From single-storey Sunderland cottages to seafront houses at Roker, we survey and value homes across the city.
Sunderland has one of the most distinctive housing stocks in England. Alongside ordinary Victorian terraces, it has whole streets of single-storey terraced cottages that are rarely found anywhere else. Knowing how these homes were built, and how owners have changed them since, helps a surveyor judge what is normal wear and what needs attention before you buy.
Our RICS-qualified surveyors are based a few miles away in Houghton le Spring, which is part of the City of Sunderland. 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.
The Sunderland cottage is a terraced bungalow. Most were built between about 1850 and 1910, many for skilled shipyard workers, and they gave families their own front door and yard. Many have since gained rear extensions and loft rooms.
The city also has two-storey Victorian and Edwardian terraces, larger period houses in areas such as Ashbrooke, inter-war and post-war council estates, and newer homes on the outskirts. Along Roker and Seaburn, houses face the North Sea and its weather.
These are the things surveyors look at closely on local property types. They are not problems every home has.
Many Sunderland cottages have had their roof space turned into rooms, often with a flat-roofed dormer. We check the dormer covering, the roof structure and whether the room meets basic safety expectations, and flag where your conveyancer should ask for approvals.
Older cottages and terraces often have timber ground floors. Blocked air bricks or raised ground outside can lead to damp and decay underneath.
Kitchen and bathroom extensions built into the back yard vary in quality. We look at flat roofs, joins with the main wall and drainage.
Homes near the seafront take driven rain and salt air. We look closely at pointing, render, windows and any exposed metalwork.
In SunderlandA Level 2 Home Survey suits most Sunderland cottages and terraces in fair condition, and most post-war and modern houses. A Level 3 Building Survey is worth it for a cottage with a large loft conversion or several extensions, a large period house in Ashbrooke or near the seafront, or any home you plan to alter. The more a house has been changed, the more a Level 3 helps.
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. They are a common instruction for us. We look at how the cottage has been extended and altered as well as its original fabric.
Not necessarily. Many are sound. The survey reports on its visible condition, and your conveyancer should check for planning and building regulations approval where needed.
All of it, including the city centre, Roker, Seaburn, Fulwell, Hendon, Ashbrooke, Millfield, Pallion and Doxford. Our office in Houghton le Spring is within the city boundary.
Yes. Our RICS Registered Valuers prepare Red Book valuations for matrimonial cases. We can act for one party or be jointly instructed.
"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.
