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Non-standard construction

What should you do if the survey says “non-traditional” but does not name the system?

Go back to the surveyor and ask what they saw: frame, panels, roof form, party wall, cladding. “Non-traditional” is a flag, not an identification. Lenders and repair schemes ask for the system. A second paragraph that names the clues is more useful than a stronger adjective.

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?

Surveyors are cautious because several systems share a rendered face. Guessing an Airey or a BISF in the mortgage form, because a forum said so, can be as damaging as ignoring the flag. The RICS levels differ in how much description you get. A Level 1 is a poor tool for an unknown system. A Level 3 describes construction more fully and still may not name a system that is hidden.

Ask whether a specialist who knows post-war housing should visit, and ask the lender what name they need before they will proceed. If the seller has the original brochure or a previous report, use it as evidence, not as gospel. Do not pay for a PRC repair scheme until the system is known. Some systems were never part of those schemes.

What should you ask your surveyor?

  • What did you see that led to “non-traditional”?
  • What systems remain possible, and which have you ruled out?
  • Would a Level 3 or a specialist visit be the proportionate next step?

What are the typical next steps?

  1. Email the surveyor for the clues in writing while the notes are fresh.
  2. Tell the lender there is an unnamed non-traditional system, not a guessed name.
  3. Ask the seller for any previous survey, brochure or certificate.

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 “system-built” the same phrase?

It means the same problem: a named system is still missing. Ask for the name or for a clear statement that the name is not known.

Can the estate agent name it?

They can pass on what they were told. Verify it against the building. An agent’s label is not a structural identification.

Sources