RICS Level 3 Survey Burton On Trent

Our Level 3 survey is the most detailed visual inspection we carry out on a house in Burton on Trent, from a Victorian terrace near the town centre to a listed building close to St Modwen's Church. We look at the accessible roof space, walls, floors, ceilings, chimneys, windows, doors, rainwater goods, visible services and the structure you can see without opening the fabric. The report sets out construction type, materials, visible defects, likely causes and the repairs that need attention first.

We also explain what can happen if a defect is left alone. That can mean timber decay, roof leaks, failed pointing, damp penetration, defective flashing, settlement cracks or movement that gets worse over time. In Burton on Trent, where 18th and 19th-century red-brick stock sits alongside stone details such as Millstone Grit sandstone and Lincolnshire Limestone, the material mix matters. A crack in a lime-mortared wall on Shobnall Road is not the same as a crack in a post-1980 cavity wall near Branston Leas.

A Level 3 survey does not open up the structure, lift carpets, carry out drainage CCTV or test the electrics, boiler, gas installation or plumbing. If we see evidence that points to a hidden problem, we say so and recommend the right follow-up. That might be a structural engineer, a damp specialist, an electrician, a gas engineer or a drainage company. The point is not just to list issues, it is to tell you which ones matter on day one and which ones can wait.

• Accessible roof voids and loft space
• Sub-floor voids where they can be inspected safely
• External elevations, chimneys and rainwater goods
• Visible services, finishes and structural signs of movement

Burton on Trent's older housing stock is largely red brick from the 18th and 19th centuries, and that shows up in the defects we expect to find. Around the town centre, Shobnall Road and the older parts of Stapenhill, we often pay close attention to repointing, soft brick faces, chimney stability and damp at ground floor level. Older timber floors can suffer from poor ventilation, and historic alterations can hide problems where later plaster, paint or cladding has sealed the wall.

Flood history matters here too. Burton on Trent is closely linked to the River Trent, and over 5,500 properties, including 4,500 homes, are at risk of flooding from the river. Flood alerts and warnings have been issued for Waterside Road in Stapenhill, the Burton Bridge area, Newton Road in Winshill and Church Lane in Newton Solney, so we always look for clues such as tide marks, salts, staining, replacement skirtings and patched plaster on lower walls. A house can look tidy on the surface and still carry a past flood story.

Clay-rich ground can also cause shrink-swell movement, which is relevant where shallow foundations meet older masonry. If a property around DE15 or DE13 shows stepped cracking, distorted doors or separation at the junction between an extension and the original house, we treat that as a sign to investigate further. Burton's listed buildings, from Claymills Pumping Station to the Burton-Upon-Trent Magistrates Court area, remind buyers that older construction can be robust, but only when it has been maintained properly.

• Failed roof coverings and slipped tiles
• Damp penetration through old brickwork or chimney stacks
• Movement cracks at bay windows and extensions
• Timber decay where air bricks or sub-floor ventilation are blocked