RICS Level 3 Building Survey in Glasgow

A Level 3 survey is the most detailed visual inspection we offer for buyers in Glasgow, whether the property sits on Great Western Road, Southbrae Drive or a close off Pollokshaws Road. Our surveyors look at the roof coverings, chimneys, flashings, external walls, windows, floors, ceilings, loft space, accessible sub-floor voids and visible services. They also comment on the materials used, how the building appears to have been put together, and whether the construction looks consistent with the age of the home.

The report does more than list defects. It explains why they matter, what repair work is likely, and what can happen if the issue is left alone. On a sandstone tenement in Dowanhill, for example, failing pointing and a leaking gutter can move from a nuisance to timber decay, stained plaster and expensive internal repairs. On a bay-fronted house in Pollokshields, cracked masonry or movement around the lintels may need a structural engineer before you go any further.

What it does not do is just as important. We do not carry out destructive opening-up, lift carpets, test electrics or heating systems, run drainage CCTV, or strip back finishes to chase hidden faults. Those are specialist follow-up tasks. If our surveyor sees signs of movement, serious damp, rotten roof timbers or suspect drainage, the report will say so, then point you towards the right specialist for the next step.

• Roof coverings, slates and tiles
• Chimneys, leadwork and flashings
• External walls, render, sandstone and pointing
• Windows, doors and visible joinery
• Loft structure and roof timbers
• Accessible sub-floor spaces and cellar areas
• Visible plumbing, heating and electrical concerns
• Internal ceilings, floors and signs of movement

Glasgow's older housing stock is built around red and blonde sandstone, especially in the West End, the City Centre and the South Side. That gives the city its familiar look, but sandstone also weathers, spalls and suffers when pointing fails or rainwater goods leak. In places such as Garnethill, Merchant City, Park Circus and Hyndland, we often see roof defects, cracked mortar joints, stained internal finishes and timber decay linked to long-standing moisture ingress.

The ground matters too. Large parts of Glasgow sit on Carboniferous rocks with glacial till, including boulder clay that can shrink and swell through dry and wet spells. That raises the risk of movement in properties with shallow foundations, and it is one reason older houses near the River Kelvin, White Cart Water, Black Cart Water and the Clyde Waterfront deserve a careful look. Past mining can also leave a legacy in some areas, so a crack in a South Side wall is not something to brush past.

Post-war flats and later estates bring a different set of problems. Flat roofs from the 1960s and 1970s may be at the end of their service life, while render, windows and cavity insulation can hide damp or cold bridging. Heavy rain can also overwhelm local drainage, so low-lying streets near the Clyde or in parts of the city centre may show surface water issues after storms. A survey around London Road, Broomielaw or Pollokshaws Road often needs to ask whether water is getting in from above, through the walls, or from the ground.

• Penetrating damp from broken gutters or poor pointing
• Wet rot and dry rot in joists, window frames and roof timbers
• Slipped slates, failed felt and weak leadwork
• Spalled sandstone and cracked masonry
• Condensation in top-floor tenements
• Shrink-swell movement in clay-rich ground
• Surface water flooding near low-lying streets
• Ageing drainage and old pipework