Older & Heritage Building Surveys

ClearBuild Surveying provides detailed surveys of older, period and traditionally constructed properties across the North East, North Yorkshire and the North West.

Properties suited to this service

The service is intended for older houses, period properties, traditional stone or brick buildings, converted buildings and properties where age, alteration or repair history requires more detailed assessment. A Comprehensive Building Survey will often be the appropriate starting point, with the scope agreed for the individual property.

ClearBuild does not claim conservation accreditation. The survey focuses on accessible construction, condition, visible defects and practical repair considerations, with specialist conservation advice recommended where the building or proposed work requires it.

Traditional construction and materials

Older buildings may use solid masonry, lime-based mortar and plaster, timber floors and roofs, stone slate or natural slate coverings and details that manage moisture differently from modern cavity-wall construction. Their performance should be assessed with an understanding of those materials and how they work together.

Dense cement pointing, impermeable coatings, injected materials, altered ventilation and raised external ground levels can change moisture behaviour. A repair that would be routine in a modern building may be unsuitable for traditional fabric.

Common defects and alterations

The survey may consider roof deterioration, timber decay, damp and water ingress, weathered masonry, movement and cracking, corroded metalwork, inadequate earlier repairs and defects around extensions or altered openings. Concealed bearing ends, built-in timbers and covered roof elements can be vulnerable but cannot always be assessed without opening-up.

Previous extensions, removal of walls, chimney alterations, replacement windows and modern services may have affected the original structure or ventilation. The survey distinguishes visible evidence from matters that require records, testing or intrusive investigation.

Survey scope

The accessible building is inspected in detail, including the roof, elevations, internal areas, roof spaces, floors where visible, services, grounds and signs of previous alteration. The survey is visual and non-invasive unless another scope is agreed before the visit.

Extensive practical construction experience supports the assessment of how the building was assembled, how defects may have developed and what realistic repair sequence may be required.

What you receive

The report describes significant construction and condition matters, likely causes where the evidence supports them, repair priorities and practical next steps. It identifies limitations and recommends further opening-up, monitoring, conservation input or specialist testing where appropriate.

Request a survey

Send the property address, postcode, estate-agent listing, approximate age and any known listing or conservation information through the Request a Survey form. We will confirm the appropriate survey, fee, service-area availability and earliest survey date.