RICS Level 2 Survey in GU7

Godalming has been a settlement since Anglo-Saxon times, and much of the town's housing stock reflects that long history. Timber-framed buildings survive in the historic core, and Bargate stone - a dark honey-coloured sandstone quarried locally until World War II - features in many older properties. Buying a property with this kind of construction history without a professional survey means accepting significant unknowns about the fabric of the building.

The River Wey creates a genuine flood risk across central Godalming. Flood Zone 2 and Flood Zone 3 designations run through the town centre and along the river valley, with the Godalming, Peasmarsh, and Shalford stretch of the Wey being a designated flood warning area. Damp-related defects are among the most common issues our surveyors identify in GU7 properties, particularly those close to the river. Even properties outside the formal flood zones can be affected by surface water flooding, which is a separate risk category.

Geology adds another layer of complexity for GU7 buyers. Most of Godalming sits on the Lower Greensand Group, but Atherfield Clay is found in the northern part of the parish at Binscombe. Clay soils shrink during dry periods and expand when wet, placing repeated stress on foundations and external walls. Properties with shallower foundations on clay ground can show diagonal cracking at window and door corners, sticking doors, and sloping floors - warning signs our surveyors are trained to distinguish from normal settlement.

GU7 also has six separate conservation areas and 225 Grade II and II* listed buildings, along with two Grade I listed buildings: Wyatt's Almshouses and the Church of St Peter and St Paul, which has stonework dating from around 820 AD. Properties in these categories often have restrictions on alterations, and any defects in the original fabric can be expensive to repair using approved materials and methods. Our survey gives buyers a realistic picture of what maintenance commitments they are taking on.

With 225 Grade II and II* listed buildings and two Grade I listed buildings, GU7 is one of the more heritage-dense postcode districts in Surrey. The parish church of St Peter and St Paul contains stonework dating from around 820 to 840 AD, making it one of the oldest ecclesiastical buildings in the county. Wyatt's Almshouses are also Grade I listed. This high concentration of listed buildings means buyers in GU7 are statistically more likely to be purchasing a heritage property than in many comparable Surrey locations.

Properties with listed building status or within conservation areas face planning restrictions on alterations and repairs. If a listed GU7 property has been modified without listed building consent, the new owner inherits any liability for unauthorised works - not the seller. Our surveyors flag visible alterations that may warrant further investigation, and we note where original fabric appears to have been replaced with non-period materials.

Repairs to listed buildings must typically use like-for-like materials and traditional methods. Replacing Bargate stone, lime mortar joints, or original timber window frames costs significantly more than equivalent modern repairs using standard materials. Our survey report gives buyers in GU7 a realistic picture of the maintenance liabilities they may be taking on when purchasing a listed property.

There are also 13 sites and areas of high archaeological potential within the Godalming parish. Whilst this rarely affects a standard residential purchase directly, it can create constraints on permitted development - particularly for extensions, basement conversions, or significant groundworks. Buyers planning major alterations should check with Waverley Borough Council before assuming permitted development rights apply.

GU7's mix of historic, mid-century, and modern housing stock means our surveyors encounter a wide range of defects across different property types. Knowing what to expect before commissioning a survey helps you interpret findings in context and ask the right questions when discussing results with your surveyor.

Damp is the most frequently reported issue in GU7 properties, particularly those in or near the flood zones along the Wey valley. Rising damp, penetrating damp through failed or eroded pointing, and condensation damp in poorly ventilated rooms all appear regularly in our reports. Older Bargate stone and brick properties with solid walls are particularly vulnerable to moisture penetration, as solid walls have no cavity to interrupt water ingress.

Roof defects are common in properties built between the 1940s and 1980s, where original slate or concrete tiles have reached or exceeded their serviceable life. Failed flashings around chimney stacks, blocked and overflowing cast-iron guttering, and corroded downpipes often appear as a cluster of related defects in the same property. In GU7's older terraced streets, shared roof structures mean defects in a neighbouring section can allow water into your property.

Structural movement is a particular concern in GU7's clay areas, especially in the northern parish near Binscombe where Atherfield Clay outcrops. Diagonal cracking from the corners of windows and doors, sloping floors, and doors that bind in their frames can all indicate differential settlement or active subsidence. Our surveyors assess these signs carefully; where doubt remains, we recommend an independent structural engineer's report before exchange.

• Damp from flood events or ground moisture near the River Wey
• Pointing failure in Bargate stone and older brick properties
• Roof covering defects in 1950s-1970s era homes
• Clay-related structural movement in northern GU7
• Outdated wiring in pre-1980 properties that has not been rewired
• Failed render or repointing masking underlying wall damage
• Woodworm and wet rot in original timber structural elements
• Inadequate roof insulation in properties of all ages
• Drainage issues from root ingress by mature garden trees