We’re in the process of buying a 1930s detached bungalow and just had a Level 2 survey done. The survey has flagged stepped cracking to the external walls and possible structural movement. The surveyor has actually refused to give a valuation until a structural engineer report is done, which has obviously made us nervous.
The current owners bought the property in 2023 for £425k. They’ve said they had a Level 1 survey done at the time and nothing major was raised. Our offer at £427k was accepted, property in good condition valued at £440k
So now we’re trying to work out:
- Is it likely the previous surveyor just missed something quite significant?
- Or is it realistic that these kinds of cracks / movement could have developed or worsened over just 2 years?
For context:
- Property is 1930s, cavity wall construction
- Survey also mentioned some damp and high external ground levels
- House was fully furnished during both inspections (so visibility may have been limited)
We’re trying to decide how concerned we should be and whether this points to a long-standing issue that was overlooked, or something more recent.
Would really appreciate any thoughts, especially from surveyors / engineers or anyone who’s been through something similar.