Chester-le-Street is a market town on the River Wear with pit villages all around it. We survey and value homes across the area.
Chester-le-Street takes its name from a Roman fort and road. In 883 the monks carrying St Cuthbert’s body settled here, and his shrine stayed for over a century before moving to Durham. Today the town is a commuter base between Durham and Newcastle, with housing from every period since the Victorians.
Our RICS-qualified surveyors are based in Houghton le Spring, a few miles to the east. We carry out RICS Level 2 Home Surveys and Level 3 Building Surveys for buyers. We also prepare Red Book valuations for probate, capital gains tax, matrimonial cases and Help to Buy across the town and its villages.
Streets off Front Street have Victorian and Edwardian terraces, many in brick with slate roofs. Around the town are former colliery villages such as Pelton, Sacriston and Great Lumley, where terraced rows sit beside later council and private housing.
Much newer housing has been added since the 1970s, from semis and bungalows to larger detached homes. Some older properties are close to the River Wear or the Cong Burn.
These are the things surveyors look at closely on local property types. They are not problems every home has.
Chester-le-Street and its villages are in a former mining area. We look for signs of past movement, and your conveyancer should order a CON29M coal mining search.
For homes near the River Wear or its tributaries, check the government’s long-term flood risk service. We note any visible signs of past water damage.
Solid walls, old damp-proof courses and raised ground outside can cause damp. We explain the likely cause and whether a specialist should look.
Flat-roofed dormers and rear extensions are common on older homes. We check coverings, joins and drainage.
In Chester-le-StreetA Level 2 Home Survey is usually right for Chester-le-Street’s terraces, semis and modern homes in reasonable condition. Choose a Level 3 Building Survey for older detached or stone properties, homes with visible cracking, or anything you plan to extend or refurbish.
Your new home is a standard house, bungalow or flat, built in the last hundred years or so, and looks to be in reasonable condition. A Level 2 HomeBuyer survey flags anything that needs attention — damp, movement, roof issues — without paying for depth you don't need.
The property is pre-war, stone-built, listed, significantly extended or converted — or you're planning major work. A Level 3 Building Survey digs into the structure itself: what's wrong, why it happened, and what putting it right will involve.
Still not sure? Call us on 0191 250 8258 — we'll tell you honestly which one you need, in about two minutes.
Three straightforward options, fixed fees, plain-English reports. Not sure which? Try the survey finder — it takes about 20 seconds.
from £425 inc. VAT
Best for conventional houses, bungalows and flats in reasonable condition — the classic HomeBuyer report.
from £950 inc. VAT
Best for older, larger, extended or unusual properties — a full structural picture before you commit.
from £250 inc. VAT
Best when you need a formal, RICS-backed figure — for a mortgage, a sale or probate.
Yes, including Pelton, Sacriston, Great Lumley, Ouston, Pelton Fell and Waldridge.
Most homes are not near the river, but some are. Check the property on the government’s flood risk service, and ask your conveyancer about the environmental search.
A surveyor cannot see underground. The CON29M coal mining search tells your conveyancer about recorded workings and shafts near the property.
Yes. Our RICS Registered Valuers prepare Red Book valuations for separation and divorce, for one party or on a joint instruction.
"A very professional and helpful company who did the level 2 survey on the property I will be buying in Peterlee. The surveyor talked through any concerns I had following receipt of the survey report. I would highly recommend this company for property surveys."
"We had a level two survey on a 1980s build. I was unsure between a level 2 and 3, and was advised a level 2 in our circumstances, which impressed me as I wasn't oversold a more expensive service. Mark and Nichola were great throughout and answered multiple questions after our survey, which was invaluable as it is our first time buying."
"Excellent service from start to finish. Nicola was prompt and helpful with all communications, and Mark's report was thorough, clearly written and delivered quickly. A professional and approachable firm. I would not hesitate to recommend Fife & Kimmitt to anyone requiring a survey."
Send a few details and we'll come back with a fixed fee and the earliest available date — usually within one working day.
Every survey carried out under RICS professional standards.
Need us sooner? Call 0191 250 8258.
