RICS Level 2 Survey in TD6

Our RICS Level 2 Survey provides a thorough visual inspection of all accessible areas of the property. Our surveyor examines the condition of the roof, walls, ceilings, floors, doors, windows, and joinery, as well as the condition of services such as plumbing, electrical wiring, and heating systems. In TD6 properties, we pay particular attention to the common issues found in local housing stock, including the condition of slate roofs on older Victorian and Edwardian properties, the integrity of solid stone walls in pre-1919 buildings, and the state of rainwater goods that can be prone to damage in older tenements throughout Galashiels and Melrose town centres.

The survey also includes an assessment of any outbuildings, garages, and the general condition of the boundaries. Our team will identify any visible signs of damp, timber decay, structural movement, or other defects that may require immediate attention or future maintenance. For properties in the Melrose Conservation Area or those with listed building status, we provide specific guidance on any issues that may relate to historic building regulations and conservation requirements. This is particularly important in TD6, where Melrose boasts numerous Category A listed buildings including the famous abbey and traditional stone-built houses that require specialist knowledge of traditional building techniques.

We include a flood risk assessment for all properties, considering the proximity to the River Tweed and Gala Water that run through the TD6 area. Our report provides clear condition ratings using a traffic light system, making it easy to identify which areas require urgent attention and which are in satisfactory condition. We also include market valuation and rebuild cost guidance, which proves essential for insurance purposes and mortgage requirements.

• Roof structure and covering
• Wall construction and condition
• Damp and timber assessment
• Electrical and plumbing overview
• Boundary and outbuildings
• Flood risk assessment

Properties in the TD6 area present specific challenges that our surveyors are trained to identify through years of local experience. Many older stone-built properties in Melrose and parts of Galashiels suffer from damp issues due to inadequate damp-proof courses or defective rainwater goods. The use of solid stone walls in pre-1919 properties means that rising damp and penetrating damp are common concerns, particularly during the wet Scottish winters. Our surveyors carefully inspect for signs of damp staining, salt deposits, and deteriorating plaster that indicate moisture ingress, using professional damp meters to assess moisture levels in walls and floors.

Roof conditions are another significant area of focus during our inspections. Older slate roofs, common on Victorian and Edwardian properties throughout the TD6 area, can suffer from slipped slates, perished sarking felt, and failing leadwork around chimneys and valleys. Properties built between 1945 and 1980 often feature concrete tiles that may show signs of wear, moss growth, or deteriorating fixings. Our surveyors also check chimney stacks, which frequently show deterioration of pointing, defective flashings, or leaning in older properties. In our experience, chimney issues are particularly common in Galashiels properties due to the age of the housing stock and the harsh Borders winters.

The local geology also plays a role in property condition. While TD6 generally has lower shrink-swell clay risk compared to some parts of England, areas with substantial clay content in superficial deposits can still present a moderate risk of ground movement during prolonged dry or wet periods. Our surveyors visually assess all walls for signs of cracking or movement that might indicate subsidence, though significant structural problems are relatively rare in this area compared to other parts of Scotland.

• Damp and condensation in stone properties
• Slate and concrete tile roof defects
• Timber decay and woodworm
• Chimney stack deterioration
• Outdated electrical systems
• Drainage and guttering issues

Understanding the construction methods used in TD6 properties is essential for conducting an accurate survey. Older properties in the area, particularly those built before 1919, typically feature solid sandstone walls constructed with lime mortar, which requires different assessment criteria compared to modern cavity wall constructions. These solid walls, while durable, lack the thermal efficiency of modern builds and can be prone to damp penetration if the original damp-proof course has failed or was never installed. Our surveyors understand these traditional construction methods and know how to identify the specific defects that affect them.

The inter-war and post-war period (1919-1980) brought different construction techniques to the area, including cavity brick walls, rendered finishes, and timber roofs with concrete tiles or slates. Many of the council houses built during this period in Galashiels and Melrose used these methods, and our surveyors are familiar with the common issues affecting this housing stock, including deteriorating render, woodworm in timber joists, and outdated plumbing systems. Modern properties, including those at The Wickets development on Melrose Road, typically use timber frame construction with brick or rendered blockwork outer leaf, uPVC windows, and concrete tile roofs, representing a completely different set of potential defects to assess.

The variation in construction methods across different eras of development in TD6 means that our surveyors must adapt their inspection approach for each property. We identify the likely construction type from our external inspection and then focus our internal assessment on the areas most likely to show defects based on that construction method. This tailored approach ensures we identify issues that might be missed by a generic checklist approach that doesn't account for local building traditions.