A Shropshire Surveyor's Guide: Bathrooms

In the second instalment of our guide to building surveys in Shropshire, we look at what a surveyor will look for when considering the condition of a property’s bathroom. 

When carrying out a homebuyer’s report or building survey, the surveyor will examine the bathroom in a lot of detail - even flushing the toilet and running the taps to check there is adequate water pressure at the time of inspection. 

Faulty seals and traps can leak water around and behind toilets, shower trays, baths and tiles causing concealed wet rot to timber floors or penetrating dampness to walls, which could be inconvenient and expensive to remedy, depending on the extent of the damage. 

It is important for potential purchasers to note that a surveyor cannot cause damage to the fabric of the property in order to reveal hidden defects, and where considered necessary further investigations should be undertaken at a later date with the prior consent of the vendor. 

Shower screens are checked for evidence of safety glass to minimise the health and safety risk in the event of a fall. 

A surveyor will use their experience to consider the age and condition of the fittings, and whether replacement is considered necessary in the short to medium term. If individual fittings have to be replaced it can be difficult to find a match and the whole suite may have to be replaced. 

It’s worth remembering that some sanitary fittings, such as cast iron baths, can be very heavy and difficult to remove. 

A surveyor will check that no light or light bulb is within reach of a tap or shower. No power socket or light switch (pull cords only) should be in a bathroom and shaver sockets should be equipped with an isolating transformer. 

Supplemental earth bonding must be connected to all metallic conductive parts in a bathroom and earthing must have an accessible but tamper proof terminal. 

Finally, condensation can be a common problem, leading to mould growth. There should be sufficient means of ventilation either through extractor fans, or if necessary, windows. 

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