RICS Level 2 Survey in BS22

Built for homes of standard construction that look to be in reasonable condition, our RICS Level 2 Survey suits much of BS22 very well. That includes a large share of the semi-detached and terraced housing built in the mid-twentieth century, along with modern properties at the newer end of the postcode.

During the inspection, we make a careful visual check of all accessible parts of the building, including:

• Roof structure, coverings, chimneys, valleys and flashings
• Gutters, downpipes and surface water drainage
• External walls, render, pointing and any cladding
• Windows, doors and external joinery
• Internal walls, ceilings, partitions and floors
• Loft space where the hatch is accessible and safe to enter
• Sub-floor void where accessible
• Damp, timber condition and evidence of rot or infestation
• Heating, plumbing and electrical installations (visual check only)
• Grounds, outbuildings, garage and boundaries

We give each part of the property a Condition Rating. CR1 shows that no repair is currently needed. CR2 highlights defects that need attention but are not urgent. CR3 marks issues that should be investigated before you exchange contracts. In the report summary, the highest-rated items appear first, so the main priorities are easy to spot straight away.

Included in our standard Level 2 package are a RICS market valuation and an insurance reinstatement cost figure. We prepare the valuation to RICS standards using current BS22 comparable sales data. Where our valuation comes in lower than the agreed price, that gives you documented evidence to support a renegotiation with the vendor before exchange.

The Level 2 Survey is non-intrusive, so it does not include lifting floorboards, drilling, or opening up wall finishes. Those investigations need a separate instruction. If any area cannot be accessed, we record the limitation and explain the risk that comes with it, giving you clear guidance on whether a specialist inspection is warranted.

Over the last twelve months, most BS22 transactions involved semi-detached homes. That fits the makeup of the postcode, with plenty of 1930s to 1970s semis lining residential streets in places such as Worle and on the roads running between the Weston-super-Mare suburbs. Because they are usually conventional in construction, these properties are generally well suited to the RICS Level 2 Survey.

There are some familiar survey risks with semi-detached properties from this era in BS22. As part of energy efficiency schemes in the 1970s and 1980s, original cavity walls were sometimes filled with blown-fibre or urea-formaldehyde foam insulation. If that foam fill has deteriorated or become saturated, it can form a moisture bridge across the cavity. Our surveyors check for signs of this and record it where evidence exists, because the cost of putting it right can be considerable.

In the older parts of BS22, and particularly in Worle, terraced houses often combine solid wall construction with limited sub-floor ventilation and shared party walls. That can make damp diagnosis less straightforward. We take accurate damp meter readings at low-level positions around the whole building perimeter, and we distinguish between penetrating damp, rising damp and condensation.

Detached homes in BS22 average £383,330. At that level, the RICS market valuation in our standard package becomes especially useful. Prepared independently to RICS standards, it gives you a professional benchmark against the asking price and a clear paper trail for negotiation if the survey value is lower than the agreed figure.

Newer homes at Locking Parklands and elsewhere in recent BS22 developments are often lower-risk, but they are not free of defects. With volume housebuilder construction from the 1990s and 2000s, we regularly see drainage fall issues, minor roof covering defects, inadequate sealing around roof penetrations and failed window seals. A RICS Level 2 Survey is designed to pick up all of these.

BS22 lies within North Somerset and covers the ground to the north and east of Weston-super-Mare town centre. Worle is the main residential settlement in the postcode, with housing that runs from older terraces in the village core to extensive post-war and 1980s development on roads to the east and north. The wider geographic spread of the postcode also takes in St Georges, Locking and Hutton.

Tourism, retail and public services underpin the economy of Weston-super-Mare, and North Somerset's closeness to Bristol means a good number of BS22 residents commute into the city. That commuter link has helped sustain housing demand and sits behind the 3% price growth recorded over the last twelve months. For buyers who have been priced out of north Bristol postcodes, semi-detached homes in BS22, averaging £284,796, often represent entry-level family home pricing.

One of the biggest changes to the BS22 market in recent years has been the growth of Locking Parklands. This major residential development has added large numbers of new-build homes. Buyers should bear in mind that a NHBC warranty, or a similar developer warranty, is not a substitute for an independent survey. It covers certain structural defects within set time windows, but it does not assess the building's general condition at the point of purchase.

For anyone buying an older property in Worle village or on the inter-war residential streets of BS22, a thorough condition survey is particularly worthwhile. Age, construction type and the coastal setting all come into play, especially with the added exposure to moisture and wind-driven rain. North Somerset weather puts older buildings under steady maintenance pressure, and our surveyors assess that maintenance position in full at the time of inspection.