Chartered surveyors in Abergele

1 RICS surveyor covering 1 postcode district around Abergele, in North Wales. RICS Home Survey Level 2 and Level 3.

Abergele's housing is led by the later twentieth century: well over a quarter dates from 1965 to 1982 and nearly a fifth from 1983 to 1999, both clear of the national share, while the Edwardian band is almost absent. Estate housing of that age brings roofs, cavity insulation, replacement windows and the quality of later extensions to the front of a survey. The low coastal strip towards Towyn was flooded by the sea in 1990, so flood risk is checked against the Natural Resources Wales map rather than assumed.

Local conditions

What we check in Abergele.

Drawn from official open data for this area, not written from a template. It tells you what a survey here has to account for. It is not a substitute for the formal searches, and we say where those live.

1 postcode district covered: We cover LL postcodes around Abergele with 1 RICS surveyor. What we look hardest at depends on the age and construction of your particular property.What a survey covers
Conwy: Building control records, conservation area status and planning history for Abergele sit with Conwy. Where alterations look unauthorised we will say so, and tell you what to ask your solicitor to confirm.

Sources: Environment Agency flood areas and ONS boundary data, both Open Government Licence; coalfield extents from published Coal Authority and BGS mapping. Coalfield boundaries are indicative. A mining report is the authoritative answer for any individual property.

The housing stock in Abergele.

28.7%

of homes within 2.4km of the centre were built in 1965–1982. Age is the strongest single predictor of what a survey finds, so it is where we start before we have seen the property.

Homes in Abergele by construction era, compared with England and Wales
Built	Share	Compared with England & Wales	Homes
Pre-1900	13.3%	-2.2 pts	1,380
1900–1929	2.9%	-7.1 pts	300
1930s	8.7%	-1.2 pts	900
1945–1964	14.3%	-2 pts	1,480
1965–1982	28.7%	+10.4 pts	2,970
1983–1999	18.3%	+6.4 pts	1,890
2000 onwards	13.7%	-4.4 pts	1,420

10,340 homes across 12 statistical areas within 2.4km of the centre. The marker on each bar is the England and Wales share. Source: Valuation Office Agency, Council Tax stock of properties, © Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.

What that means on an inspection

1965–1982

Cavity walls with insulation increasingly built in, flat-roofed elements such as garages, dormers and rear additions, and a broader range of manufactured materials.

What we usually find. Flat roofs of this era are frequently on their second or third covering and are a common source of water ingress. Textured coatings applied before the mid-1980s may contain asbestos, as may some cement products, soffits and floor tiles.

Worth knowing. Asbestos-containing materials are usually safe if undisturbed and in good order, but they matter a great deal if you intend to remove ceilings, take down a garage or open up the layout.

1983–1999

Insulated cavity walls, trussed rafter roofs, uPVC windows and, increasingly, timber-frame construction behind a brick outer skin. Most carry a warranty from new.

What we usually find. Generally sound, with issues tending to be maintenance rather than construction: sealed-unit windows losing their seal, render cracking, and condensation where ventilation has not kept pace with later draught-proofing.

Worth knowing. Timber frame behaves differently from masonry and should not be altered as though it were solid. Removing or breaching an internal wall without advice can be a real problem.

These are tendencies of the local stock, not findings on any particular house. A well-maintained Victorian terrace can be in better order than a neglected 1990s semi, which is the entire reason a survey is done on the building in front of you rather than on its postcode.

Available in Abergele