RICS Level 2 Survey in Wick KW11

A RICS Level 2 Survey looks at all accessible and visible parts of a property and gives each element a condition rating. Condition 1 means no repair is needed right now. Condition 2 means defects that need attention as part of normal maintenance. Condition 3 means serious defects that need urgent repair or specialist investigation. The report also covers legal considerations, environmental risks, and services, so buyers get a fuller picture than the building alone.

• Roof structure and covering - slates, tiles, leadwork, flashings, and chimney stacks
• External walls and render - checked for cracking, blown render, damp staining, and pointing condition
• Damp assessment throughout - moisture meter readings at wall bases, floors, and around window reveals
• Roof space inspection where accessible - structural timbers, insulation, signs of water ingress or pest activity
• Internal floors, ceilings, and walls - checked for cracking patterns consistent with settlement or subsidence
• Windows and external doors - condition, draught-proofing, and any signs of frame distortion
• Drainage and rainwater goods - gutters, downpipes, and gulleys
• Services overview - condition of visible electrical, gas, and plumbing installations
• Grounds and outbuildings where present

For properties in KW11, we also comment on local environmental factors such as clay subsidence risk, coastal exposure, and any known flood risk at the specific address. That local context can matter just as much as the structural findings, especially for buyers new to Wick or people moving here from elsewhere.

Traditional Wick homes were usually built in rubble stone, using rough-hewn stone laid in lime mortar and finished on the outside with harl, or wet render. That is a very different wall build from the cavity wall system used in most post-1970s homes. Solid rubble walls are more prone to damp penetration once the external harl starts to fail, and they can hold moisture for long periods. Damp in solid stone walls may lead to internal plaster breakdown, salt crystallisation on the surface, and timber built into the wall, such as joist ends, eventually rotting.

Slate roofing is the classic covering on older Wick properties. Where it has been properly maintained, slate can last well over a century, but nail corrosion, when the original iron nails rust and fail, can make slates slip and leave openings for water to get into the roof space. On very old roofs, the wooden sarking boards below the slates may also have worn down over decades of moisture cycling. Where the roof space is accessible, our inspection looks for slipped slates, water staining on timbers, insulation condition, and any structural issues in the roof frame.

Most post-war properties in KW11 are built with cavity walls in brick or block, and roofed with plain tile or concrete tile. They bring their own age-related issues, including cavity wall tie corrosion in homes built before stainless steel ties were introduced, failed cavity insulation fill in older retro-fill schemes, and the condition of flat roof extensions, all of which we come across regularly. Our survey looks at these homes just as thoroughly as the older stone-built stock.

All our surveyors covering KW11 are chartered members of RICS and carry professional indemnity insurance. They have direct experience of the property types found in Wick and across Caithness, from traditional stone and rubble construction to post-war brick and block housing, along with the particular environmental pressures of the Highland coast. When they identify a defect in a Wick property, they can set it in local context, perhaps explaining whether a crack pattern looks like ordinary clay movement or points to something more serious.

We write our reports in plain language for buyers, not for other professionals. Where technical terms are unavoidable, we spell out what they mean in straightforward terms. The condition rating system makes it easy to see which parts of the property are in good order and which need attention, and the executive summary gives a clear account of the overall condition without forcing buyers to read every section in detail.

Once the report has been delivered, our client support team is on hand for any questions. If the findings point to a further specialist check, such as a structural engineer for subsidence concerns, a damp and timber specialist, or a drainage survey, we can advise on the right person for the issue identified. We stay involved through the process, not only at the inspection stage.