Chartered surveyors in Bridgnorth

1 RICS surveyor covering 2 postcode districts around Bridgnorth, in the West Midlands. RICS Home Survey Level 2 and Level 3.

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Bridgnorth is two towns on one sandstone cliff: High Town on top, Low Town by the Severn, joined by steps and a cliff railway. Almost a quarter of the homes around it pre-date 1900, half as much again as the national share, and much of the old centre is a conservation area with many listed buildings. The sandstone is the local question, both as the ground some houses are cut into and as the material of their walls, which weathers and spalls where hard cement has been put over it. Low Town sits on the river's flood plain and is checked against the flood map.

Local conditions

What we check in Bridgnorth.

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.

River Severn and River Worfe: Flood risk is one of the first things we check, because it affects insurance, lending and what we look at underfoot. The River Severn, River Worfe, Mor Brook, Borle Brook, Dowles Brook, Dick Brook, Ledwyche Brook, River Rea are all within reach of Bridgnorth.Check this property on the official service
2 postcode districts covered: We cover WV postcodes around Bridgnorth with 1 RICS surveyor. What we look hardest at depends on the age and construction of your particular property.What a survey covers
Shropshire: Building control records, conservation area status and planning history for Bridgnorth sit with Shropshire. 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 Bridgnorth.

23.2%

of homes within 2.4km of the centre were built pre-1900. 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 Bridgnorth by construction era, compared with England and Wales
Built	Share	Compared with England & Wales	Homes
Pre-1900	23.2%	+7.7 pts	2,170
1900–1929	2.2%	-7.8 pts	210
1930s	5.6%	-4.3 pts	520
1945–1964	19%	+2.7 pts	1,770
1965–1982	19.8%	+1.5 pts	1,850
1983–1999	12.4%	about average	1,160
2000 onwards	17.8%	about average	1,660

9,340 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

Pre-1900

Normally solid walls of brick or stone with no cavity, lime mortar, timber suspended floors and lath-and-plaster internally. Any damp-proof course is either slate or absent altogether.

What we usually find. Damp at low level is the most frequent finding, usually where a slate damp-proof course has been bridged by raised ground or by later solid floors and cement render. Chimney stacks, roof coverings and rainwater goods are often at or beyond the end of their serviceable lives, and earlier repointing in cement rather than lime can trap moisture and spall the brick face.

Worth knowing. Solid walls cannot be treated like cavity walls. Injected chemical courses and internal tanking frequently move the problem rather than resolve it, so the cause matters more than the last remedy applied.

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.

1945–1964

Post-war rebuilding, largely cavity-walled, but including system-built and non-traditional types — reinforced concrete, steel frame and prefabricated panels — put up quickly to address the housing shortage.

What we usually find. The conventional stock of this period is usually straightforward. Non-traditional construction is a different matter: some types are designated defective, and most lenders treat them differently or decline them, which affects both mortgageability and resale.

Worth knowing. Identifying the construction type is the first job on anything of this age that does not look conventionally built. A Level 3 survey is normally the right choice here, and lending should be confirmed early.

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 Bridgnorth