RICS Level 2 Survey in Wallsend

A Level 2 survey is a visual inspection of the parts we can reach safely. Our RICS-qualified surveyors check the roof space where accessible, the walls, ceilings, floors, windows and doors, then note how visible services appear without lifting carpets or opening up the fabric of the building. In Wallsend, that is useful on a 1930s semi near Station Road as well as a flat in NE28 8, because the risks change with the build type. Every issue is graded 1, 2 or 3 so you can see what needs routine care, what needs repair, and what needs urgent attention.

The survey is not destructive. We do not move furniture, lift floor finishes, test electrics or open hidden areas, so a buried leak or a concealed timber defect can sit outside the scope of the report. That matters on properties in St Peter's Conservation Area and on a listed building such as Wallsend Health Centre, where older materials and past alterations can hide behind later decoration. A Level 2 works best on a home in reasonable condition, usually of conventional construction and built within the last 100 years.

If you are buying a standard terrace, semi, flat or modern house, Level 2 gives a clear summary without overcomplicating the process. Once a property is listed, heavily extended, unusual in its structure or showing clear movement, Level 3 gives more depth and more room to explain repair options. That extra detail can be useful on homes close to the former Swan Hunter shipyard corridor, where regeneration has changed the look of parts of the town but not the need for a careful inspection.

• roof coverings and chimneys
• walls, brickwork and render
• ceilings, floors and joinery
• visible services, rainwater goods and drainage

Wallsend ward has 10,398 people and 5,341 households, with an average household size of 1.9. It ranks 2nd for Flats and 3rd for Converted or shared houses among North Tyneside wards, so the local housing mix is more varied than a quick glance at the high street suggests. That matters to a surveyor because a compact flat, a converted upper floor and a 1930s semi do not fail in the same way. The town also has a 2011 population of 43,842, up from 42,842 in the previous census, so the pressure on older stock has not gone away.

The town has two conservation areas, St Peter's and Wallsend Green, and Wallsend Health Centre is a Grade II listed building. Any listed building needs a Level 3, not a Level 2, because the surveyor needs more space to look at the way the structure is put together and how it has been altered. The St Peter's neighbourhood, a protected zone, was described as extremely poor in its main structures, including the school and church, so we treat masonry, roof junctions and drainage there with extra care. Restrictions in a conservation area can also limit repair choices, which is one more reason to know the condition before you commit.

Flood risk is part of the local picture, with areas at risk from rivers, the sea, surface water and groundwater. The town's coal-mining past adds another layer, because movement in older homes can come from settled ground as well as poor maintenance. North Tyneside Council treats Wallsend town centre and nearby neighbourhoods as regeneration priorities, with plans to regenerate the high street and bring forward a Masterplan. That does not reduce the need for a survey, and it certainly does not remove the need to check cracks, drainage and roof condition carefully.

• St Peter's Conservation Area
• Wallsend Green Conservation Area
• Grade II listed Wallsend Health Centre
• flood risk from rivers, the sea, surface water and groundwater