FAQs About Surveying in Croydon
Our Compare My Move team have worked hard researching what you need to know about surveying in Croydon. Our data has shown that the most popular survey type in the area is a Homebuyers Survey, despite the many older homes that would be best suited with a Building Survey.
We also discovered that Croydon is a ‘hotspot’ for both Japanese Knotweed and subsidence due to the densely-packed buildings that cover the land. A local, verified surveyor should be able to highlight these issues, reporting on any concerns you may have.
What are the Most Popular Surveys in Croydon?
Our Compare My Move team have researched the most popular survey types in Croydon to help you with your property hunt and answer all your important surveying-related questions.
Over 75% of our Croydon users required a Homebuyers Survey, making it the most popular survey type in the area. This type of property survey is best suited to homes that are younger than 80-years of age and can also be used to inspect certain flats. Over 20% of our users who requested a homebuyers survey, were requesting it for flats.
Around 25% of our users requested the more thorough type of property survey, the Building Survey. This isn’t surprising as the homebuyers survey is the most common survey that homeowners require. However, if the property you’re interested in is over 80-years of age, has been greatly renovated or is made of unusual materials, then a building survey will be better suited as it’ll assess the building in more depth. A building survey will also look for signs of subsidence, which is a common issue in Croydon.
Our data also revealed that the property type most prone to needing a survey in Croydon was terrace houses. For both building and homebuyer surveys, terrace house owners also had the highest number of users looking for chartered surveyors.
What Types of Historical Architecture Does Croydon Have?
Croydon has a variety of architecture due to its increased growth, ranging from post-war to modern. The area even has high-rise buildings which were mostly built throughout the 60s and 70s. The Victorian designs can mostly be found in the northern and southern areas of the borough, whilst converted warehouses and factories also appear throughout.
The older homes are very popular amongst Croydon movers as figures from the Land Registry for January 2020 found that there were 258 ‘existing homes’ were sold in that month alone. If you’re amongst the many buyers searching for more traditional homes in the Croydon area, don’t forget to budget for the potentially costly upkeep that comes along with older homes. In the same month, only 15 new build homes were sold highlighting the importance of the building survey.
There are currently 21 conservation areas in Croydon, many of which contain residential properties. If you’re considering purchasing a home in one of these areas, it’s important to note that the local council will have more control over what can and can’t be done to the property. There are also 167 statutory listed buildings in Croydon which would require a special Listed Building Survey rather than a typical property survey.
| Listed Buildings | 167 |
| Conservation Areas | 21 |
| New Build Sales* | 15 |
| Existing Property Sales* | 258 |
*Based on data for January 2020
Is Subsidence an Issue in Croydon?
According to GeoBear’s UK Subsidence Map, Croydon is considered as a ‘hotspot’ for subsidence due to its proximity to London City centre. GeoBear states that densely-populated areas are often subject to subsidence issues due to the added pressure on the ground from the densely-packed buildings.
As Croydon is a London town, it contains more properties in smaller areas to keep up with the increasing population. This then means more weight and pressure on the ground beneath the properties, causing the soil to dry out and compact. Subsidence can become so bad that the properties can physically sink into the ground as the foundations misalign.
Another factor that can cause subsidence is clay soil. In the Map of the Distribution of Clay Over the UK, Croydon is labelled as a being on the border of ‘Hazard Level D’ and ‘Hazard Level E’. This means that the soil can be rather hazardous due to the risk of it shrinking or swelling under pressure or during extreme changes in temperature.
If you’re purchasing a property in Croydon, it would be worth researching the land it was built on and discovering what type of soil it sits on. You can hire a property surveyor to assess the property where they can make notes of any obvious signs of subsidence or damage due to subsidence. A homebuyers survey should suffice but if you’ve already spotted obvious signs, you should instead consider having a building survey.
Is Japanese Knotweed a Concern in Croydon?
A highly destructive plant, Japanese Knotweed can grow as quickly as 10cm a day and is capable of forcing its way through concrete. It can even break through a property’s foundations causing major damage, cracks in the brickwork or it can even cause the building to sink.
According to Enirovnet’s Japanese Knotweed Heatmap, the centre of Croydon is located in a ‘hotspot’ for this particular plant, putting the properties situated there at risk. Despite the surrounding areas being almost risk-free, the centre of the town is marked as ‘high-risk’ making a property survey vital for potential homeowners.
Dense areas often come with increased risks which is why it’s not surprising that Croydon has issues with Japanese Knotweed when it’s situated so close to London. It’s important to note that if you suspect your property contains Japanese Knotweed, you must not remove it yourself as you could cause further damage.
However, you will be responsible for maintaining the issue which is why it’s important to hire a property surveyor to highlight if the plant is present and if it’s caused any problems with the property. Once you read the report, you can then take the appropriate steps to remove the dangerous plant.
