RICS Level 2 Survey in Bolnhurst and Keysoe

Our RICS Level 2 Homebuyer Survey gives you a close, practical picture of a property's condition, covering every accessible part from the roof space down to the foundations. We inspect walls, floors, ceilings, doors and windows, checking their present condition and picking up defects that need attention. We also look at how the property was built and what materials were used, which matters in Bolnhurst and Keysoe, where the housing ranges from traditional brick-built cottages to more recent detached homes.

Key parts of the building are all covered in our inspection, including the roof structure, chimney stacks, rainwater goods, walls, foundations, floors and joinery. We also review visible services such as electrical installations, plumbing and heating systems, and we flag anything that ought to be investigated further by a specialist. In this part of Bedfordshire, we pay close attention to movement and subsidence, because the local clay geology can shift and put pressure on foundations.

The Level 2 survey uses the standard RICS condition ratings of 1, 2, or 3 for each element we inspect, so it is clear what needs urgent action and what can be dealt with later. Alongside that, we set out straightforward repair and maintenance advice, with cost estimates where possible. That leaves you in a stronger position to negotiate, either by asking the vendor to deal with particular issues before completion or by revising your offer to reflect the cost of the works.

In rural Bolnhurst and Keysoe, plenty of homes rely on private septic tanks or drainage systems instead of mains sewerage, so we inspect those arrangements and comment on them in the survey. We also look at any outbuildings, garages or agricultural buildings included with the property, because they can bring repair liabilities and, in some cases, building regulation issues.

• Roof structure and covering
• Walls, foundations and substructure
• Damp and timber condition
• Windows, doors and joinery
• Plumbing and electrical systems
• Heating and insulation

Bolnhurst and Keysoe have a broad spread of property types and ages, from period cottages to modern family homes, and that mix brings a wide range of defects. Homes built before 1919 are especially prone to damp problems, including rising damp and penetrating damp, often where the original damp-proof course has failed or was never installed at all. In many of these older properties, solid wall construction is also common, which usually means lower thermal efficiency than modern standards, higher heating costs and a greater risk of condensation.

Roofing issues come up regularly in this area. Many houses have traditional pitched roofs with slate or tile coverings, and while those materials can last well, they do deteriorate with age. We often see slipped tiles, damaged flashing around chimneys and poor insulation in roof spaces. Where a property has a thatched roof, as some do in the older parts of these villages, we may advise a specialist inspection in addition to the standard Level 2 survey.

Older properties often need work to bring electrical and plumbing systems up to current safety standards. We regularly find wiring dating from the 1970s or earlier, and it may not be suited to modern household demand. The same goes for plumbing, where lead or galvanised steel pipes can still be present, along with older heating systems that are inefficient and expensive to run. We see these issues particularly often on Kimbolton Road in Bolnhurst and Pertenhall Road in Keysoe, where there is a notable concentration of older housing.

Clay soil is a major factor in Bedfordshire, so subsidence and foundation movement are important concerns in Bolnhurst and Keysoe. Homes built before modern foundation standards can show warning signs such as diagonal cracks in walls, doors and windows that stick or fail to close properly, and uneven floors. Our surveyors are trained to pick up those signs and, where needed, recommend further investigation by a structural engineer.

• Rising damp and penetrating damp
• Roof deterioration and slipped tiles
• Outdated electrical wiring
• Subsidence from clay soil movement
• Woodworm and wet rot in timber
• Inadequate insulation