Do you cover Marlow, Hazlemere and Stokenchurch?

Yes. Marlow is in SL7, Hazlemere in HP15 and Stokenchurch in HP14. We cover all the High Wycombe districts, HP10 to HP15, as well as SL7.

Is a Level 2 enough for a post-war house in High Wycombe?

Often, if the house is conventionally built, largely unaltered and in reasonable condition. If it sits on a steep site with retaining walls, has been extended or is of non-standard construction, a Level 3 is the safer choice.

Do you check retaining walls on sloping plots?

We look at the retaining walls, steps and paths we can see that affect the property, and report cracking, leaning or poor drainage. Where a wall supports the house or a neighbour's land, we may recommend a structural engineer's assessment.

Level 2 & 3 House Surveys High Wycombe & Marlow

Homes we survey in High Wycombe and Marlow

High Wycombe, long known for furniture making, grew along the narrow valley of the River Wye, and its housing climbs steeply up both sides. Victorian and Edwardian terraces sit close to the centre, but most of what we inspect was built after the war, particularly in the 1960s and 1970s, when large estates spread up the slopes. Semi-detached houses are the type we see most, followed by detached houses, and flats, both purpose-built and converted, make up a noticeable share.

Hazlemere, Holmer Green, Downley and Flackwell Heath are largely suburban, while villages in HP14 such as Stokenchurch, Lane End and West Wycombe have older cottages, some with clay tile roofs. Marlow, on the Thames, has a Georgian and Victorian centre with later estates around it. We have also found cross-wall, timber-framed and Wimpey No-Fines houses in the area.

From our survey reports in High Wycombe and Marlow

Based on 65 DBISS surveys in 7 postcode districts since 2022. Figures are rounded; homes can fall in more than one wall category.

When the homes were built

Pre–19008%
1900–19196%
1920–193912%
1940–195920%
1960–197935%
1980–19993%
2000 onwards5%

Property types

29% semi-detached
20% detached
12% flat
8% mid-terrace

Main walls

69% cavity masonry · 22% solid masonry

Non-standard construction recorded

Wimpey No-Fines, Cross-wall construction, Timber frame. About non-standard homes

What to look out for

Hillside plots. Retaining walls, steep drives, steps and surface water running towards the house are common issues. Split-level houses can suffer damp where rooms are set into the slope.
Post-war estates. Expect flat-roofed garages and extensions, replacement windows of varying ages and cavity insulation added later. On estates built by the council, check for non-traditional construction such as no-fines concrete, which some lenders treat differently.
Flats. We inspect the flat and the shared parts we can see. Your solicitor should check the lease, the service charge and any building safety information for the block.
The Thames. Riverside homes in Marlow should be checked for flood risk on GOV.UK.
Wycombe Air Park. Addresses near the airfield at Booker may be inside its flight restriction zone, where drones need permission to fly (CAA guidance). We check each address before the inspection.

Which survey?

A Level 2 Home Survey (from £440) suits many post-war houses and flats in reasonable condition. Choose the Level 3 Building Survey (from £550) for period homes, houses on awkward sloping sites, non-standard construction or anything you plan to alter. The Level 3 includes a drone roof inspection where flight is permitted. Reports typically follow within 5 working days of the inspection. There is more help in our which survey guide.

Areas we cover

We cover HP10, HP11, HP12, HP13, HP14 and HP15 around High Wycombe, and SL7 for Marlow. These districts are within about 25 miles of Hemel Hempstead, so addresses here do not normally attract a travel supplement; the calculator confirms this from your postcode.

Nearby: Chesham, Amersham and the Chalfonts, Maidenhead, Slough and Windsor and Aylesbury and Princes Risborough.

House surveys in High Wycombe and Marlow