Sample reports / Level 2
A condition rating and a clear paragraph for each element, with what to do next.
Sample property: 1930s three-bedroom semi-detached house with a rear single-storey extension, North West London
This is a well-proportioned inter-war house that has been extended and updated over time. It is in fair condition for its age. There are two items that need attention soon: the roof coverings (D2) and the electrics (F1). The drainage (F6) and the support to the retained chimney breast (E3) should be investigated before you exchange contracts.
Most of the other matters are normal maintenance for a house of this age. Provided you obtain quotations for the urgent items and the legal matters are resolved satisfactorily, we see no reason why you should not proceed.
Condition rating 3
Condition rating 2
Condition rating 1
Not inspected
A two-storey semi-detached house of the inter-war period, with a hipped main roof, a shared chimney stack, a rendered bay to the front and a later flat-roofed kitchen extension to the rear. Freehold is assumed. The property was occupied and furnished at the time of the inspection and the weather was dry.
Ground floor: entrance hall, front reception room, rear reception room, kitchen in the rear extension, cloakroom. First floor: landing, three bedrooms, bathroom. Outside: front garden with paved parking, rear garden with a timber shed.
The outside was inspected from ground level within the grounds and from adjoining public areas, using binoculars and photographic equipment. Parts of the roof slopes, chimney and rear extension roof could only be seen partially.
There is one brick chimney stack, shared with the adjoining house, with clay pots and a mortar flaunching. The pointing is weathered in places and there is cracking to the flaunching around the pots. The lead flashings at the junction with the roof appear dated. Repointing and renewal of the flaunching should be carried out as part of normal maintenance, ideally at the same time as the roof repairs noted below.
The main roof is pitched and covered with concrete interlocking tiles, a later replacement of the original covering. Several tiles have slipped or are cracked, and the mortar bedding to the hip and ridge tiles is loose and missing in places. Water staining was seen within the roof space below the defective areas (see E1). The flat roof over the rear extension is covered in mineral felt, which is aged, with blistering and ponding water near the outlet. Repairs are needed now to keep the property weathertight; obtain quotations from a roofing contractor before you exchange contracts.
What Level 3 adds here: the likely cause, the probable repair and what any further investigation should cover. Read D2 at Level 3
The gutters and downpipes are plastic. A joint in the rear gutter is leaking, and there is vegetation and debris in the gutters. The gutters should be cleared and the joint repaired, and the system checked during heavy rain.
The main walls are brick, with a rendered finish to the front bay and upper front elevation. There is fine cracking to the render in places and one area near the bay that sounds hollow when tapped. No significant structural movement was seen. The render should be repaired and redecorated to keep water out. A bituminous damp-proof course was seen in places; the external ground level is close to it on the side elevation and should be lowered.
The windows are uPVC double-glazed units. A sample was opened and they operated, but two sealed units have failed (misting between the panes) and some latches and hinges are stiff. The failed units should be replaced and the hardware adjusted. Check that bedroom windows open wide enough for escape in a fire.
The front door is a composite door and the rear doors from the extension are uPVC double-glazed. They opened, closed and locked at the time of the inspection. No repair is currently needed.
The fascias, soffits and bay joinery are painted timber. Paint is flaking in several places and the timber at one corner of the bay feels soft. The decorations should be renewed and the soft timber cut out and replaced.
The inside was inspected within the limits of the furniture, floor coverings and stored items present. Floor coverings were not lifted and furniture was not moved except where noted.
The roof space was entered through the hatch on the landing. The roof is a traditional cut-timber structure. Water staining was seen on the timbers and underlay below the defective tiles noted in D2, and the loft insulation is thin. The timbers seen were in reasonable condition. The roof repairs in D2 are needed to stop the water getting in, and insulation should be increased.
The ceilings are a mix of plasterboard and older lath and plaster, with painted finishes. There are hairline cracks in places, which are common in a house of this age. No repair is currently needed beyond normal redecoration.
The internal walls are a mix of solid masonry and timber stud partitions, plastered and painted. The chimney breast in the rear reception room appears to have been removed at ground-floor level, while the breast above it in the bedroom remains. How the remaining chimney is supported could not be seen. Ask your legal adviser for building control approval and any structural details for the removal (see H2).
What Level 3 adds here: the likely cause, the probable repair and what any further investigation should cover. Read E3 at Level 3
The ground floor is suspended timber in the main house and solid concrete in the extension. Upper floors are suspended timber. Floor coverings were not lifted. The floors felt firm with only slight springiness in places, which is not unusual. No repair is currently needed.
There are open fireplaces in the front reception room and one bedroom. They appear unused and the flues were not tested. Do not use any fireplace until the flue has been swept and checked by a qualified person.
Internal doors, frames, skirtings and the staircase are timber and in satisfactory condition, with normal wear and some shrinkage cracks at joints. No repair is currently needed.
The bathroom has a bath with a shower over, a basin and a WC. The sealant around the bath has failed in places and there is minor staining to the ceiling of the room below. The sealant should be renewed and the shower screen seal checked.
Services were inspected visually where accessible. They were not tested, and the report does not replace a specialist test.
Mains electricity is connected. The consumer unit (fuse box) is an older type without residual current device (RCD) protection, and some older cabling and sockets were seen. There is no evidence of a recent test. For safety, the whole installation should be tested by a registered electrician and an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) obtained before you exchange contracts.
What Level 3 adds here: the likely cause, the probable repair and what any further investigation should cover. Read F1 at Level 3
Mains gas is connected, with the meter in a box on the front elevation. No smell of gas was noticed. As a precaution, all gas appliances should be checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer when you move in.
Mains water is connected and the stop tap is under the kitchen sink. Part of the incoming supply pipe, where visible, appears to be lead. Lead pipework should be replaced.
Heating and hot water are provided by a gas combination boiler in the kitchen serving radiators. It was working at the time of the inspection. No service record was seen and the boiler is not new. The boiler should be serviced and its condition confirmed by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
Drainage is assumed to connect to the public sewer, shared with the adjoining house. The inspection chamber cover in the side passage was lifted: there was a build-up of debris and signs of water backing up. A CCTV drainage survey is recommended before you exchange contracts.
What Level 3 adds here: the likely cause, the probable repair and what any further investigation should cover. Read F6 at Level 3
There is a timber shed at the end of the rear garden. It was locked and full of stored items at the time of the inspection, so it was not inspected. Ask the seller for access, or about its condition, before you exchange contracts.
Boundaries are timber fencing and a low brick wall to the front. Part of the rear fence is leaning and some posts are loose. The fence should be repaired. Your legal adviser should confirm who is responsible for each boundary.
The front garden is paved for parking and the rear garden is laid to lawn with a paved patio. There is a mature tree in the neighbouring rear garden. No repair is currently needed, but see I1.
Who writes JBS reports
Joe Weaver MSc AssocRICS MRPSA, RICS Registered Valuer
Director of JBS Surveying Ltd, regulated by RICS. The report structure follows the RICS Home Survey Standard, with sections A to K and condition ratings 1, 2, 3 and NI. This sample shows sections B to K; A (about the inspection) and J (energy matters) are omitted here. After every survey you can book a call with Joe to go through the report.
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