There may come a time when you need to ask yourself which building surveyor do I need?
Let’s take a quick look at what a building surveyor does, and when you might need to use one. Let’s start with which Building Survey Do I Need?
The main role of a building surveyor is to survey the condition of a domestic, or commercial property.
This could mean a house, a new build home, an industrial unit, or a commercial building.
A building surveyor will examine the condition of a property and advise on ways to rectify any problems.
In big cities like London, where there are many older style properties, issues like damp can be stressful for homeowners, landlords and tenants.
However, even rural properties have their fair share of damp and building condition issues as well.
What type of issues do building surveyors look for?
Some of the issues building surveyors look for are, damp problems, dilapidation, leaks, timber rot, woodworm, or even Cavity Wall Tie issues.
Will I get a report of the issues a building surveyor finds?
A surveyor will provide a comprehensive report of his/her findings after carrying out a property survey.
Depending on what survey you choose, he or she will highlight the areas of concern, along with recommendations for rectification in the report.
How long does a building survey take?
This depends on many factors, such as, the size of the property, the extent of the problems to be surveyed and the length of the report.
Typically, a building surveyor will allow 2 hours to half a day to complete an average sized property survey, as well as time needed to compile the report.
Will the building surveyor organise the remedial work to be carried out?
Most professional building surveyors are independent, either working for a company, or working alone.
It is always recommended to use an independent building survey company as they have no financial association with contractual works.
Therefore their opinion is impartial and unbiased and they will not offer to carry out any works that may be required.
How much does a building survey cost?
This depends on several factors, such as, the size of the property and what areas of the building need surveying.
A damp survey in one or two rooms of a standard sized house, would cost from around £300.00 plus VAT.
A small price to pay for peace of mind.
What types of building surveys are there?
Some building surveys are referred to as damp surveys, Cavity Wall Surveys or leak detection surveys, or even RICS Building surveys
Which building survey do I need?
Damp Surveys assess the extent of damp in a property and aim to find the true cause and source of the damp.
A professional surveyor may use different equipment, including a thermal imaging camera to pin point the source of damp.
A Timber Survey will involve a detailed assessment of the integrity of the timber within a property, including timber damp, rot or mould.
Thermography surveys assess the thermal insulation and efficiency of a property.
Helping the owners in providing detailed information on how to improve energy efficiency and reduce heating costs.
A Thermography survey can provide data to assist in keeping a building cool.
A leak detection survey will look for the source of a leak and make recommendations on how to solve the issue.
Snagging Surveys assess new homes for faults in workmanship and build quality.
Any issues found, are then detailed in a report and passed onto the developer to be rectified.
Homebuyers Surveys check the condition of a property prior to purchase, potentially saving the prospective buyer money.
It can also help them to make a more informed decision on whether to buy the property.
A Cavity Wall tie survey will assess the Cavity walls, insulation and integrity of the wall ties.