Chartered surveyors in Urmston

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

Get your fixed quote →

Urmston has one of the largest 1930s shares of any town we work, at over 27% of the stock, and interwar homes are a large part of what we are asked to inspect. That is a specific survey: cavity ties from the corrosion decades, bay window roofs, and ninety years of alterations layered over original construction. Post-war estates account for much of the rest of our work, and the pre-1900 stock stands at 13%. Semis are the type we see most here.

Local conditions

What we check in Urmston.

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, Glaze Brook, Worsley Brook are all within reach of Urmston.Check this property on the official service
Historic coal mining area: Urmston 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 23 homes we have surveyed in and around Urmston, 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 Urmston 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 Urmston.

27.3%

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 Urmston by construction era, compared with England and Wales
Built	Share	Compared with England & Wales	Homes
Pre-1900	11.4%	-4.1 pts	4,520
1900–1929	13.9%	+3.9 pts	5,480
1930s	27.3%	+17.4 pts	10,790
1945–1964	18.6%	+2.3 pts	7,350
1965–1982	13%	-5.3 pts	5,140
1983–1999	6.4%	-5.5 pts	2,540
2000 onwards	9.5%	-8.6 pts	3,740

39,560 homes across 53 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 Urmston.

Aggregate figures only, with no property identifiable.

23reports issued in Urmston since 2023, including 22 surveys and 1 valuations. Every one inspected by an RICS surveyor who works this area.

The ages we have been inside

1930s and 40s35%

1950s and early 60s17%

2000 onwards17%

Pre-190013%

1965–19829%

What they are

Semi-detached house43%

Mid-terraced house17%

Detached house17%

Ground-floor apartment9%

Across the 23 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 Urmston

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

In detail →

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 Sale7 surveyors

Buying in Urmston?

Tell us the property and we will send a fixed price in writing. No call centre, no pressure.

Get your fixed quote →