RICS Level 2 Survey in Dalton Holme

Our RICS Level 2 Survey, sometimes called a Home Buyer Survey, gives a visual inspection of all accessible parts of the property. Our inspectors look at the roof, walls, floors, windows, doors and any permanently fitted fixtures. We also review the building’s overall structural condition and pick out visible defects or anything that needs prompt attention. Carried out to strict RICS guidelines, it gives you a professional assessment you can trust when deciding whether to buy.

We also examine the property’s services, where they can be seen, including electrics, plumbing and heating installations. Signs of damp, timber decay, roof damage and structural movement are checked as part of the visit. Each element is given a clear rating, from "good" to "urgent repair needed", so it is obvious what you are buying. Our reports use a traffic light system, which makes urgent matters easy to spot and leaves minor items to be watched over time.

Across the East Riding of Yorkshire, where many homes are built with solid brick walls and slate or tile roofs, our surveyors know exactly what matters. We also take account of the local geology, including clay soils that can shrink and swell, and we shape the inspection around those conditions. Foundation issues linked to clay subsoils are something our team has seen often, so we know the signs that suggest a property has, or has not, been built with the ground below in mind.

We also look at the outside of the property and its boundaries. Outbuildings, garages, fences and driveways are inspected, giving a fuller picture of the home’s condition. In rural places such as Dalton Holme, where plots are often larger, we pay close attention to drainage, boundary walls and any retaining structures that may need maintenance.

• Structural walls and foundations
• Roof covering and chimneys
• Windows and doors
• Damp and timber condition
• Plumbing and electrical services
• Boundaries and exterior areas

Dalton Holme sits within the civil parish of South Dalton, and it has a clearly rural East Yorkshire feel with a mix of property types. Detached and semi-detached houses make up most of the housing stock, while flats and terraced homes are rare. A lot of the homes date from the pre-1919 period, which fits the hamlet’s historic place in the Beverley hinterland. The population of South Dalton civil parish was recorded at 280 in the 2011 Census, a good sign of how small and close-knit the community is.

Just beyond Dalton Holme, villages such as Cherry Burton and Molescroft have seen new build development completed in recent years. In Molescroft, for instance, there is a range of 2, 3, and 4 bedroom homes, with detached properties priced from £559,995 to £601,000. These newer homes are built with modern cavity wall construction, but they still benefit from our survey because build quality and snagging points can be checked. Even a new build can hide defects that are easy to miss on a viewing.

Red brick is common in the East Riding, and some homes also use local stone in their walls. Slate or clay tiles are the usual roof coverings, although a few older properties have thatched roofs. Our surveyors understand those construction methods and can spot issues that are specific to each one, from slipped tiles on a slate roof to failing lime mortar in older brickwork. Lime mortar needs a different approach from modern cement mortar, and we can advise on repairs that protect historic fabric rather than harm it.

The East Riding of Yorkshire sits on chalk bedrock beneath the Yorkshire Wolds, with glacial tills, sands and clays above it. Properties on high plasticity clay soils can be prone to shrink-swell subsidence, especially in drought or after heavy rainfall. Dalton Holme itself is inland, so coastal flood risk is lower, but surface water flooding and river flooding from watercourses such as the River Hull can still affect the wider area. Our surveyors are trained to spot traces of flooding or water damage that a quick viewing may miss.