RICS Level 2 Survey in BS16

Our RICS Level 2 Survey covers all the elements of a building that can be assessed by thorough visual inspection. It is the correct choice for the majority of BS16 properties: conventional brick-built homes that appear to be in reasonable condition, whether a modern flat in Emersons Green or an inter-war semi in Downend.

Our inspectors assess all the following during the visit:

• Roof structure, coverings, ridge, hips, valleys, chimneys and flashings
• Gutters, downpipes and surface water drainage
• External walls, render, pointing, cladding and any extensions
• Windows, doors and external timber joinery
• Internal walls, partitions, ceilings and floors throughout
• Loft space where the hatch is accessible
• Sub-floor void where accessible
• Damp, timber condition and signs of rot or infestation
• Heating, plumbing and electrics (visual inspection only)
• Grounds, garage, outbuildings and boundaries

Every element receives a Condition Rating. CR1 means the item is in satisfactory condition. CR2 means it needs repair or monitoring. CR3 means it needs urgent attention and should be investigated by a specialist before you exchange. The traffic-light format makes the report easy to navigate and gives you a clear basis for any post-survey negotiation.

Our standard Level 2 package also includes a RICS market valuation and an insurance reinstatement cost figure. The valuation is based on current BS16 comparable sales and uses the same methodology that RICS requires for professional valuations. If the valuation is below your agreed purchase price, that gives you documented grounds to renegotiate with the vendor.

The Level 2 Survey does not involve lifting floorboards, opening up wall finishes or drains testing. These are intrusive investigations that require a different type of instruction. Where our surveyor cannot access an element, we note the limitation and state the risk associated with it, so you are never left without guidance on how to proceed.

BS16 has seen significant new build activity in recent years. Developments at Lyde Green (BS16 7JF), Danby Street, Jenkins Way in Frenchay and Parklands in Fishponds are among the sites that have brought new homes to market. Lyde Green in particular has been a major growth area, with two-bedroom starter homes from around £320,000 and larger properties above £400,000.

A common misconception is that new build properties do not need surveying because they are covered by the developer's warranty. In practice, NHBC Buildmark and similar warranties cover structural defects for ten years but do not cover every type of defect, and the warranty process requires you to identify and report problems. A RICS Level 2 Survey on a recently completed property gives you an independent assessment of condition that is separate from - and more comprehensive than - the warranty documentation.

For properties in the very early stages after completion, a snagging inspection is often the right first step, as it focuses specifically on defects that the developer is still contractually obliged to remedy. For homes that are two years or more post-completion, a RICS Level 2 Survey is the appropriate choice, as it covers the full condition of the building and any defects that have emerged during the initial period.

BS16 also contains significant amounts of housing from the 1980s and 1990s that sits in the gap between modern new builds and older stock. These homes are now old enough to show defects related to aging components - UPVC window seals that have failed, polystyrene cavity fill that has shrunk, flat roof extensions that have reached the end of their waterproof membrane's life - and benefit from the systematic assessment of a RICS Level 2 Survey.

BS16 is one of Bristol's most varied postcode areas. Fishponds, in the west of BS16, is characterised by terraced housing and local shopping streets. Many Fishponds properties are Edwardian or early inter-war terraces that have been extended over the decades, creating a mix of construction eras within a single building. Surveys of extended properties in Fishponds frequently identify quality differences between the original structure and later additions.

Downend and Frenchay are more suburban in character, with a higher proportion of detached and semi-detached properties from the 1930s through to the 1980s. Frenchay also has a historical connection to Frenchay Hospital, now a major residential development site. Properties close to former institutional sites sometimes present specific environmental or ground condition questions that are worth investigating before purchase.

Emersons Green and Lyde Green represent BS16's newer face. Lyde Green has been built out in stages since the mid-2000s and contains a large number of homes that are now between five and fifteen years old. Many of these were built by volume housebuilders to tight margins, and our surveyors find a higher rate of construction defects in this age group than in older, traditionally built homes.

Staple Hill sits between Downend and Fishponds and contains a mix of Victorian terraces, inter-war housing and later development. The high street area has a concentration of older properties that are typical candidates for RICS Level 2 surveys covering damp, roof condition and timber defects. With semi-detached properties averaging £386,061 in BS16, a survey costing a few hundred pounds is a proportionate investment for any buyer in this area.