A RICS Level 2 Survey in Bournemouth was carried out for a buyer considering a conventional 1970s terraced property in the BH postcode area.
At first glance, the house appeared typical of many homes found across Bournemouth, Poole and the wider Dorset area. However, the inspection identified several issues that deserved closer attention before purchase. The most important concerned an active roof leak, deterioration within the roof space and several maintenance and safety matters.
This case study shows why even a relatively straightforward home can benefit from a professional survey before contracts are exchanged.
With a proven track record of delivering quality RICS home surveys and valuations, we thought we would share some of our valuable insight into what we do. With the aim to answer some of your questions about professional home surveying, come and explore the world of surveying with us…
A RICS Level 2 Home Survey is generally suitable for conventional houses, flats and bungalows built using common materials and appearing to be in reasonable condition. It provides more detail than a Level 1 inspection and highlights defects, repairs, maintenance requirements and matters which may need further investigation.
That made a Level 2 Survey appropriate for this Bournemouth property.
The house appeared to date from the 1970s and was built using traditional construction methods. It had masonry cavity walls, sections of lightweight external cladding and a pitched tiled roof. There was also a small porch with a flat roof.
Properties from this period are common throughout Bournemouth, Poole and Dorset. Many remain perfectly serviceable homes, but age-related maintenance can begin to build up.
A survey therefore asks a very practical question: what might the buyer need to repair, investigate or budget for after moving in?
In this case, that question became particularly important when the roof was inspected.
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One of the most significant findings was an active leak affecting the rear section of the main roof.
The external roof covering used concrete interlocking tiles. Much of the tiled roof remained functional, but moisture had already found its way into the roof space.
Inside the loft, water had collected on temporary plastic sheeting beneath the leaking area. Water staining was also visible to roof timbers and to the ceiling of the room below.
This was not simply a cosmetic problem.
Once water enters a roof space, continued leakage can affect timber, insulation, ceilings and decorative finishes. A relatively localised defect can therefore become much more expensive if the source is not repaired.
The inspection also found deterioration to sections of the roof underfelt. Some areas had loosened sufficiently to expose the underside of the tiles.
Michael Warren MRICS, MCIOB, ACABE commented:
“Roof defects are a good example of why buyers should look beyond the appearance of a property. A roof may look
reasonably complete from outside, while evidence inside the loft tells a very different story.”
The recommended next step was for an appropriately skilled roofing contractor to inspect the affected area more closely and identify the exact source of the leak before purchase.
Not necessarily.
This is one of the questions buyers often ask after receiving a survey.
Finding a defect does not automatically mean a property should be avoided. The important point is understanding what the defect is, how urgently it needs attention and what it may cost to resolve.
RICS advises buyers to consider survey findings before committing to a purchase and to obtain further specialist advice or quotations where significant repairs are identified.
That information can help buyers decide whether they are comfortable proceeding.
It can also give them a much clearer basis for discussing the purchase price if substantial repairs are required.
For this Bournemouth property, the roof issue was important enough to justify further investigation before exchange rather than simply accepting the condition at face value.
The inspection also highlighted several less dramatic roof maintenance issues.
Moss growth was present across sections of the roof covering. Some ridge and verge areas would benefit from repointing, while parts of the flat roof also had moss and vegetation growth.
Moss is common on roofs throughout Bournemouth, Poole and Dorset, particularly on shaded elevations.
On its own, moss does not always indicate a serious defect. However, heavy growth can retain moisture and contribute to blocked gutters and slower rainwater drainage.
The rear guttering at this property already contained plant growth, and some joints required attention.
This is where apparently separate defects can become connected.
Blocked or leaking gutters allow rainwater to discharge where it should not. Persistent water around walls, joinery or roof edges can eventually contribute to dampness and deterioration.
Regular maintenance of rainwater goods is therefore simple but important.
The RICS Home Survey framework is designed to help buyers distinguish between urgent defects and the more routine repairs that should simply be factored into future ownership.
That distinction was useful here. The roof leak required urgent attention, while several other roof and gutter defects were manageable maintenance items.
The roof space provided some of the most useful information during this RICS Level 2 Survey in Bournemouth.
As well as evidence of the active leak, the inspection identified concerns with the roof structure itself.
The roof used timber trusses, which are common in properties of this age. However, the inspection found that the roof structure had inadequate bracing.
Bracing helps stabilise roof trusses and provides additional support against movement caused by wind and other forces.
This does not necessarily mean that the roof is failing. However, inadequate bracing should not simply be ignored.
Additional bracing was therefore recommended to improve the roof structure.
This is another reason why access to a loft can be valuable during a home survey. Important defects are not always visible from ground level or from inside the main rooms.
The loft inspection also identified an opportunity to improve the property’s insulation.
Insulation was present, but its depth was below current recommendations.
This is particularly relevant when buying an older property. Energy efficiency expectations have changed considerably since many 1970s homes were constructed.
Improving loft insulation can be one of the simpler ways to reduce heat loss through the roof.
However, insulation should not be considered in isolation.
Good ventilation remains important because moisture generated inside a home can move into colder roof spaces. Poor ventilation can then increase the risk of condensation affecting roof timbers and other materials.
For buyers, the lesson is simple. A survey should consider how different parts of the building work together rather than viewing each defect separately.
Another important finding concerned alterations made inside the property.
A wall had previously been removed between two rooms to create a larger living space.
Removing an internal wall is not automatically a problem. However, buyers need to establish whether the wall was load-bearing and whether any required Building Regulations approval was obtained.
This information was not available during the inspection.
The buyer was therefore advised to ask their legal adviser to investigate the alteration before exchange.
This is particularly important because a structural alteration may require appropriate support above the opening.
A surveyor can identify visible evidence of alteration, but documentation and approvals form part of the buyer’s legal enquiries.
This is a useful example of how a building surveyor and conveyancer can work together during a property purchase.
The inspection also considered the property’s services.
A home survey is not the same as a specialist electrical or gas safety inspection. Surveyors carry out a visual assessment, but they do not dismantle systems or perform the detailed testing undertaken by specialist contractors.
For that reason, buyers should establish when installations were last inspected and tested.
Where satisfactory recent documentation cannot be provided, further checks may be sensible before exchange.
This can include an Electrical Installation Condition Report carried out by a suitably qualified electrician.
The same principle applies to gas appliances and heating systems.
Boilers can represent a significant expense when buying a home. Understanding their age, service history and apparent condition can therefore help buyers budget more confidently.
These checks are especially useful when purchasing an older property where services may have been altered or replaced at different times.
Bathrooms naturally generate large amounts of moisture.
Without effective ventilation, that moisture can settle on colder surfaces and contribute to condensation, mould growth and deterioration of decorative finishes.
The inspection of this Bournemouth property identified ventilation and maintenance issues within the bathroom.
Improving mechanical extraction was recommended.
Some sealant around sanitary fittings had also deteriorated and required renewal.
These can appear to be relatively minor defects. However, failed seals around baths, showers and sanitary fittings can allow water into concealed areas.
Over time, repeated moisture exposure may damage surrounding finishes and materials.
Good bathroom maintenance therefore involves more than keeping the room looking presentable. Effective extraction and watertight seals both help control moisture within the building.
One of the advantages of a Level 2 Building Survey in Bournemouth is that it can place defects into context.
Not every issue requires immediate major expenditure.
Some findings simply become part of the buyer’s future maintenance programme.
Others deserve attention before exchange.
In this case, the active roof leak was clearly more urgent than routine decorative deterioration or minor maintenance.
However, smaller issues involving gutters, ventilation, sealants and external finishes still mattered.
Buildings rarely deteriorate because of one isolated defect.
Water may enter through a leaking roof, overflow from a blocked gutter or pass through failed seals. Poor ventilation can then make moisture-related problems worse.
A good survey helps the buyer understand these relationships.
That knowledge makes it easier to decide what needs immediate investigation, what should be repaired after purchase and what simply needs monitoring as part of normal home ownership.
This Bournemouth property showed why a home does not need to appear seriously defective to benefit from a professional survey. The inspection identified an active roof leak alongside several repair, maintenance and further investigation points.
None of these findings automatically means a buyer should walk away. Instead, a RICS Level 2 Survey in Bournemouth can provide the information needed to make a more informed decision before exchange.
For buyers across Bournemouth, Poole and the wider Dorset area, understanding the condition of a property can also make future costs easier to plan. Where further investigation is recommended, it gives buyers the opportunity to obtain specialist advice and quotations before becoming legally committed to the purchase.
A RICS Level 2 Home Survey provides a visual assessment of the accessible parts of a property. It identifies significant defects, maintenance concerns and issues that may require further investigation.
It is generally suited to conventional properties that appear to be in reasonable condition.
Often, yes. A Level 2 Survey can be appropriate for a conventionally constructed 1970s house where there are no obvious reasons to expect major complexity.
Older, extensively altered, unusual or particularly deteriorated properties may benefit from a more detailed RICS Level 3 Building Survey.
A surveyor will inspect accessible roof coverings and roof spaces where possible.
Evidence such as staining, damp timbers, damaged underfelt or water entering the roof space can help identify a possible leak. Further investigation by a roofing contractor may then be recommended to establish the cause and repair cost.
A roof leak does not automatically make a property unsuitable to purchase.
The important questions are what is causing the leak, how extensive the damage is and how much the repair may cost. Obtaining further advice before exchange can help a buyer make that decision.
Yes. The surveyor looks for visible signs of dampness and moisture-related defects within accessible areas.
Where concerns are identified, the surveyor may recommend repairs or further investigation. Moisture problems can have several causes, so identifying the source is important before deciding on remedial work.
The survey includes a visual assessment of accessible services, but it is not a specialist electrical, gas or heating inspection.
If suitable recent testing or servicing information is unavailable, the surveyor may recommend checks by appropriately qualified contractors before purchase.
Visible alterations can be identified during the inspection.
Where an internal wall appears to have been removed, the surveyor may recommend that the buyer’s solicitor confirms whether relevant approvals and supporting documentation exist.
This can be particularly important where the alteration may have involved a load-bearing wall.
Potentially. If a survey identifies significant unexpected repairs, a buyer may choose to obtain quotations before deciding how to proceed.
Those costs can then inform further discussions about the purchase. Whether a seller agrees to renegotiate remains a matter between the parties.
The cost varies according to the property’s size, type, age, value and complexity.
Rather than choosing a survey based on price alone, buyers should also consider the surveyor’s qualifications and local property experience.
A mortgage valuation and a home survey serve different purposes.
A lender’s valuation primarily helps the lender assess the property for mortgage purposes. It should not be treated as a detailed assessment of the property’s condition.
A RICS Home Survey is commissioned for the buyer and provides information about the condition of the home and defects that may require attention.
For many conventional houses, flats and bungalows in reasonable condition, a RICS Level 2 Home Survey may provide an appropriate level of inspection.
A Level 3 Building Survey may be more appropriate for older, unusual, heavily altered or visibly deteriorated properties.
If you are unsure, a chartered surveyor can advise which survey level best suits the property before you book.
