Local surveyors covering Street, Somerset and the surrounding BA16 postcode
Regulated
Buying a property in Street or the wider BA16 postcode area puts you in one of Somerset's most characterful markets. From Victorian Blue Lias limestone terraces near the old Clarks Shoes factory to 1960s semi-detached estates built when Street expanded as a manufacturing town, BA16 properties span over 150 years of construction history. Our RICS Level 2 Survey (also known as a HomeBuyer Report) gives you the detailed, independent view of a property's condition that no mortgage valuation can provide.
The Somerset Levels sit just to the north and west of Street, and flood risk is a real consideration for buyers in lower-lying parts of the BA16 postcode. Our inspectors assess drainage, damp penetration and any signs of flood-related damage as part of every inspection. With average house prices in BA16 sitting around £288,000 and detached homes reaching over £449,000, securing an independent survey before you exchange is one of the most cost-effective decisions you will make.
Our chartered surveyors cover the full BA16 area including Street, Walton, Compton Dundon and surrounding villages. We report using the standard RICS traffic-light condition rating system so you can see at a glance which elements need attention, which need monitoring and which are in good order. Every report comes with a repair priority list and estimated cost ranges so you can negotiate or plan maintenance with confidence.
£288,000
Average House Price
Rightmove/Zoopla average, last 12 months
£449,333
Detached
Average sold price, last 12 months
£263,408
Semi-Detached
Most common property type sold
£264,712
Terraced
Average sold price, last 12 months
£124,952
Flats
Average sold price, last 12 months
+2%
Year-on-Year Change
Below 2023 peak of £296,308
Our surveyors inspect properties across Street and the BA16 postcode every week, and certain defect patterns repeat across different housing eras. Understanding what our inspectors typically find helps you know what to ask about before you make an offer.
Victorian and Edwardian properties in the older parts of Street, particularly those built from local Blue Lias limestone, are prone to pointing failure. Blue Lias is a sedimentary limestone that can shed thin layers when freeze-thaw cycles attack deteriorating mortar joints. Our inspectors check all accessible pointing carefully, paying particular attention to north and east-facing elevations where moisture retention is highest. Failed pointing allows water to penetrate the wall, leading to internal damp patches that may not be obvious during a casual viewing.
Post-war semi-detached properties built in the 1950s to 1970s - which make up a large share of BA16 sales - present a different set of risks. These homes were often built using early cavity wall construction. In Somerset's wetter climate, cavity wall insulation retrofits can allow water to bridge the cavity if the installation was poorly executed or if the fill material has shifted over time. Our damp meter readings at regular intervals across all external walls pick up moisture bridge issues that visual inspection alone would miss.
Older properties in Street near the historic town centre may also show settlement cracking around original chimney breast removal. When Victorian chimneys were taken down in the mid-twentieth century, the structural load distribution changed, and over decades this can cause stepped diagonal cracking in internal walls. Our inspectors photograph and categorise all cracks using the BRE crack classification system so you know whether movement is historic and stable or active and progressive.
Based on our surveyors' inspection findings across pre-1980 Somerset properties. Rates reflect the proportion of properties where defects were noted at condition rating 2 or 3.
Street sits on the southern edge of the Somerset Levels, and the local geology has directly shaped what older homes here are built from. Blue Lias limestone - a pale grey, thinly bedded stone - was quarried extensively in this part of Somerset and used for terraced housing, boundary walls and commercial buildings throughout the Victorian and Edwardian periods. Our inspectors are familiar with how this material ages and where it is most likely to show stress.
Blue Lias is more water-absorbent than harder limestones, which means properties built from it rely heavily on well-maintained lime mortar pointing to control damp ingress. When owners or builders have used modern cement-based mortars during repairs - a common mistake - the harder mortar traps moisture within the stone, accelerating decay rather than preventing it. We check for evidence of inappropriate repointing using cement on every limestone property we inspect, and we flag this clearly because the remediation involves removing and replacing all cement-based pointing with lime mortar, which can be a significant cost.
The interwar and post-war housing stock in Street uses a mix of brick and concrete block construction. These properties age more predictably than limestone buildings but are not without issues. Render on cavity walls can harbour moisture if cracked, and flat-roofed extensions added to 1960s bungalows are a common source of water ingress. Our surveyors assess the condition of render, check flat roof surfaces from ground level and use a moisture meter to test walls adjacent to flat-roof junctions.
Parts of BA16 - particularly lower-lying areas north of Street town centre and properties near the River Brue corridor - sit within flood risk zones identified by the Environment Agency. Environment Agency flood warning area 112FWFBRU30A covers low-lying land and properties along the River Brue and Glastonbury Millstream from Lovington to Highbridge, including Tootle Bridge, Catsham, Church Moor at Baltonsborough, Street Drove, the B3151 Glastonbury to Meare Road, Westhay Bridge, and Tadham Moor. Flood alert area 112WAFTESR (East Somerset Rivers) covers a wider area including the River Sheppey, Glastonbury Millstream, and the North and South Drains. The Somerset Levels experienced devastating flooding in the winter of 2013 to 2014, with 17,000 hectares inundated for up to six weeks. Properties in Flood Zone 2 or 3 can face difficulties with standard mortgage terms and higher insurance premiums. Our survey report includes our observations on drainage, evidence of previous water ingress, and we recommend you check the Environment Agency flood map for any property in the BA16 postcode before exchanging. Properties within 9 metres of a managed drainage rhyne (the local term for the drainage ditches that criss-cross the Levels) may also require Internal Drainage Board consultation before any development works.
Our RICS Level 2 Survey - the survey product previously sold as a HomeBuyer Report - is a thorough visual inspection of all accessible parts of a property, reported in a standardised format developed by RICS. It is designed for conventional properties in reasonable condition, which covers the majority of BA16 homes.
Our inspectors work through a structured inspection checklist covering the following elements of every property we survey in the BA16 area:
Each element receives a condition rating of 1 (no repair needed at present), 2 (repairs or further investigation needed but not urgent) or 3 (urgent repairs required). Our written report explains what we found at each rating and provides typical cost ranges for any rated 2 or 3 items, giving you a clear basis for negotiation or budgeting.
For properties in BA16 with clear indications of significant damp, structural movement beyond normal settlement, or non-traditional construction elements such as concrete frame or large-panel system builds, we will advise whether a more detailed RICS Level 3 Building Survey would be more appropriate. We never push buyers towards a more expensive product unnecessarily, but we are direct when a Level 2 scope is not sufficient for a particular property.
Prices are indicative starting points and vary by property size, age and location. Contact us for a specific BA16 quote.
Enter your BA16 property details on our quote page. We return a fixed price covering the survey and written report with no hidden extras. Pricing is based on property type and size, not just value.
Once you accept your quote, we assign your inspection to one of our RICS-qualified surveyors covering the Street and BA16 area. We typically have availability within 3 to 5 working days.
Our surveyor attends at an agreed time - usually when the property is vacant. The inspection takes 2 to 4 hours depending on property size. You do not need to be present, but you are welcome to attend.
Your written RICS Level 2 Survey report is delivered digitally within 3 to 5 working days of the inspection. The report includes condition ratings, photographs, repair priority guidance and estimated cost ranges.
Our surveyor is available after delivery for a follow-up call to walk through the findings with you. We want you to fully understand what is in your report before you make any decisions.
All our inspections in BA16 and across Somerset are carried out by RICS-qualified chartered surveyors who hold current RICS membership and professional indemnity insurance. We do not use unqualified inspectors or trainees conducting unsupervised surveys - every report is produced and signed by a full RICS member.
Our surveyors working in the Street and BA16 area have direct experience of the local housing stock. They understand the characteristics of Blue Lias limestone construction, the typical construction periods for different parts of Street, and the specific flood risk and drainage conditions that apply to lower-lying BA16 locations near the Somerset Levels. This local knowledge is not something you can replicate with a surveyor parachuted in from outside the area.
As an independent survey provider, we have no financial relationship with estate agents, mortgage brokers or developers. Our duty of care runs exclusively to you as the buyer. Our report reflects what our surveyor actually found during the inspection, not what any other party would prefer to hear. This independence is what makes our surveys genuinely useful rather than a box-ticking exercise.
Street and the BA16 postcode sit immediately south of the Somerset Levels, one of the largest areas of lowland wetland in England. The River Brue runs through the Levels to the north of Street, and in wet winters the water table across the BA16 area rises significantly. Our inspectors have first-hand experience of how this affects properties - particularly those in Walton, the northern edges of Street, and lower-lying roads close to drainage rhines (the local term for the drainage ditches that criss-cross the Levels).
Rising damp and penetrating damp are both more prevalent in BA16 than in drier parts of England. Solid-walled Victorian properties in Street's older streets lack a damp-proof course by design - they relied on the breathing capacity of lime mortar and plaster to manage moisture. When owners have retrofitted cement renders, cement pointing or modern impermeable plasters to these properties, the walls can no longer breathe, and damp becomes trapped rather than managed. Our inspectors use calibrated moisture meters at regular intervals across all ground-floor external walls to map the extent of any damp, and we describe in plain language what we believe is causing it and what remediation is likely to cost.
For properties within or adjacent to Flood Zone 2 or 3, we note in our survey report any physical evidence of previous flood events such as tide marks, salt crystallisation on lower walls, or mismatched floor finishes suggesting replacement after water damage. We also recommend that buyers of any lower-lying BA16 property check insurance availability before exchanging, as flood-affected properties can face significantly higher premiums or exclusions.
Properties in the flat Levels areas of BA16 - particularly in Meare, Westhay, Godney, and Walton - may show foundation movement related to peat consolidation rather than the clay shrink-swell common in other parts of England. The Somerset Levels sit on deep post-glacial alluvial deposits including peat up to three metres deep in some areas. Peat shrinks significantly during dry summers (causing shallow foundation settlement) and swells in wet winters. This seasonal movement can present as uneven floors, sticking doors and windows, and diagonal wall cracking - patterns that look similar to clay subsidence but have different causes and different remediation approaches. Our surveyors note the ground context for every BA16 property and distinguish between peat consolidation movement and structural failure in their reports.
Our RICS Level 2 Survey prices in BA16 start from £299 for smaller properties and increase based on property size and type. The price covers the full inspection and written report with no extras billed afterwards. We provide a fixed price at quote stage so you know exactly what you are paying before you commit. For an accurate price for your specific BA16 property, use our online quote tool or call us.
A HomeBuyer Report is the old product name for what RICS now calls a Level 2 Survey. The two terms refer to the same product - a condition-rated inspection of a property covering all accessible elements, reported in a standardised RICS format. If you have searched for a HomeBuyer Report in BA16, our RICS Level 2 Survey is exactly what you are looking for. The format was updated by RICS in 2021 to improve clarity, but the core scope of the inspection remains the same.
The physical inspection of a typical BA16 property takes between 2 and 4 hours depending on its size and complexity. A two-bedroom terraced house in Street would typically be at the shorter end, while a larger detached property in a rural BA16 location could take longer. After the inspection, our surveyor prepares the written report over the following 3 to 5 working days. You receive the completed report digitally and can book a follow-up call with your surveyor to discuss the findings.
Yes, and for properties in lower-lying parts of BA16, we consider a survey more important than average. The Somerset Levels experienced severe flooding in the 2013 to 2014 winter, and flood risk is a genuine factor for some BA16 buyers. Our survey will note any physical evidence of previous flood damage, assess drainage conditions, and flag any signs of rising damp or moisture penetration that could be related to high local water tables. We strongly recommend checking the Environment Agency flood risk map for any BA16 property, and we advise buyers of at-risk properties to verify insurance availability before exchanging contracts.
Most Blue Lias limestone properties in Street are suitable for a RICS Level 2 Survey provided they are in reasonable overall condition and do not show signs of significant structural movement. If the property has major cracking, significant damp penetration, or has been substantially altered or extended, we may recommend upgrading to a Level 3 Building Survey which provides a more detailed structural analysis. When you book, tell us the age and approximate condition of the property and we will advise you which level is most appropriate - we will never upsell you to a Level 3 unless we genuinely think you need one.
Clarks Shoes operated large manufacturing facilities in Street for well over a century, and the wider industrial history of the town can be relevant for some properties. Older industrial sites can be associated with ground contamination, and properties on or near former factory land may require an environmental search and potentially a ground investigation. Our survey covers the visible and accessible condition of the property - we do not conduct ground investigations - but we will note if a property is in a location where a contamination search would be advisable. Your conveyancing solicitor will also carry out environmental searches as part of the legal process.
You are welcome to attend the inspection at the end, though most buyers choose not to attend for the full duration. Our surveyor will be concentrating on methodically working through the inspection checklist, and having buyers present throughout can occasionally extend the inspection time. If you would like to attend, we recommend joining for the final 20 to 30 minutes when your surveyor can walk you through the main findings before you leave the property. Please arrange this when you book so we can plan accordingly.
Our full range of property services covering Street and the wider BA16 postcode
From £599
Full structural analysis for older, larger or unusual BA16 properties - recommended for pre-Victorian limestone buildings and heavily altered homes
From £79
Energy Performance Certificate for BA16 properties - required for selling or letting and helpful for identifying insulation upgrades
From £299
New build inspection for any new-build properties in the BA16 area - identifies defects before handover so the developer fixes them at no cost to you
From £149
EICR for BA16 properties - essential for older homes in Street where the electrical installation may not have been updated since the 1970s
From £299
Asbestos management survey for 1950s-1990s BA16 properties - essential if you plan renovation or extension works
From £199
Specialist roof inspection for slate and Blue Lias tile roofs across Street and the Somerset BA16 area
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Local surveyors covering Street, Somerset and the surrounding BA16 postcode
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Homemove is a trading name of HM Haus Group Ltd (Company No. 13873779, registered in England & Wales). Homemove Mortgages Ltd (Company No. 15947693) is an Appointed Representative of TMG Direct Limited, trading as TMG Mortgage Network, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 786245). Homemove Mortgages Ltd is entered on the FCA Register as an Appointed Representative (FRN 1022429). You can check registrations at NewRegister or by calling 0800 111 6768.
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