RICS Level 2 Survey in Solihull

A Level 2 survey is a visual inspection of accessible parts of the property. Our surveyors look at roofs, walls, ceilings, floors, joinery and visible services, then assign traffic-light condition ratings from 1 to 3. That format works well on a 1960s semi in Shirley B90 or a newer flat at The Green, Shirley B90 4NE, where the structure is conventional and the main question is usually condition, not reinvention.

The report does not involve destructive opening up, so we do not lift carpets, move fitted furniture, test appliances or dismantle finishes to see what is hidden. It is not the same as a mortgage valuation, which tells the lender what the property is worth for lending purposes, not what may need repair. For a buyer in Solihull Town Centre or Monkspath, that distinction matters because a valuation can pass a home that still has damp, roof wear or old electrics waiting underneath.

Level 2 is the right tool for many homes built within the last 100 years, especially standard brick properties across B90, B91 and B92. A Level 3 Building Survey goes further, with more depth and more commentary, and is better for listed buildings, very old homes, unusual construction, heavy extensions or properties with obvious major defects. If you are looking at a listed cottage in Knowle or a heavily altered house in Dorridge, the extra detail of Level 3 usually pays for itself.

• Roof coverings, flashings and chimneys
• Walls, pointing and visible movement
• Ceilings, floors and joinery
• Visible plumbing, electrics and drainage points

The age split in Solihull matters. With 44.2% of homes built between 1945 and 1980 and 39.1% of the stock being semi-detached, a lot of buyers are looking at standard cavity wall houses rather than unusual one-offs. That suits a Level 2 survey well, especially on a brick property in B90 or a 1950s house in B91 where the main concerns are damp, roof wear and ageing components.

Ground conditions deserve attention here too. The Mercia Mudstone Group can behave like shrink-swell clay, so subsidence or heave becomes more likely where mature trees dry the ground or where shallow foundations have already moved. The River Blythe and the River Cole also create fluvial risk in parts of the borough, while surface water can pool after heavy rain in more urbanised spots. We look for the physical signs, not just the postcode label.

Conservation status changes the survey choice. Solihull has 20 Conservation Areas, including Solihull Town Centre, Knowle, Dorridge Station Approach, Hampton-in-Arden and Olton, and those areas can contain listed buildings with tighter repair rules. A Level 2 can still help on a standard home there, but a listed cottage in Knowle or a heavily altered property in Hampton-in-Arden often needs the fuller commentary that comes with Level 3. That is where the extra detail helps.