

WHY A LEVEL 3 IS USUALLY BEST FOR VICTORIAN TERRACES: VICTORIAN TERRACES HAVE: - ORIGINAL FABRIC 100-150 YEARS OLD (LIME MORTAR, TIMBER FLOORS, SINGLE-SKIN WALLS, SLATE ROOFS) - LIKELY MULTIPLE MODIFICATIONS (EXTENSIONS, CONVERSIONS, REWIRES, REPLUMBING — ALL AT VARIOUS QUALITY LEVELS) - LONDON CLAY MOVEMENT (SUBSIDENCE, HEAVE, AND SETTLEMENT RISK — INFLUENCED BY TREES) - DAMP AND DRAINAGE ISSUES (PARTICULARLY IN CELLARS AND BACK ADDITIONS) - STRUCTURAL ALTERATIONS (STEEL BEAMS, REMOVED WALLS) THAT MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY CONSENTED AND DESIGNED A LEVEL 3 SURVEYOR HAS THE DEPTH TO INVESTIGATE AND COMMENT ON ALL OF THESE ISSUES. COST FOR A LEVEL 3 ON A LONDON VICTORIAN TERRACE: £700-1,500 (DEPENDING ON SIZE AND COMPLEXITY).

THE FOLLOWING ARE THE MOST FREQUENTLY IDENTIFIED DEFECTS IN LONDON VICTORIAN TERRACE BUILDING SURVEYS:

1. SUBSIDENCE AND STRUCTURAL MOVEMENT: LONDON CLAY SHRINKS AND SWELLS SEASONALLY — AND ROOTS FROM LARGE TREES (LONDON PLANE, OAK, WILLOW) CAN CAUSE SIGNIFICANT DESICCATION SUBSIDENCE. SIGNS: DIAGONAL CRACKING AT CORNERS OF WINDOWS AND DOORS; TAPERING CRACKS (WIDE AT TOP, NARROW AT BASE); STICKING DOORS. SURVEY APPROACH: THE SURVEYOR LOOKS FOR CRACK PATTERNS AND ASSESSES WHETHER MOVEMENT IS ACTIVE OR HISTORIC. A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER\'S REPORT MAY BE RECOMMENDED. BUILDINGS INSURANCE IMPLICATIONS: SIGNIFICANT SUBSIDENCE RISK OR HISTORIC INSURANCE CLAIMS CAN AFFECT INSURABILITY AND MORTGAGE ELIGIBILITY.

2. DAMP: RISING DAMP (THROUGH WALLS ABOVE DPC), PENETRATING DAMP (THROUGH MASONRY, AROUND WINDOWS, THROUGH ROOF), AND CONDENSATION DAMP ARE ALL COMMON IN VICTORIAN TERRACES. SURVEY APPROACH: THE SURVEYOR USES A MOISTURE METER TO CHECK WALL AND FLOOR MOISTURE LEVELS. NOTE: MOISTURE METERS SHOULD BE USED WITH CALIBRATION — FALSE POSITIVES FROM HYGROSCOPIC SALTS (PARTICULARLY SODIUM NITRATES IN LONDON STOCK BRICK WALLS) ARE COMMON AND LEAD TO UNNECESSARY DAMP-PROOFING TREATMENT RECOMMENDATIONS.

3. ROOF DEFECTS: SLIPPED SLATES (NAIL SICKNESS — CORRODING WROUGHT IRON NAILS), FAILED RIDGE MORTAR, VALLEY LEAKS (LEAD OR GRP), DEFECTIVE CHIMNEY STACK FLASHINGS, AND FAILED FLAT ROOF SECTIONS (BACK ADDITION). THESE ARE THE MOST COMMON SOURCE OF WATER INGRESS IN VICTORIAN TERRACES.

4. STRUCTURAL ALTERATIONS WITHOUT CONSENT: REMOVED LOAD-BEARING WALLS (CHIMNEYBREAST REMOVAL, GROUND FLOOR WALL REMOVAL) WITHOUT BUILDING REGULATIONS CONSENT; IMPROPERLY SIZED OR SPECIFIED STEEL BEAMS; INADEQUATE BEARING OR PROPPING. SURVEY APPROACH: THE SURVEYOR NOTES VISIBLE EVIDENCE OF ALTERATIONS AND RECOMMENDS CHECKING FOR BUILDING REGULATIONS COMPLETION CERTIFICATES — AND STRUCTURAL ENGINEER ASSESSMENT IF CONSENT IS UNAVAILABLE.

5. ELECTRICAL AND PLUMBING SYSTEMS: ORIGINAL WIRING (RUBBER-INSULATED WIRING — INDICATION IS BLACK RUBBER TWIN-AND-EARTH CABLE VISIBLE IN ROOF SPACE) SHOULD BE REPLACED AS A PRIORITY. LEAD PIPEWORK (IN PROPERTIES PRE-1970) IS A HEALTH RISK AND REQUIRES REPLACEMENT. THE SURVEYOR RECOMMENDS SPECIALIST INSPECTION OF THESE SERVICES.

6. TIMBER ROT AND INSECT ATTACK: SUSPENDED TIMBER GROUND FLOORS IN VENTILATED VOIDS ARE PARTICULARLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO WET ROT (CONIOPHORA PUTEANA OR PORIA INCRASSATA) WHERE VENTILATION IS BLOCKED OR MOISTURE IS HIGH. WOODWORM (COMMON FURNITURE BEETLE — ANOBIUM PUNCTATUM) IS VERY COMMON IN VICTORIAN TIMBERS — MOST INFESTATION IS HISTORIC (INACTIVE). THE SURVEYOR IDENTIFIES FRESH FLIGHT HOLES (CREAM-COLOURED FRASS, LIVE INFESTATION) VS OLD DARK HOLES (INACTIVE).

THE BUILDING SURVEY REPORT IS A TOOL FOR MAKING INFORMED DECISIONS — NOT JUST A LIST OF PROBLEMS:

READ THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FIRST: MOST RICS LEVEL 3 REPORTS BEGIN WITH A SUMMARY OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDED ACTIONS. THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY IDENTIFIES URGENT ITEMS (CONDITIONS THAT REQUIRE IMMEDIATE ACTION OR THAT POSE A RISK TO HEALTH, SAFETY, OR THE STRUCTURE) VS ITEMS THAT CAN BE BUDGETED FOR OVER TIME.

USE THE REPORT FOR NEGOTIATION: A BUILDING SURVEY REPORT THAT IDENTIFIES SIGNIFICANT DEFECTS IS A POWERFUL NEGOTIATING TOOL. COMMON APPROACHES: - REQUEST A PRICE REDUCTION PROPORTIONAL TO THE COST OF THE IDENTIFIED REPAIRS - REQUEST THAT THE VENDOR CARRIES OUT SPECIFIC REPAIRS BEFORE EXCHANGE - WITHDRAW FROM THE PURCHASE IF DEFECTS ARE MORE EXTENSIVE THAN EXPECTED

GET SPECIALIST REPORTS WHERE RECOMMENDED: A BUILDING SURVEYOR TYPICALLY RECOMMENDS SPECIALIST REPORTS FOR: ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION (NICEIC ELECTRICAL CONDITION REPORT); GAS INSTALLATION (GAS SAFE ENGINEER); STRUCTURAL ASSESSMENT (STRUCTURAL ENGINEER — FOR MOVEMENT OR STRUCTURAL ALTERATION ISSUES); DAMP SPECIALIST (FOR SIGNIFICANT DAMP FINDINGS). BUDGET: £200-600 PER SPECIALIST REPORT.

SCOPE YOUR RENOVATION BUDGET FROM THE SURVEY: USE THE REPORT TO SCOPE WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND IN WHAT SEQUENCE — FEEDING INTO A RENOVATION BUDGET BEFORE COMMITTING. A BUILDING SURVEYOR WILL OFTEN GIVE INDICATIVE COST RANGES FOR REPAIRS — USE THESE AS THE STARTING POINT FOR CONTRACTOR QUOTES.

COSTS: RICS LEVEL 2 (HOMEBUYER SURVEY, LONDON): £500-800 RICS LEVEL 3 (BUILDING SURVEY, LONDON, 3-BED VICTORIAN TERRACE): £700-1,500 STRUCTURAL ENGINEER REPORT (IF RECOMMENDED): £500-1,200 ELECTRICAL CONDITION REPORT: £150-400 DAMP SPECIALIST SURVEY: £150-400