Non-standard construction
What does no-fines concrete mean in a home survey?
No-fines concrete is concrete made without the sand-sized aggregate, so it is full of small voids. It was used for some post-war walls, cast in situ rather than as PRC panels. A survey that uses the phrase should be telling you about the wall type, not insulting the house.
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 surveyor may recognise the thickness, the age and the way the wall is finished, or they may only suspect it. Ask how sure they are. No-fines is not the same lending conversation as every PRC panel system, and it is not the same as a modern cavity wall. The lender still has the say on what they will accept. Ask them with the surveyor’s phrase, not with a nickname.
Condition is separate from the name. Cracking, spalling, a hard render on a wall that stays damp, and alterations that cut the concrete are the survey points to read. An engineer looks at those if the surveyor recommends it. There is no official repair rate per square metre of no-fines concrete in a home survey.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- How sure are you that this is no-fines rather than another concrete?
- What condition issues would you mention even if the lender is happy with the type?
- Could the render or the lining be hiding the concrete?
What are the typical next steps?
- Use the exact phrase with the lender.
- Do not treat no-fines as a Cornish unit.
- If the concrete is damaged, ask an engineer what they need to see. Do not price a new skin from a paragraph.
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
Does no-fines always lack a cavity?
The survey should describe the wall it saw. Some concrete houses have an outer leaf. Do not assume a textbook cross-section.
Can you insulate a no-fines wall with cavity beads?
Only if there is a suitable cavity. The Energy Saving Trust’s cavity advice does not apply to a solid concrete wall. Ask a designer before anyone drills.