Property Surveys
We offer several Building Survey Reports for clients considering making an offer on a residential property or a commercial property.
There are several types of property survey, therefore we will discuss and recommend the type of survey appropriate to your situation.
We offer Property Surveys including home surveys and commercial surveys.
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We will make a detailed survey investigation and report for clients before purchase or taking on a lease of a commercial property.
It can be carried out for any commercial property purchase – shops or offices – and is particularly useful if change of use or renovations are required. Also, if it is a non-standard property or one which has been extensively altered.
We will highlight any issues concerning the structure and condition of the property and investigate all aspects of the property:-
interior and exterior
services (for example gas, electrics and water)
all surrounding grounds and boundaries
Surveys will include photos of the problem areas, which is helpful if you have only seen the property a couple of times yourself and accompanied by an agent.
Surveys will include the estimated costs of rectifying any problems – to help outline the seriousness and costliness of a certain issue.
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We offer Home Buyers Reports for clients considering making an offer on a residential property.
As a rule of thumb, Home Buyers Reports are appropriate for conventional houses and flats that have been built within the last 100 years that are in a reasonable construction and state of repair.
A Home Buyers Report will give you a good idea of the structural safety of the building and alert you to any issues – such as damp.
The report will also highlight crucial factors that do not meet current regulations, such as electrics that are not up to date.
The report will give you an independent and expert view on the condition of the house and its value and a summary of any repairs that you, as the potential buyer, will need to undertake.
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A party wall award is undertaken when a homeowner wishes to make works to a party wall of a neighbouring property. The homeowner who undertakes the works must inform their neighbour so the neighbour can have a schedule of condition of the party wall - and neighbouring rooms.
The party wall survey must be taken by a separate, independent party wall surveyor, agreed by both neighbours. The survey is charged to the homeowner undertaking the works.
On completion of the works the neighbouring property party wall and neighbouring rooms must be returned to the same condition prior to the works being undertaken.
Should any damage occur by any of the works, the homeowner undertaking the party wall works must pay for the damage.
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We offer property renovation surveys for private clients or for landlords who are looking to undertake the renovation of a commercial or a residential property.
The report will outline, review and confirm the options of work that is required or needed by the property purchaser.
We will look at the structure, condition of the property, and assess whether the potential plans can be fulfilled as regards to, for example, any structural changes such as demolition of walls, proposed layout changes such as extensions or additional bathrooms.
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A survey on a residential property is key before the legal exchange of any property. We will ascertain that the property purchase can progress and highlight any issues that must be taken into consideration, giving buyers peace of mind that they are making the correct decision.
We will highlight any issues concerning the structure and condition of the property and investigate the property including interior, exterior, services (for example gas, electrics and water) and the surrounding grounds and boundaries.
Surveys will include photos of the problem areas, which is helpful if you have only seen the property a couple of times yourself accompanied by an agent. Surveys will include the estimated costs of rectifying any problems – to help outline the seriousness and costliness of a certain issue.
Our surveys will include a Summary of Matters from our inspection of the property and a list of Matters for Further Investigation.
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Structural Building Surveys comprise a full, detailed survey where we employ a more thorough, comprehensive level of investigation of a property. A full Structural Survey can be carried out for any property purchase where clients want to know about the structural state of, and the condition of, the property. Estate agents are not obliged to give this level of detail in the sales particulars. A full Structural Survey is a sensible move as structural issues may arise which prove to be costly, or if you are planning to do extensive renovation work on the property.
We will recommend a full Structural Survey for:-
Older properties
Grade I or Grade II listed properties
Properties where some repair work is visible - but the extent of which needs to be identified
Non-standard properties - different constructions such as steel frame or concrete
Properties which have been extensively altered over the years
The report will highlight any issues concerning both the structure and the condition of the property. It will cover all aspects of the property - the interior, the exterior, services (gas, electrics and water) and surrounding gardens and boundaries.
Survey reports will include photographs of the problem areas which is helpful if you have only visited the property for a first and second viewing. The survey will also help when it comes to insuring the building.
Surveys can include the estimated costs of rectifying any issues to outline the seriousness and the cost of issues if the client requires this.
We also work with architects and structural engineers, if you are planning to undertake renovation work on properties and provide Planning Advice for Property Acquisitions and Developments and a Project Management service for property renovation work.