Survey Decoder | Structural, Damp & Drain Issues | Hackney, London

Project Summary

Property Type

Victorian mid-terrace house

Location

E8 (Hackney)

Survey Type

RICS Level 3 Building Survey

Client Goal

Understand the severity of cracking to the rear extension, low-level damp patches, and a suspected drainage issue highlighted in the survey before exchange.

Survey Findings

Key Issues Identified

Critical

Stepped cracking to rear extension wall; Possible unsupported opening between reception and kitchen; Damp staining to front bay and chimney breast; Suspected defective drain run contributing to damp

Major

Slipped/missing roof slates and worn valley detail; Deteriorated pointing to front bay; Softened skirtings where damp present; Condensation risk in kitchen and bathroom

Minor

General wear to windows and joinery; Historic leak stain to first-floor landing ceiling; Localised cracking to internal plaster

What We Did

Extracted 14 defect mentions from the survey Classified 4 critical, 5 major, and 5 minor issues Identified missing context: underground drainage not fully inspected; no engineer review of cracking; no moisture profiling undertaken

Full defect summary with critical/major/minor categorisation Likely causes and associated risks Estimated investigation costs Typical remedial cost ranges to help with budgeting Guidance on immediate vs. post-purchase actions Clarification of which defects were historic vs. potentially active

Outcome & Results

Original Price

–

Issues Found

–

Final Price

14 issues identified (4 critical, 5 major, 5 minor)

-

Client gained full clarity on defect severity, investigation requirements, and realistic cost expectations. They were able to proceed with confidence and plan specialist inspections before exchange.

Booked structural engineer inspection Scheduled CCTV drain survey Arranged independent damp & timber assessment Requested roofing inspection Logged all defects and next-step actions in the digital property logbook