RICS Level 2 Survey in BN13 Worthing

In BN13, most of the properties sold over the last year were semi-detached, which matches the prevailing make-up of the Durrington and Salvington estates. A great deal of this post-war housing, put up between the 1940s and the 1970s, shares the same build features, cavity brick walls, concrete suspended floors in many cases, single-skin flat roofs to rear extensions, and electrical systems that may still be original to the time the property was built.

We regularly come across damp penetration in older pre-war homes where cavity walls were not the norm. Flint-built properties need particular care, flint has been used across Sussex for centuries as a local material, but the mortar joints between the uneven stones gradually take up moisture. As the mortar breaks down, water starts to track through the wall. During inspections of flint properties, we take moisture meter readings at regular points across every external wall, at floor level, mid-wall, and high level, so we can map how far any penetration has spread.

With 1950s-1970s semi-detached houses, we inspect the timber floor joists in ground floor rooms and look closely at underfloor ventilation. Across West Sussex coastal towns, dry rot in suspended timber floors is often linked to blocked airbricks and poor cross-ventilation. In roof voids, we frequently find worn felt in felted roofs from this period, and before entering any loft space we check valleys, parapets, and chimney flashings from ground level with binoculars.

• Pre-war flint properties: mortar joint condition, moisture ingress through solid walls
• Post-war semi-detached: roof felt condition, flat roof extensions, cavity wall insulation failures
• 1960s-1970s terraces: asbestos-containing materials in soffit boards and floor tiles, outdated wiring
• 1980s and later detached: window seal failures, conservatory roof condition, subsidence indicators
• All ages: drainage condition, boundary structure defects, external joinery deterioration from coastal exposure

Our RICS Level 2 Survey is carried out in line with the RICS Home Survey Standard and covers all visible and accessible parts of the property. In BN13, that includes a careful roof inspection from ground level with binoculars to spot slipped or cracked tiles, damaged ridge tiles, and the condition of valleys, followed by a full loft inspection where access is available. We also look for movement in the roof structure, poor insulation, and any sign of earlier water ingress affecting roof timbers or insulation batts.

We inspect the external walls closely, looking at mortar joint condition, movement cracks measured against the BRE crack classification scale, which runs from Category 0 hairline cracks to Category 5 very severe structural damage requiring partial rebuilding, render condition, and the state of any damp proof course. We also probe external sills and window frames for timber rot, and assess visible drainage components at ground level, including gutters, downpipes, hoppers, and gullies.

Inside, we take moisture meter readings in every room, check floors for uneven settlement, assess ceilings and internal walls, and inspect the loft if it can be accessed. The report also covers services, gas, electricity, water, and heating. We do not test them, but we comment on their visible condition and point out where specialist testing is advisable. Every element receives a clear condition rating, along with our view on urgency and an approximate cost range for any repairs we identify.

Our BN13 surveyors are RICS-chartered professionals who know West Sussex coastal housing stock first hand. That includes local construction details such as flint walls, traditional lime mortar joints, and the effects of coastal exposure on properties across the Worthing area. So when we inspect in Durrington or Salvington, we are bringing practical knowledge of the faults most likely to affect that housing in that setting.

We issue RICS Level 2 Survey reports within 3-5 working days of the inspection date. The surveyor who attended the property writes the report, and it is specific to that home rather than made up of generic sections or automated text. Where a point needs specialist follow-up, asbestos testing in a 1960s property, for instance, or a structural engineer's opinion on cracking patterns, we say that plainly and set out why.

Once the report has been received, we make the surveyor available for a follow-up call to talk through it. Many buyers are looking at a survey report for the first time, so we explain the condition ratings, set out what a condition 3 item may mean for the purchase decision, and help separate routine maintenance from defects that need urgent attention before proceeding.