KEY THINGS TO INVESTIGATE

Damp Mould, damp patches, white salt deposits on bricks, rotting timber and failing plasterwork are all signs of too much moisture in a property – you’ll probably be able to smell it before you see it. Don’t let it put you off a house, though, as resolving issues might be fairly simple. Just remember you need to budget for getting any damaged parts of the structure repaired.

Structural movement Cracks on walls are an indication that the building might have moved, potentially because of a structural failure of some kind or because of changes below ground, known as subsidence and heave. You need to establish if there is active movement – which will need to be fixed – or whether these are old scars that just require a cosmetic facelift.

Electrics If this hasn’t been updated for over 25 years then it’s probably going to need some work. Tell-tale signs to look out for include dated looking fuse boxes with no circuit breakers, round pin plugs and old-fashioned dolly light switches.

Plumbing Replacing dated sanitaryware with modern units is easy to estimate in terms of costs, but if you’re thinking of relocating or adding bathrooms then the plumbing will need to be extended to these areas. So why not consider upgrading the supply, waste and soil pipes at the same time?

Heating First establish if the property has a central heating system in place – are there radiators powered by a gas boiler? Electric storage heaters are a tale-tale sign of no central heating. If it’s old, then it’s worth replacing a boiler with a new energy efficient model. Remember that the performance of your heating system will have a lot to do with your property’s thermal efficiency, which will need investigating, too.