Building Defect Survey
Unlike a pre-purchase survey, a defects survey is designed for homeowners, landlords, or managing agents who have noticed an issue and need clarity. Whether it’s cracking in walls, damp, water ingress, signs of subsidence or other structural movement, we focus on the problem itself — not a general overview of the whole property. The same approach applies whether you’ve come to the page searching for a subsidence surveyor, a damp survey, a cavity wall assessment, or a more general specific structural inspection.
Defects survey instructions come from across the North West, with regular work in Stockport, Manchester and Altrincham.
A defects survey is non-invasive and concentrates on the areas of concern. We assess what’s visible, how the defect is likely occurring, and whether further specialist investigation may be required.
Most defect enquiries fall into a handful of recurring patterns. We investigate each independently, recording the evidence and advising on whether further specialist input or monitoring is needed.
Cracks in walls come in several recognisable patterns and each pattern tells a different story. Hairline cracks in walls at room-to-ceiling junctions or above doors and windows are often shrinkage or settlement-related and rarely structurally significant. A structural crack in a wall that is diagonal, tapering, stepped through brickwork, wider at the top or bottom, or progressing visibly over time is treated differently — we record width, pattern, location and direction to help establish whether the likely cause is shrinkage, settlement, subsidence, lintel failure or wall-tie corrosion. Cracks appearing in walls suddenly, or widening on a clear schedule, usually warrant further specialist input. Book a defects survey →
Symptoms of condensation, penetrating damp and rising damp often overlap, and the wrong diagnosis leads to the wrong treatment. A documented damp survey looks at the moisture pattern, the wall construction, ventilation, heating use, and any history of repairs — distinguishing condensation from genuine rising damp is the harder and more useful question than treating any single symptom as the default. We approach with the principle that no chemical damp-proof course or treatment should be purchased before the cause is independently identified. Book a defects survey →
Subsidence describes downward movement of the ground supporting a building’s foundations — most commonly seen in clay-rich soils during dry periods, where vegetation, leaking drains, or removed trees can trigger differential ground movement. The classic signs of subsidence inside a house include diagonal cracks wider at the top than the bottom (often near doors and windows), sticking openings, floors that have become out of level, and re-opening of previously repaired cracks. Externally, similar diagonal cracking patterns appear in brickwork, often stepped through mortar courses. Subsidence signs can be subtle in their early stages, which is why documented inspection matters rather than waiting for visible damage to worsen. As a subsidence surveyor we record the pattern, width and location of any movement and advise where structural engineering input, long-term monitoring or further investigation is appropriate. We don’t carry out the engineering assessment ourselves — that’s a specialist referral — but we document the evidence carefully so the referral is well-informed. Book a defects survey →
Cavity wall construction has been the dominant residential building method in the UK since the inter-war period. A cavity wall is built as two parallel leaves of masonry (typically an outer brick leaf and inner blockwork leaf) tied together across an air gap with metal wall ties. The cavity provides thermal performance and weather protection; the ties hold the two leaves together structurally. In cavity wall construction from the 1920s through to the 1980s, the original galvanised steel ties have a known service life — once the galvanising wears down, the ties expand as they corrode and can cause horizontal cracking along mortar courses, outward bulging of the outer leaf, and over the longer term a reduction in structural connection between the two leaves. We look at the visible evidence — crack patterns, rendered finishes, signs of past tie replacement — and advise where a cavity-tie inspection by specialist contractor may be appropriate. Book a defects survey →
Dry rot (Serpula lacrymans) and wet rot are two distinct timber-decay conditions, both caused by moisture but with very different progression patterns and treatment requirements. Dry rot can spread through masonry as well as timber once established and tends to be more aggressive; wet rot stays close to the moisture source and slows or stops once the timber dries out. What causes dry rot is reliably the same underlying problem: persistent moisture in poorly ventilated concealed timber — leaking plumbing, defective rainwater disposal, ground-level damp, or trapped condensation in floor voids and roof spaces. We look for the visible surface evidence (cuboidal cracking, mycelium growth, fruiting bodies, sagging or springy floors) and trace it back to the moisture source where possible, because treating the fungus without fixing the moisture cause is a short-term repair at best. Book a defects survey →
Focused inspection, clear diagnosis, practical advice
Tell us what issues you’ve noticed and any recent changes or works. We’ll confirm suitability and arrange a targeted inspection.
We inspect the affected areas and surrounding elements, documenting defects and contributing factors with notes and photos.
You’ll receive a clear report explaining the defect, likely causes, and practical next steps — with follow-up support available if you’d like to discuss the findings.
Tell us what issues you’ve noticed and any recent changes or works. We’ll confirm suitability and arrange a targeted inspection.
We inspect the affected areas and surrounding elements, documenting defects and contributing factors with notes and photos.
You’ll receive a clear report explaining the defect, likely causes, and practical next steps — with follow-up support available if you’d like to discuss the findings.
Related Survey Examples
Browse recent property defects survey examples covering issues such as cracking, damp, movement and other defects investigated in more detail.
Liverpool, Merseyside
This Schedule of Condition report for a commercial laundry premises near Liverpool recorded the building's state prior to a new lease, documenting defective flat roofing, timber decay, saturated floors, failed external joinery and possible asbestos-containing materials.
Read survey exampleManchester
This damp and mould survey on a tenanted Manchester property found that penetrating damp from defective roof coverings, leaking gutters, raised external ground levels and inadequate ventilation were the root causes of persistent mould — not simply tenant lifestyle factors.
Read survey exampleFAQs
A defects or specialist report focuses on a specific issue affecting a property, such as damp, cracking, or movement. It provides a more targeted assessment than a general survey.
A defects report may be appropriate if a previous survey has identified a particular concern, or if you have noticed visible issues such as damp patches, cracking, or structural movement.
Defects reports can focus on issues such as damp and moisture problems, cracking and movement, timber defects, poor ventilation, and other specific building concerns.
No. A defects report is more focused and looks in detail at a particular problem, whereas a building survey provides a broader overview of the property’s overall condition.
Where possible, the report explains the likely cause of the defect and how it may affect the property. In some cases, further investigation may be recommended.
The most commonly cited signs of subsidence inside a house are diagonal cracks wider at the top than the bottom (often near windows or doors), sticking doors and windows that didn't previously stick, floors that have become noticeably out of level, and re-opening of cracks that were previously repaired. Externally, similar diagonal cracking appears in brickwork, often stepped through mortar courses. Not every crack is subsidence — hairline cracks at ceiling junctions or above doors are usually shrinkage or settlement-related. A documented inspection records the pattern, width and location so the underlying cause can be properly investigated.
Hairline cracks in walls (typically up to around 1mm wide) are usually caused by shrinkage of plaster or new masonry as it dries, normal seasonal movement of building materials with temperature and humidity changes, or minor settlement of a relatively new property. They appear most often at the junction between walls and ceilings, above doors and window openings, and along plasterboard joints. Most hairline cracks are not structurally significant on their own — but when they appear suddenly, widen on a clear schedule, or follow a diagonal or stepped pattern, they warrant proper inspection to rule out movement-related causes.
A subsidence survey (one form of defects survey) focuses narrowly on suspected ground movement — the cracking patterns, sticking openings, and any external evidence — and documents what's visible so a structural engineer or specialist can take any further investigation forward. A full building survey (Level 3) provides a much broader assessment of the whole property, with subsidence being one of many areas examined. If you've spotted specific cracks or movement signs in a property you already own, a defects survey is usually the right starting point. If you're buying an older or altered property and want a complete picture, a Level 3 Building Survey is more appropriate.
Cavity wall construction is the standard UK residential building method from the inter-war period onwards: two parallel leaves of masonry tied together across an air gap. The cavity provides thermal performance and rain protection; the metal ties hold the two leaves together structurally. It matters for surveying because the metal ties — particularly the original galvanised steel used through to the 1980s — have a known service life. As they corrode, they expand and can cause horizontal cracking along mortar courses, bulging of the outer leaf, and over the long term a loss of structural connection. Visible signs may suggest specialist cavity-tie inspection is appropriate.
Both are fungal timber decays caused by sustained moisture, but they behave very differently. Dry rot (Serpula lacrymans) can spread through masonry as well as timber, leaves behind a cuboidal cracking pattern in affected wood, and is the more aggressive of the two — it can move several metres beyond the original moisture source. Wet rot stays close to the moisture source and tends to slow or stop once the timber dries out. Both require finding and fixing the underlying moisture problem before any timber treatment is worthwhile — chemical treatment without addressing the leak, drainage or ventilation issue is a short-term fix at best.
Yes — this is one of the most useful applications of an independent defects survey. The symptoms of condensation, penetrating damp and rising damp overlap significantly, and the wrong diagnosis leads to the wrong (often expensive) treatment. Reputable damp-proofing contractors will typically diagnose what their product treats; an independent survey approaches the moisture problem first, considering wall construction, ventilation, heating patterns, external drainage and any history of repairs, before any treatment decision. We don't sell damp-proofing services ourselves, so the report is impartial.