RICS Level 2 Survey in B42

Perry Barr and Great Barr were developed primarily during the interwar period of the 1920s and 1930s, with further infill and council-built housing added through the 1950s and 1960s. The dominant property type in B42 is semi-detached housing, which the Rightmove transaction data confirms as the most commonly sold type in the area over the past year. Semi-detached and terraced homes in B42 are priced remarkably close to each other - £221,009 and £219,665 respectively - which reflects a similar size profile and construction era for both types.

Interwar semi-detached homes in areas like Perry Barr were typically built with traditional red brick cavity walls, tile-hung gable features in some streets, and pitched roofs covered with plain clay or concrete tiles. These construction methods were a step forward from the Victorian era, but properties of this age are now 80-100 years old. The original roof tiles may have been replaced at some point, but where original materials remain, they are near the end of their reliable lifespan. Our surveyors assess tile condition and the mortar pointing between courses as part of every inspection.

Post-war housing in B42 from the 1950s and early 1960s includes both private builds and council properties - including homes from the Perry Common Estate, one of the largest post-war council builds in this part of Birmingham. Some have since been sold under Right to Buy. Construction quality in this period was variable - the pressure to build quickly to meet housing demand meant that some estates used faster construction methods. Our RICS Level 2 Survey identifies any non-standard construction and explains the implications for insurance, mortgage eligibility, and long-term maintenance.

The Hamstead area of B42, bordering B43 along Hamstead Road, lies near the former Hamstead Colliery workings. The colliery operated from 1878 until 1965, mining the South Staffordshire coal seam. Residential development took place in the surrounding area during and after the colliery period. Where properties fall within the coal mining search area, buyers should obtain a coal mining search through their conveyancer to confirm recorded mining activity. Our survey identifies surface features consistent with ground instability, but a coal authority search is the definitive source for underground mining risk in this area.

• Semi-detached and terraced homes priced within £1,400 of each other on average - similar era and build quality
• Detached properties command a significant premium at £336,731 vs £221,009 for semis (Rightmove)
• 186 sales recorded in B42 in the last 12 months, down 31% on the previous year (Property Solvers)
• Interwar properties now 80-100 years old - original elements approaching or past service life
• Perry Barr and Great Barr post-war estates include both private and former council housing

B42 is at the centre of one of Birmingham's most significant regeneration projects. Perry Barr Village - the former Commonwealth Games 2022 athletes' village - is being transformed into a major residential development offering shared ownership apartments. One-bedroom apartments in the scheme start from £37,750 for a 25% share, and two-bedroom apartments from £80,800 for a 25% share, with properties anticipated to be available from 2026 (Perry Barr Village development data).

If you are purchasing a new build property in Perry Barr Village or any other B42 new build scheme, a RICS Level 2 Survey is one option, though many buyers of brand new properties opt for a dedicated snagging inspection alongside or instead of a full Level 2 report. A snagging survey identifies finish defects and installation issues before handover, giving you a formal record to present to the developer for remediation at no cost to you. We offer snagging surveys for B42 new builds - see the related services section below.

For existing properties in B42 - the interwar semis on streets like Stonehouse Lane, the terraced rows near Perry Barr station, and the post-war estates in Great Barr - the RICS Level 2 Survey remains the appropriate choice. These properties are old enough to have accumulated decades of maintenance history, and the survey gives you an independent record of condition at the point of purchase.

Birmingham's underlying geology includes Mercia Mudstone - a clay-rich sedimentary formation that sits beneath much of the city's suburban areas. Clay soils of this type are subject to shrink-swell behaviour: they contract during dry weather as moisture is lost, and expand again when wet conditions return. This seasonal movement can place significant stress on the foundations of properties built on shallow strip foundations, which is standard for interwar and post-war housing.

The risk is amplified where mature trees stand close to a property. Established trees draw large quantities of water from clay soils through their root systems, creating a zone of desiccation around the roots that can extend well beyond the visible canopy. In older residential streets in Perry Barr and Great Barr - where original street trees planted in the 1930s and 1950s are now mature specimens - this is a relevant consideration for buyers. Our surveyors identify trees within close proximity of the property and assess the external walls for diagonal cracking, settlement, or other indicators of foundation movement.

Drainage problems can also contribute to ground movement. Leaking below-ground drainage near the foundations can wash out fine material from the ground, causing localised settlement. Conversely, tree root intrusion into older clay drainage pipes is common in properties of this age and can cause blockages that allow water to saturate the ground beneath the building. Our Level 2 Survey covers all drainage visible from ground level and notes any indicators of drainage problems that warrant further investigation.

B42 also carries a recognised flood risk from the River Tame, which runs through the Perry Barr and Witton corridor. Before flood defence works were completed, around 1,400 properties in this area faced a significant risk of river flooding. The floods of 2007 damaged more than 400 homes. The Environment Agency subsequently built a 1.7 million cubic metre flood storage reservoir at Sandwell Valley and new flood walls through Witton, completed in 2017. These defences have reduced flood risk for many properties, but buyers near the Tame corridor should check the Environment Agency long-term flood risk map and obtain a drainage and water search through their conveyancer.

• Mercia Mudstone clay beneath B42 creates seasonal shrink-swell movement in foundations
• Mature street trees in Perry Barr and Great Barr are a risk factor for clay soil desiccation
• Diagonal cracking at corners of windows and doors is a key indicator of ground movement
• Tree root intrusion into older clay drainage pipes is common in properties of this age
• Our surveyors photograph and assess all cracking by width, orientation, and taper
• Our recommendation: treat any B42 property showing crack widths above 5mm, or cracks that have reopened after previous repair, as requiring a structural engineer assessment before exchange - in the Perry Barr and Great Barr clay geology, these are the indicators of active movement rather than historic settlement.