Swansea is exposed, wet and hilly, and its stock runs from Victorian and Edwardian terraces on steep streets to interwar and postwar suburbs and coastal property along the bay. Weathering and water are the recurring themes, along with the retaining structures that steep streets require.
Weather and the exposed elevation
Driven rain, failing render and pointing, and rainwater goods that cannot cope are the usual findings. The exposed elevation deserves a specific comment in the report. Ask which elevation faces the prevailing weather and what the surveyor found there, because that is where a rendered wall fails first.
Steep sites and retaining walls
Retaining structures between properties and to the highway are common and expensive. Ask for them to be inspected and commented on where accessible, and check the deeds for who owns them. A retaining structure that is bulging or leaning is a serious finding, and it is worth asking for a specific comment rather than assuming it was covered.
Terraces and party walls
Mid terrace houses mean two adjoining owners for any notifiable work. In Wales the Party Wall etc. Act applies exactly as it does in England, so the procedure is the same. Two adjoining owners mean two possible dissents, and offering an agreed surveyor to both is the cheapest way through.
Instructing
Chartered status, insurance, a sample report and travel confirmed to your postcode. Ask directly about experience with rendered and exposed property. Ask for chartered status, insurance and a redacted sample report, and confirm the fee is inclusive of VAT and travel to your postcode.
Questions people ask about surveyor swansea
Does the Party Wall Act apply in Wales?
Yes. The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies in England and Wales, so notices, appointments and awards work the same way in Swansea as in London.
Is render a common finding here?
Yes, and the important question is what lies behind it and whether water has been getting in. A level 3 report should address both.
Should the retaining wall be in the survey?
Ask for it explicitly. On a steep site it can carry more cost than anything inside the house.