Pre-190028% of homes here
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.
1983–199918.9% of homes here
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.
2000 onwards18.6% of homes here
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.
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.
