Pre-190019.1% 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.
1965–198218.2% of homes here
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.
1945–196418.1% of homes here
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.
