Our team at HardingBond Property Consultants was asked to carry out a Building Survey at a historic barn in East Sussex, which had undergone a conversion to turn it into a four-bedroom home. The original building dated back to at least the 1800s, while the conversion had occurred within the last 20-25 years. 

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This property is an ideal example of where a Building Survey is most beneficial. Structural concerns are common in properties that have been extended, converted or altered, particularly where historic materials meet with new ones. As you can see by reading the full report (which has been anonymised), there was substantial evidence of damp, timber decay and wood-boring beetles. However, our surveyor was able to determine that the majority of these issues seemed to have been previously addressed and should not be a problem for the new owners. 

Where issues were noted, such as the possible presence of pests and the identification of some current decay and damp, the report provides an analysis of the issue with recommendations about how to proceed. There is a summary of all urgent issues, potential risks and suggested repairs at the end of the report, so that it may easily be referred to in future.