RICS Level 2 Survey in B44

Birmingham's north-western suburbs, including B44, sit on geology typical of the wider West Midlands - a mix of clay-bearing substrates that can exhibit shrink-swell behaviour. During dry spells, clay contracts; during wet periods, it expands. Properties founded on shallow clay footings can move with seasonal moisture changes, producing cracking in brickwork and plasterwork that cycles and worsens over the years.

Our surveyors look for specific crack patterns that differentiate clay shrinkage from other causes. Diagonal cracking from the corners of window and door openings, stepped cracking following brick courses, and cracks that taper from top to bottom at external corners all suggest differential foundation movement. We record crack widths, measure and photograph each crack, and assess the distribution pattern to determine whether movement is ongoing or historic and stable.

Large trees within 10 metres of foundations compound clay shrinkage risk. Root systems extract moisture from the clay during summer, creating localised zones of desiccation beneath the foundations. Our inspection records the species and proximity of significant trees and flags the risk where relevant. Where ongoing movement is suspected, we recommend a specialist structural engineer assessment before exchange rather than proceeding without it.

We carry out a thorough visual inspection of every accessible part of the property, working systematically from roof to foundations. Our chartered surveyors use a calibrated moisture meter across all external walls and in areas prone to damp - readings taken at 500mm intervals from floor level to 1.2 metres above. Readings above threshold on a resistance-mode instrument indicate moisture requiring further investigation, and we note the pattern to distinguish rising damp, penetrating damp, and condensation.

Roof spaces are inspected where access permits. We check the condition of roof timbers - rafters, purlins, ridge board, and ceiling joists - for woodworm damage, wet rot, and mechanical failure. In properties where the loft space has been boarded or converted, visible timbers are assessed and inaccessible areas noted in the report.

• Roof covering - tiles, slates, mortar bedding, ridge tiles, flashings
• Chimney stacks - pointing, flaunching, chimney pot condition
• External walls - cracking, pointing, signs of water penetration
• Windows and doors - condition, rot, seals, security hardware
• Internal walls and ceilings - cracking, staining, damp evidence
• Floors - bounce, rot, movement, damp evidence at perimeter
• Consumer unit type and visible electrical installation condition
• Boiler age, type, and controls; radiators and visible pipework
• Drainage - inspection chambers, gullies, downpipes, yard drainage

Each element receives a condition rating of 1 (satisfactory), 2 (attention required, not urgent), or 3 (urgent repair needed). The report includes photographs of all condition 2 and 3 items. We deliver by email within 48 hours and follow up by phone if you have questions about any findings.

Damp is the most consistently identified defect across B44's pre-1960 housing stock. Coal cellars that have been infilled or sealed - common in Kingstanding estate properties - create voids where ground moisture accumulates and rises into floor timbers and lower walls. Our surveyors probe perimeter floorboards with a moisture meter and check for spongy or soft areas indicating wet rot beneath.

Outdated electrical installations appear in roughly half the pre-1975 properties we inspect across B44. Signs include round-pin sockets, rewirable fuse boards with ceramic fuses, and single-core wiring in 1960s properties. Where the consumer unit appears original or the installation shows signs of age, we recommend an EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) from a qualified electrician before exchange. An EICR provides a full circuit-by-circuit assessment and identifies any code C1 (danger present) or C2 (potentially dangerous) observations.

Properties built before 2000 may contain asbestos-containing materials. In B44's post-war stock, common locations include textured ceiling coatings applied from the 1960s onwards, insulation boards fitted around boilers and pipework, and garage roofing in corrugated asbestos cement sheet. Our survey notes suspected ACMs and recommends a specialist asbestos survey before any works are planned that might disturb these materials.