Chartered surveyors in Sale

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

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A quarter of Sale is 1930s, the highest interwar share of any town we work, and interwar homes are much of what we are asked to look at here. Interwar semis are wall-tie territory: cavity ties from the corrosion decades, bay roofs that were never generous with their flashings, and original windows long since replaced with varying care. The Edwardian streets and the post-war estates account for most of the rest, and terraces and semis together are the bulk of what we inspect here.

Local conditions

What we check in Sale.

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, Cringle Brook, Glaze Brook are all within reach of Sale.Check this property on the official service
Historic coal mining area: Sale 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
1930s and 40s leads locally: Across the 49 homes we have surveyed in and around Sale, 35% were 1930s and 40s. Era decides what we look hardest at — damp-proof courses, wall ties, or first-generation cavity insulation.What a survey covers
Trafford: Building control records, conservation area status and planning history for Sale sit with Trafford. 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 Sale.

25.1%

of homes within 2.4km of the centre were built in 1930s. 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 Sale by construction era, compared with England and Wales
Built	Share	Compared with England & Wales	Homes
Pre-1900	11.6%	-3.9 pts	5,810
1900–1929	14.5%	+4.5 pts	7,240
1930s	25.1%	+15.2 pts	12,560
1945–1964	19.8%	+3.5 pts	9,920
1965–1982	12.4%	-5.9 pts	6,210
1983–1999	8%	-3.9 pts	3,990
2000 onwards	8.7%	-9.4 pts	4,340

50,070 homes across 68 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

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.

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.

Our own record here

What we have surveyed in Sale.

Aggregate figures only, with no property identifiable.

50reports issued in Sale since 2023, including 43 surveys and 4 valuations. Every one inspected by an RICS surveyor who works this area.

The ages we have been inside

1930s and 40s35%

1900–192916%

2000 onwards14%

1965–198214%

1950s and early 60s10%

Pre-19006%

What they are

Semi-detached house33%

Mid-terraced house18%

Detached house16%

Top-floor apartment12%

Across the 49 homes behind those reports.

Most often 1930s and 40s. 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. 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 Sale

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

In detail →

Red Book

RICS Residential Valuation

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

In detail →

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 Irlam7 surveyors Partington7 surveyors Tyldesley7 surveyors

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