RICS Level 2 Survey Crawley, West Sussex

Our RICS Level 2 survey is a detailed visual check of every accessible part of the property. Our chartered surveyor looks over the walls, roof, floors, windows, doors and fitted fixtures, then flags defects such as damp, structural movement or rot. In Crawley, where many homes sit on clay soils with shrink-swell behaviour, we give extra attention to signs of subsidence or ground movement that could point to foundation trouble. Diagonal cracks running from window and door corners, doors that stick or bind, and uneven floors can all hint at clay-induced movement, and we look for them closely.

Environmental risk is part of the survey too. Crawley is classed as a Flood Risk Area by the Environment Agency, with around 9,000 residential and business properties exposed to surface water flooding. Langley Green, Three Bridges and Forge Wood have particular exposure to fluvial flooding from the River Mole and its tributaries, including the Gatwick Stream. Our surveyors record these issues and comment on any visible signs of past flooding or water damage, from tide marks and water staining to warped flooring that may point to earlier flood incidents in the property.

We also inspect the condition of key services, including electrical, gas and plumbing installations. We do not carry out invasive testing, but we do visually assess visible wiring, pipework and fittings. In older homes across West Green, Northgate and Ifield, where some properties date from the Victorian or Edwardian periods, ageing pipework and outdated electrical systems are common concerns, and we note them carefully. Exposed wiring, old consumer units or corrosion on pipework will be recorded if they appear to need a closer look from a qualified electrician or plumber.

An energy assessment is included in our survey, along with an EPC-linked recommendation report so you can see the property’s energy efficiency and likely running costs. That matters in Crawley, where many homes built during the New Town period (1949-1990s) may fall below current building regulations for insulation. Once you understand the energy performance, it is easier to plan improvement works and factor them into your purchase decision.

• Walls and structural elements
• Roof, chimney, and rainwater goods
• Floors, ceilings, and stairs
• Windows and doors
• Damp, rot, and timber defects
• Electrical and gas installations
• Drainage and outside areas
• Energy performance assessment

Crawley’s development story shapes the sorts of homes we see, and that history helps our surveyors spot the right defect patterns. The town was designated a New Town in 1947, and the original nine neighbourhoods were built between 1949 and 1961. So homes in West Green, Northgate, Three Bridges, Langley Green, Pound Hill, Ifield, Southgate, Tilgate and Gossops Green are now approaching or have passed 70 years old. Later estates in Furnace Green, Broadfield, Bewbush and Maidenbower followed from the late 1960s through the 1990s, which is why a large share of Crawley’s housing stock can benefit from a Level 2 survey to pick up age-related defects.

The ground beneath Crawley matters just as much as the building itself. Clay soils here can shrink and swell, so foundations may heave in wet weather and settle when conditions turn dry. Older homes with shallow foundations are especially exposed. The British Geological Survey notes that the south-east of England, where Crawley sits, contains many younger clay formations that are prone to moisture-related volume changes. Our surveyors are trained to spot the signs, from cracks in walls and sticking doors to uneven floors. During dry spells, including those seen in recent summers, we often see more subsidence-related defects in homes with nearby trees or hedgerows drawing moisture from the soil.

Across the borough, Crawley has 104 listed buildings, with the highest concentrations in Pound Hill (28 buildings), Ifield (24 buildings) and Northgate (18 buildings). Some properties in conservation areas like Worth, St Peters (West Green) and the old Crawley High Street need a closer look. Worth conservation area protects the setting around St Nicholas' Parish Church, a notable Saxon building, while St Peters conservation area contains medieval remnants around the church. A Level 2 survey suits most homes, but listed buildings or properties of strong historic interest may be better served by a more detailed RICS Level 3 Building Survey, which goes further into historic construction methods and listed building issues.

The local jobs market also feeds into the housing picture. Big employers such as Nestlé, Virgin Atlantic, Thales, TUI and Boeing bring working professionals into Crawley, which keeps demand for homes steady. At the same time, the town has a higher share of younger people facing affordability pressures than national averages, with around 30% of households affected. Owner-occupied homes make up 59.0%, below the UK average of 63.5%, while socially rented households are 23.9%, above the UK average of 18.2%. Our surveyors use those figures to put property values and investment decisions into context.