RICS Level 2 Survey in Hope, County Durham

Accessible areas are where we start, the roof space where safe and accessible, the basement or underfloor voids, and the external walls. We look at the building's structure for movement, decay or deterioration, then carry on through the roof covering, chimney stacks, rainwater goods, walls, windows, doors and internal joinery. In Hope, where Victorian and Edwardian properties are common, our surveyors pay close attention to older roofs, especially slate and clay tiles that have spent decades facing North East weather patterns.

We also review the main services, electrical installation, plumbing and drainage, and heating systems. Our inspection is visual rather than invasive, so we note obvious defects, safety hazards and anything that appears not to meet current regulations. If a specialist contractor should look further, that goes in the report. In County Durham that matters a lot, because many homes still have mid-20th century electrics and may not comply with current Part P building regulations.

A RICS Level 2 report uses condition ratings from one to three, and three flags serious defects that need urgent attention. The system makes the worst issues easy to spot at a glance. We also include market value advice and an insurance rebuild cost for buildings insurance. With property values across County Durham having risen by 7.7%, a realistic rebuild figure has become more important for protecting the cover on your home.

Thermal efficiency comes into the survey too, along with insulation, which is often where older Hope homes fall behind modern standards. Our surveyors will note obvious problems with insulation, draughtproofing or double glazing if they are likely to affect energy performance and push heating bills up.

County Durham's housing market has been busy, with prices up by 7.7% over the past year. Skipping a professional survey can be an expensive gamble, especially in a place with such a mix of property types. A modern new build in one of the newer Hope area developments or a traditional terraced house on Hope Street in nearby Crook, where recent sales have ranged from £68,000 to £90,000, both benefit from a RICS Level 2 Survey when you want proper protection for the purchase.

Clay-rich ground can be awkward here, and our surveyors know the signs. In parts of the region, shrink-swell movement can tug at foundations during drought or where trees sit close to the house. Cracking, uneven floors and doors or windows that stick are all clues we look for in walls, floors and door frames, as these may point to subsidence or heave.

County Durham's coal mining past still matters. In former mining areas, ground instability can linger, so while our visual survey can pick up movement, we advise buyers in Hope and the surrounding villages to order a mining search (Con29M) as part of conveyancing. That separate legal search can show historical workings beneath the property that we cannot see on inspection, yet they may affect long-term stability.

County Durham's housing stock reflects its industrial history, with terraced properties making up 40.5% of all sales and semi-detached homes accounting for 32.3%. Knowing how these homes were built, from solid wall construction to brickwork and stone facades, takes local experience, and that is exactly what our surveyors bring to each inspection.

Traditional building methods are common across County Durham, and they can bring their own problems. Many homes here are built from local brick or stone, with solid walls rather than modern cavity wall construction, so they are more exposed to damp if ventilation is poor or if insulation was added badly in the past. Our inspectors know how to tell rising damp from penetrating damp and condensation, which each call for different repairs.

Parts of County Durham sit on clay deposits, and that geology can make foundations move as the ground shrinks and swells, especially in drought or where trees grow close by. The result can be subsidence or heave, showing itself as cracks, sticking doors or windows and uneven floors. We examine for those signs carefully and suggest the right next step if anything looks wrong. Conditions also vary across the county, with the western parts shaped by Carboniferous geology, including sandstones and shales, while the east has Permian rocks and Magnesian Limestone.

Older homes in Hope and the surrounding villages often date from the Victorian or Edwardian periods, so many are already over 100 years old. They usually carry original features that need an experienced eye. Slate or clay tile roofs can be worn or damaged, chimneys may show weathering or movement, and wiring in houses of this age is often outdated and may not meet current safety standards, so we always recommend a qualified electrician checks the installation before completion.

With terraced properties making up 40.5% of sales in County Durham, we inspect this type of home often. Because terraced houses can share structural elements with next door, a problem in one property sometimes reaches another, so we look at boundary walls, shared drainage and the condition of adjoining structures to give clients the full picture. Flats, at 4.2% of sales in the region, bring their own issues too, especially around shared parts and the management of the building.

• Rising damp in solid wall properties
• Deteriorated roof tiles and flashings
• Subsidence from clay shrink-swell
• Outdated electrical wiring
• Timber decay in floor structures
• Chimney movement and deterioration