Chartered surveyors in Lichfield

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

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Lichfield's cathedral-city image sits on a modern housing base: over half the stock was built after 1965, and a quarter since 2000, with the Georgian and Victorian core a small fraction of the whole. So most Lichfield surveys are about the 1965–1982 checklist — flat roofs, first-generation insulation, retrofitted cavity fill — or new-build snagging, while the listed core needs the opposite instincts: lime, breathability, and what the conservation officer will let you change. We bring both, and say plainly which house you are buying.

Local conditions

What we check in Lichfield.

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 Tame and River Trent: Flood risk is one of the first things we check, because it affects insurance, lending and what we look at underfoot. The River Tame, River Trent, River Tame, Ford Brook, Bourne Brook are all within reach of Lichfield.Check this property on the official service
1 postcode district covered: We cover WS postcodes around Lichfield 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 Lichfield 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 Lichfield.

27%

of homes within 2.4km of the centre were built in 2000 onwards. 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 Lichfield by construction era, compared with England and Wales
Built	Share	Compared with England & Wales	Homes
Pre-1900	7.8%	-7.7 pts	1,720
1900–1929	3.9%	-6.1 pts	850
1930s	3.3%	-6.6 pts	720
1945–1964	19.8%	+3.5 pts	4,360
1965–1982	25.3%	+7 pts	5,560
1983–1999	13%	+1.1 pts	2,860
2000 onwards	27%	+8.9 pts	5,930

22,000 homes across 26 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

2000 onwards

Modern insulated construction to current Building Regulations, normally with a ten-year structural warranty, high levels of airtightness and mechanical ventilation in the newest homes.

What we usually find. Structural defects are uncommon; the recurring themes are condensation and interstitial damp where airtight construction meets ventilation that is switched off or never commissioned, along with workmanship snags in newer developments.

Worth knowing. On flats and any property with external wall insulation or cladding, establish the position on fire safety documentation early, as it can hold up a sale regardless of the building’s condition.

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.

Buying here

What to check before you buy in Lichfield.

What a survey in Lichfield has to account for

Newer stock brings fewer structural questions and more workmanship ones. Where a warranty is still running it is worth knowing exactly what it covers and what it does not, because it is narrower than most buyers expect. The recurring findings are incomplete or bridged cavity insulation, sealant and flashing detail, and drainage and levels around the property.

Ground and water

The Environment Agency records flood areas near Lichfield on River Tame, River Trent and Ford Brook. Whether a specific address is affected depends on where it sits rather than on the town, so we check the catchment against the property and tell you what it means for insurance and for the searches.

Surveyors near you

One RICS surveyor covers Lichfield, and also works Burntwood, Brownhills, Rushall and Shelfield and Great Wyrley and Cheslyn Hay. A surveyor working the same patch has usually seen the construction, the estates and the recurring defects before, which is the difference between a report that describes a house and one that recognises it.

Available in Lichfield