Chartered surveyors in Irlam

7 RICS surveyors covering 1 postcode district around Irlam, in the North West. RICS Home Survey Level 2 and Level 3, and RICS Residential Valuation.

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Irlam divides between the post-war programme at nearly a quarter of its homes and the 1930s at over a fifth, both well above average, so most instructions here are interwar or immediately post-war. Wall ties from the corrosion decades, bay roofs and original detailing come with the first; make-do materials and sixty years of renewal come with the second. The Mersey shapes the low ground and where an address sits near it the report deals with it directly. The Lancashire Coalfield lies beneath.

Local conditions

What we check in Irlam.

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 Mersey and River Irwell: Flood risk is one of the first things we check, because it affects insurance, lending and what we look at underfoot. The River Mersey, River Irwell, Astley Brook, Glaze Brook are all within reach of Irlam.Check this property on the official service
Historic coal mining area: Irlam sits within the Lancashire Coalfield. Past workings can mean shallow mine entries and settlement, so where the geology warrants it we will tell you to get a Coal Authority mining report before you exchange.Check if a property is affected by coal mining
1 postcode district covered: We cover M postcodes around Irlam with 7 RICS surveyors. What we look hardest at depends on the age and construction of your particular property.What a survey covers
Salford: Building control records, conservation area status and planning history for Irlam sit with Salford. 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 Irlam.

23%

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 Irlam by construction era, compared with England and Wales
Built	Share	Compared with England & Wales	Homes
Pre-1900	9.1%	-6.4 pts	1,960
1900–1929	12.1%	+2.1 pts	2,620
1930s	21.2%	+11.3 pts	4,570
1945–1964	23%	+6.7 pts	4,960
1965–1982	17%	-1.3 pts	3,670
1983–1999	6.7%	-5.2 pts	1,440
2000 onwards	10.9%	-7.2 pts	2,360

21,580 homes across 30 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.

1930s

Cavity walls become standard, generally with clay tile or slate roofs, cast-iron rainwater goods and suspended timber ground floors. Bay-fronted semis dominate.

What we usually find. Wall-tie corrosion and bridged cavities are the usual structural concerns, and sub-floor ventilation is often obstructed by later paths, patios or extensions, which brings damp and timber decay to the ground floor. Original roof coverings are typically at the end of their life.

Worth knowing. Cavity wall insulation retrofitted into this stock can cause damp on exposed elevations if the wall was not suitable. Establishing whether the cavity was filled, and when, is worthwhile.

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.

Our own record here

What we have surveyed in Irlam.

Aggregate figures only, with no property identifiable.

12reports issued in Irlam since 2023, including 6 surveys and 5 valuations. Every one inspected by an RICS surveyor who works this area.

It matters because the era decides what we look hardest at. Pre-1919 homes rarely have an effective damp-proof course and often have solid walls; interwar semis bring cavity wall ties and original roof coverings near the end of their life; post-war stock raises flat roofs and first-generation cavity insulation. Your report is written around what your property actually is.

Counted from our own job records, issued reports only. Aggregate figures: no address, client or property detail is published, here or anywhere on this site.

Available in Irlam

Which survey do you need?

RICS Level 2

RICS Home Survey — Level 2

A conventional house or flat, built this century or last, in reasonable order

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RICS Level 3

RICS Home Survey — Level 3

Older, larger, altered or extended, or anything already showing signs of movement or damp

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Red Book

RICS Residential Valuation

You need a figure rather than a condition report, for probate, Help to Buy or shared ownership

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Your fixed price is confirmed in writing before you instruct us, and it does not change afterwards.

Nearby

We also cover.

Swinton7 surveyors Atherton7 surveyors Eccles7 surveyors Partington7 surveyors Sale7 surveyors Tyldesley7 surveyors

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