Illustrative example — not a real property or report
RICS Home Survey Level 2RICS Home Survey Level 3
Mid-terrace house, built about 1905 · solid sandstone walls, slate roof · West Yorkshire
Overall opinion
The property is in a condition typical of its age and type. The roof needs urgent repair (D2), and damp at the base of the front wall should be investigated before exchange. Otherwise the defects found are the kind normally dealt with as maintenance.
This is a sound, traditionally built stone terrace whose main problems come from past repairs made with the wrong materials and from water management: slipped slates from failing fixings, cement pointing and render trapping moisture in the walls, and rainwater discharging at the base of the rear wall. None of this is unusual for a house of this age, but the roof (D2) is urgent, and the damp (E3) should be investigated and its causes corrected before any damp-proofing treatment is considered.
D1Chimney stacks2
The stone chimney stack has weathered, open mortar joints and the lead flashing at the rear has lifted. Repair is needed but is not urgent; include it in planned roof work.
The sandstone stack has open, weathered joints on its exposed faces, and the rear lead flashing has lifted along about 600 mm. Damp staining to the rafters in the loft directly below shows rain is already reaching the roof void. Repoint in a lime mortar (not cement, which would trap moisture in the stone) and re-dress or renew the flashing. If left, continued water entry will lead to decay in the roof timbers. Budget for scaffold access.
D2Roof coverings3
Several slates at the rear have slipped or are missing, and daylight is visible from the loft. This needs urgent repair to stop water getting in. Obtain quotes from a roofer before you exchange contracts.
The roof is covered in natural slate, largely original. Widespread slipped slates point to "nail sickness" — corrosion of the original fixings — rather than isolated damage. Short-term, the slipped slates can be refixed; long-term, the roof is approaching the point where stripping, relaying sound slates on new battens and a breathable underlay is more economical than repeated repair. Leaving it risks ongoing leaks and timber decay. Get quotes for both options before exchange.
D3Rainwater pipes and gutters2
The cast iron gutter at the rear leaks at a joint and the downpipe discharges against the wall. Repair and redirect the downpipe to the drain.
The cast iron rear gutter leaks at a joint, and the downpipe shoe discharges onto the ground at the base of the wall rather than into the gully. Water saturating the ground here is a likely contributor to the damp found inside at low level (see E3). Reseal or replace the joint, connect the downpipe to the gully, and check the gully is clear.
D4Main walls2
The stone walls have been repointed in a hard cement mortar, which is cracking in places. Monitor and plan repointing.
The walls are solid sandstone, around 450 mm thick, repointed at some point in a hard cement mortar. Cement is less permeable than the stone, so moisture that would have evaporated through lime joints is held in the wall, and the stone faces are beginning to erode around the hard joints. Plan to rake out and repoint in a lime mortar, starting with the most exposed rear elevation. This is consistent with Historic England guidance on traditional buildings.
E3Walls and partitions2
Damp meter readings were raised at the base of the front room wall. Further investigation by an independent damp specialist is recommended before you exchange.
Raised readings are concentrated below about 600 mm on the front wall. Outside, the pavement and a raised flower bed sit above the internal floor level, bridging the damp proof course, and cement render runs down to ground level. The likely cause is bridging and trapped moisture, not a failed damp proof course. Lower the external levels, cut back the render, fix the rear drainage (D3), and let the wall dry and re-test before considering any damp-proofing treatment.
E1Roof structure2
Staining to timbers near the chimney. Insulation is thin. See D1 and D2.
The roof is a traditional purlin and rafter structure with no sign of significant sagging or spread. Staining to rafters beside the chimney matches the lifted flashing (D1); probing found the timber sound at the time of inspection. Loft insulation is about 100 mm, well below the current recommended depth; topping it up is worthwhile, keeping the eaves clear for ventilation.
F1Electricity2
The consumer unit appears dated. Have the installation tested by a registered electrician.
The consumer unit appears dated and has no visible modern residual current device protection for all circuits. A home survey does not test services, so ask a registered electrician for an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) before exchange.
F6DrainageNI
The inspection chamber cover could not be lifted, so the drains were not inspected.
The inspection chamber cover was seized and could not be lifted safely. Given the low-level damp at the front and the gully at the rear, a CCTV drainage survey is recommended before exchange.
Issues for your legal advisers
- Confirm whether the rear dormer had planning permission and building regulations approval.
- Check responsibility for the shared rear passage and the drainage serving the terrace.
- Ask for any guarantees for past damp-proofing work.Ask for any guarantees for past damp-proofing work, and whether the cement render was installed under one — this affects how it can be removed.