Chartered surveyors in Conwy

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

Conwy's housing is mixed, with no single era reaching a fifth of it, because the area around the medieval walled town takes in Deganwy and Llandudno Junction across the estuary. Inside the walls, which with the castle form part of a World Heritage Site, many buildings are listed and all of them sit within the conservation area, which decides what can be repaired, replaced or altered before a survey's advice can be acted on. The post-war and later housing beyond the walls is surveyed on its own terms, and the low ground beside the estuary is checked against the Natural Resources Wales flood map.

Local conditions

What we check in Conwy.

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.

2 postcode districts covered: We cover LL postcodes around Conwy with 1 RICS surveyor. What we look hardest at depends on the age and construction of your particular property.What a survey covers
Local authority: Building control records, conservation area status and planning history for Conwy sit with the council here. 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 Conwy.

19.1%

of homes within 2.4km of the centre were built in 1945–1964. 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 Conwy by construction era, compared with England and Wales
Built	Share	Compared with England & Wales	Homes
Pre-1900	15.8%	about average	2,080
1900–1929	8.6%	-1.4 pts	1,130
1930s	10.2%	about average	1,340
1945–1964	19.1%	+2.8 pts	2,520
1965–1982	18.1%	about average	2,380
1983–1999	14.1%	+2.2 pts	1,860
2000 onwards	14.1%	-4 pts	1,850

13,160 homes across 15 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

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.

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.

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 Conwy