RICS Level 3 Building Survey in Knowstone

Knowstone's housing stock is mostly older property, with many homes dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries. These character cottages and former farmhouses were built by traditional methods that differ sharply from modern construction. In this area, you often see solid walls instead of cavity walls, lime-based mortars and renders, and traditional roofing materials such as slate and thatch. A RICS Level 3 Survey is suited to this sort of building, because it checks older construction methods and picks up defects a standard mortgage valuation would miss.

Knowstone has several Grade II listed properties, and they call for particular expertise. Listed buildings often have unusual construction features and may have been altered many times over the years. Our surveyors understand the planning constraints that apply to listed property and can spot issues linked to poor repairs or later modifications. With many homes here finished with thatched roofs, or built from local stone and cob, specialist knowledge of these traditional methods is vital for an accurate assessment.

Recent sales in the area include The Old School House at £490,000 in July 2024, Rosemary Cottage at £660,000 in January 2025, and several detached homes in the £350,000 to £390,000 bracket. At those figures, the cost of a full Level 3 Survey is good value when set against the risk of finding major structural problems after you buy.

The Devon property market recorded price changes of around -2% in the latest twelve-month period, although West Devon on its own saw a 5.4% rise in the year to December 2025. Even with those small swings, Knowstone homes hold their value because there are so few character properties available in such a sought-after rural spot. A careful survey protects the purchase whatever the market is doing.

• Traditional stone and cob construction
• Thatched and slate roofing
• Grade II listed buildings
• Solid wall properties
• Historic lime mortar pointing

Homes in Knowstone and across the EX36 postcode area were generally built using traditional Devon methods that sit well apart from modern building techniques. Solid wall construction is the rule, not the exception, with walls often made from local stone, cob or brick and finished with lime-based renders. Because these walls breathe differently from modern cavity walls, they need the right maintenance to avoid damp problems.

The roofs in Knowstone tell their own story of the area's agricultural past, with many former farmhouses and cottages still carrying traditional slate or thatch. Thatched roofs are attractive and very much part of the local character, but they need specific maintenance and do not last as long as modern materials. Our surveyors know how these roofs are put together, so they can pick out deterioration, earlier repairs and possible problems in the timber beneath.

Close to Exmoor, many Knowstone properties are shaped by the landscape as much as by the houses themselves. The proximity to this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty brings rural views, but it can also mean more exposure to the weather. Our inspectors look at how wind exposure, rainfall patterns and other local conditions have affected external finishes and structural elements over time.

Because Knowstone is made up mainly of older buildings, our surveyors see a familiar set of defects again and again. Damp is especially common in solid-wall properties where modern damp-proof courses are absent or compromised. Rising damp can show up at ground-floor level, while penetrating damp often appears where pointing or rendering has broken down over time. Our inspectors check carefully for all of this, using experience to spot obvious signs and the less obvious problems that untrained eyes can miss.

Timber defects are another major concern in this housing stock. Many homes still have original timber beams, joists and other structural elements that can suffer from woodworm, rot or fungal decay. That matters especially in properties with thatched roofs, where rafters and purlins may have been exposed to moisture for many years. Our Level 3 Survey looks at all visible timber elements and flags any areas that need further investigation or treatment by a specialist contractor.

Traditional roofing materials, including thatch and slate, need a specialist eye. Thatched roofs are lovely to look at, but they come with specific maintenance needs and a shorter lifespan than modern materials. Our surveyors know how these roofs are built and can pick up deterioration, earlier repairs and issues in the timber structure underneath. Slate roofs can have cracked or missing tiles, especially after winter weather, and we will identify any spots that need attention.

Older properties built on varied ground conditions can be affected by movement and cracking. Although specific clay shrink-swell risk data for Knowstone is limited, our surveyors check walls, floors and ceilings for signs of movement and can say whether a structural engineer should take a closer look. We also look for evidence of poor earlier repairs, such as cement render applied to breathable lime mortar walls, which can hold moisture in and lead to long-term damage.

• Rising and penetrating damp
• Timber rot and woodworm
• Roof covering deterioration
• Structural movement and cracking
• Repointing and render failures
• Issues with historic windows

Your RICS Level 3 Survey report sets out the property's condition in a clear, easy-to-read format. It opens with an executive summary that gives you an overview of the overall condition and any major issues needing attention. After that come detailed sections on each part of the property, from the roof down to the foundations, with clear headings and subheadings so the information is easy to follow.

Each defect we identify is graded by severity. Urgent matters needing immediate attention are marked in red, with referrals to specialists where that is needed. Less critical issues come with guidance on likely maintenance needs and rough repair timescales. We also include photographs of the significant findings, giving you a visual record of any problems found during the inspection.

One of the real strengths of the Level 3 Survey is the advice section, which covers everything from routine maintenance to possible renovation ideas. For Knowstone homes, that might mean guidance on keeping traditional lime mortar pointing in good order, planning thatched roof maintenance schedules, or improving insulation in solid wall properties without creating damp problems. It gives you practical next steps for looking after the property and budgeting properly.

The report also includes a market valuation element, giving you an independent view of the property's worth based on its condition. That can help with mortgage discussions and with negotiations once repair costs have been identified. Our surveyors use local knowledge of the Knowstone property market so the valuation reflects current conditions.