Building surveys: residential and commercial
Our specialist and in-depth approach to building surveys is reflected in our client satisfaction and demonstrated by repeat custom and referrals. We carry out a thorough survey, with attention to detail and respect clients’ confidentiality. All surveys are carefully tailored to the needs of our clients.
The practice does not undertake Homebuyers reports, mortgage valuations or vendor’s surveys (including those for seller’s packs)
Our professional reports cover
- full building surveys on residential and commercial properties
- historic building reports
- single issue reports (such as dampness, subsidence or structural appraisal)
- building pathology and defects identification reports
Outline guide to how a full building survey might proceed:
- We will give a fixed fee quotation over the telephone after we have discussed a client’s specific requirements and ascertain the details of the property to be surveyed.
- Terms and conditions are then sent out, confirming the fee quotation, the appointments arranged for the inspection and when the report will be dispatched.
- After our inspection and before preparing our report, it is our usual practice to telephone clients to discuss our findings on a preliminary basis.
- We are also happy to have a telephone conversation after clients have received the report to explain any matters in further detail or put them into context.
- If appropriate, we are also happy to meet our clients at the property immediately after our survey to discuss our preliminary findings.
Due to our building conservation experience, we specialize in building surveys of period properties and country houses
Our building surveys (both residential and commercial) include:
- All major and minor faults (although the survey report is not a specification suitable to give to builders. This can be prepared if our clients wish)
- The implications of any defects and the approximate cost of repairs
- Results of testing walls for dampness and timbers for damage, including woodworm or rot
- Comments on the existence and condition of damp proofing, insulation and drainage
- Extensive technical information on the construction of the property and details about materials used in its construction
- Information on the location of the property
- Possibly some recommendations for any further specialist investigations. However, our extensive experience means that this is only recommended in extremely exceptional circumstances
- Similarly, we may recommend for tests to service installations such as electricity, heating and the like (as these are not included in a standard building survey). However, again this is only recommended in exceptional circumstances and we will be able to give useful comments from our purely visual inspection