Chartered surveyors in Walsall

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

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Walsall's housing is interwar and post-war: the 1930s and the years 1945 to 1964 both stand about eight points above the national share. Semis with bays, and the estates that followed, make up much of the town, with their wall ties, bay roofs and original roof coverings. The ground matters too. Walsall was a leather and metalworking town built over coal and limestone, and both were mined beneath parts of it, so any cracking or movement is read against that history.

Local conditions

What we check in Walsall.

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.

Sandyford Brook, Ridings Brook, Saredon Brook and River Tame: Flood risk is one of the first things we check, because it affects insurance, lending and what we look at underfoot. The Sandyford Brook, Ridings Brook, Saredon Brook, River Tame, River Tame, Ford Brook, River Stour, Smestow Brook are all within reach of Walsall.Check this property on the official service
3 postcode districts covered: We cover WS postcodes around Walsall 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 Walsall 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 Walsall.

24.4%

of homes within 2.4km of the centre were built in 1945–1964. 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 Walsall by construction era, compared with England and Wales
Built	Share	Compared with England & Wales	Homes
Pre-1900	15.6%	about average	7,160
1900–1929	7.3%	-2.7 pts	3,380
1930s	17.9%	+8 pts	8,250
1945–1964	24.4%	+8.1 pts	11,230
1965–1982	14%	-4.3 pts	6,420
1983–1999	5.9%	-6 pts	2,700
2000 onwards	14.9%	-3.2 pts	6,860

46,000 homes across 65 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

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.

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.

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.

Available in Walsall