Age and type of house

What should you ask about the edge of a concrete balcony on a 1960s flat?

Ask whether the surveyor could see the edge, the soffit and the outlet, or only the top from inside the room. Concrete edges of that era can crack and stain where the steel is close to the face. A home survey does not test the slab. Age is not a diagnosis, and it is not a reason to call the concrete RAAC.

Last reviewed 24 October 2026. Written for buyers in England and Wales unless this answer says otherwise. No named surveyor has signed this page. It is general guidance, not a report on your house, and not legal advice.

What is the fuller explanation?

The useful comment is what was visible: a crack, a drip stain, a loose rail, a blocked outlet. The useless comment is “1960s, so it is finished”. RICS surveys are visual. They do not core the concrete. Do not report a stain to a lender as a named precast plank because of the decade. The survey has not identified the material from the year alone.

A stain on the soffit is a reason to look, not a load test. If the survey describes a crack at the edge, ask who repairs that edge under the lease before you price it as a private job. If the survey only saw the tiles from the room, the soffit was not inspected. Do not climb the rail to finish the inspection yourself. There is no RICS price for a concrete repair.

What should you ask your surveyor?

What part of the balcony did you actually see?
Are you naming a crack, or the decade?
Are you saying this is RAAC? Only if you have a reason beyond the age.

What are the typical next steps?

Do not label ordinary concrete as RAAC.
If the edge is cracked, ask who repairs it under the lease before you price it as your private job.
Photograph the soffit from a safe place. Do not climb the rail.

Costs vary with the building and with who you instruct. Where this page does not cite a published figure, ask the surveyor, a relevant specialist, or your solicitor for a written quote. Do not treat a forum average as the price.

Also asked about this

Is a rust stain always a failed balcony?

It is a reason to look. It is not a load test. The survey should not condemn from a stain alone, and it should not ignore a crack.

Does a new tile on top prove the slab?

No. Tiles hide the top. The edge and the soffit are the parts that still need looking at.