Building Surveys
A Building Survey is the most in-depth inspection endorsed
by RICS and is designed to provide a detailed analysis of the structure’s
condition. The investigation will typically last several hours, during which
your surveyor will inspect all accessible areas of the property. This includes
loft spaces, basements and outbuildings, although it won’t cover sealed-off
parts of the property.
Following the survey, you will receive a comprehensive
report, which will draw attention to any defects within the building and
surrounding land. As well as noting visible problems, the report will highlight
areas which are likely to cause problems later down the line, unseen areas
which may be suffering damage and peculiarities that will require special
attention. These comments are based on the surveyor’s experience of buildings
of a similar age, style and condition.
Building Surveys will also include professional recommendations about how to remedy property defects, along with cost estimates for maintenance and repairs.
How do I know if I need a Building Survey?
The comprehensive nature of a Building Survey means that
they are particularly suited to older homes, large properties or buildings that
require significant renovation. They are a valuable tool for understanding
complex and historic structures and help buyers to make an informed decision
when investing in an unusual type of home.
If you are buying a listed building or a home that has
undergone many alterations, then a Building Survey can give you the confidence
that its condition is sound, or provide an expert opinion about the associated
costs with pursuing your purchase.
Homes built after the 1960s and which are in seemingly good
repair may not require such an intensive investigation, however, a Home
Condition Report is still recommended to ensure that the building contains
no major defects.
How to choose a surveyor
With any kind of survey, it’s important that you understand
(and are happy with) exactly what the surveyor will be doing, and the methods
they will be using. Before agreeing to a report, check that the level of detail
included in the report will meet your expectations, and will be detailed enough
to help you make a decision about the building. If not, you may end up spending
more money on specialist investigations and repairs in the long run.
At HardingBond, we are careful to explain the details of
each of our services to make sure our clients receive the exact information
they need, and help them choose the most appropriate report for their home.
Our Building Survey reports are usually a room-by-room
analysis contained within a document of at least 35 pages. We provide as much
detail as possible about repair and maintenance costs, giving you reliable
information with which to renegotiate your offer should you require, and are
happy to go through any part of our process before, during or after the
inspection.
We are also regulated by the Royal Institute of Chartered
Surveyors (RICS) and work to the strict code of conduct laid out in their
guidelines, and our professional indemnity insurance covers our clients up to
£1,000,000 for further peace of mind.
Contact Us
If you are in the process of buying a home, converting your property or simply require information about the condition of a building you already own, contact our team at HardingBond today. We can provide a free, no-obligation quote for our property surveys, and answer any questions you may have about our services. Use our contact page to find your nearest branch, or send us an email via enquiries@hardingbond.co.uk.
Case Studies:
Old Barn, Smith Street, East Sussex, TN20 1ABOur 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.
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.
Many thanks for your survey. Super to see your fine handy work!
I'll be most enthusiastic to recommend you when I can. 
Martin
The Home Condition Report has been developed by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) to provide a succinct overview of a residential property. It is designe...
A Building Survey is the most in-depth inspection endorsed by RICS and is designed to provide a detailed analysis of the structure’s condition. The investigation will ...
Sadly, on occasions, there are instances where communications have broken down between parties or concerns regarding skills, ability or workmanship have arisen, resulting ...
