Home surveys in Gateshead.

Local knowledge

What we see in Gateshead homes.

South of the river, Gateshead's stock ranges from the substantial Victorian villas and terraces of Low Fell and Saltwell, through the inter-war suburbs of Whickham, Lobley Hill and Sheriff Hill, to the village property of Ryton, Crawcrook and Rowlands Gill in the Derwent and Tyne valleys and the extensive post-war estates at Leam Lane, Wardley and Birtley. The borough sits squarely on the coalfield, and mining history is a live issue in many surveys.

Property types and what to watch for

• Low Fell and Saltwell Victorian houses — slate roofs, solid walls, timber decay, cellar damp, and alterations over a century of ownership
• Inter-war semis in Whickham, Lobley Hill and Sheriff Hill — cavity wall ties, flat-roofed garages, original drainage
• Derwent Valley villages — stone cottages and terraces, steep sites, retaining walls, private drainage
• Post-war estates — non-traditional construction to identify, communal heating and district services in places
• Mining — Coal Authority reports, shallow workings and shaft searches across the borough

Areas served