Building Surveys

The service offered is a detailed visual inspection by a Chartered Surveyor of all reasonably accessible parts of the building, and a report on its general quality and condition, identifying significant defects and repairs essential at the time of inspection, referring to readily apparent potential hazards, and commenting on future maintenance requirements. In preparing the report the surveyor will exercise the skill and diligence reasonably to be expected from a surveyor competent to advise on the subject property. During the course of our survey, the surveyor will open all accessible unfixed hatches to roof and floor voids and will carry out such examinations as are possible by the removal of access hatches to plumbing, boilers, tanks and other cavities where the removal of such hatches will not cause damage to decoration or finishes. A moisture detecting meter will be used in selected positions.

There will be some parts of the building (such as foundations) that we cannot inspect directly. However, where possible we will draw secondary inferences from visible defects (such as the pattern of cracking) and inform you if we have reason to suspect that a hidden defect may exist. If it is suspected that hidden defects exist which could have a material affect on the value of the property, the surveyor will so advise and recommend more extensive investigation prior to entering into a legal commitment to purchase.

Roof areas will be inspected from ground level or from an available vantage point and the surveyor will carry with him a 3 metre (10ft) long ladder. This means that the surveyor may be unable to view some roofs, particularly flat roofs of two-storey or higher parts of the building. However suitable ladder hire can be arranged if required. (see Optional Services below).

Unless specifically instructed the building services will be visually inspected and tested by normal operation but will not be tested in detail; and no comment will be offered upon whether the services comply with relevant regulations. A visual inspection will be made of the manholes and drainage connections where the cover is intact and able to be removed, but drains will not be tested. Where a visual inspection reveals obvious defects in the services, we will recommend formal testing by a specialist contractor.

Garages and other outbuildings of substantial permanent construction and any such structures attached to the dwelling will be visually inspected.

The boundary structures, retaining walls, paths and drives will be inspected to the extent that they are readily visible from positions to which the surveyor is entitled to gain access.

The report should be construed as a comment upon the overall condition of the property and the quality of its structure; and not an inventory of every single defect, some of which would not significantly affect the value or use of the property. If the report does refer to some minor defects this does not imply that the building is free from other such defects.

Flats, Maisonettes, etc.
If the property to be inspected is a part of a larger building, the areas covered by the Basic Service noted above will be:

The exterior of the subject property, and sufficient of the remainder of the building in which it is situated to ascertain the general state of repair.

The interior of the subject property, and in a more superficial way, those communal areas within the building from which the subject property takes access and on the floor(s) of the subject property.

Inspection of the common parts of the building in more detail is offered as an Optional Service, subject to the co-operation of the building owner. It will be the responsibility of the client to arrange access to any common parts to be inspected, and to provide a copy of the lease and other relevant documents, in order that the surveyor can ascertain the liability for maintenance works and service charges in respect of the common parts. Common services, including lifts will only be inspected visually.

Exclusions
The surveyor will be working in a building owned by another person (the Vendor) and will not lift floorboards, cut into, pierce or otherwise damage any part of the property without the vendor’s prior consent in writing; neither will he attempt to move heavy or delicate furniture or lift fitted carpets.

The surveyor will have regard to his personal safety and will not inspect any parts of the building that are not safely and readily accessible.

The surveyor is unable to see defects hidden behind plaster, decorations, heavy furniture, fitted carpets etc; neither is he able to view the foundations directly.

In the event of termination of gas, water or electrical supplies, it will not be possible for us to comment upon the physical operation of those fittings which operate in conjunction with these services.

Unless specifically instructed (see Optional Services below), leisure facilities such as swimming pools, saunas etc. will not be inspected.

The report will not identify the existence of contamination in or from the ground, as this can only be established by other specialists.

If it is not reasonably possible to carry out any substantial part of the inspection, this will be stated in the report.

Optional Services
The following optional additional services are offered, if specifically instructed by the client, for an additional fee:

(1) Hire of access equipment, scaffold towers, builders ladders, etc. together with the cost of transportation and attendance by a contractor for erection and moving of equipment.

(2) Lifting and relaying of carpets by approved carpet fitter, to allow direct inspection of floor surfaces. It will be the client’s responsibility to obtain the Vendor’s written permission before this work is carried out.

(3) Opening up for inspection, and repair of floor, wall or other surfaces by an approved contractor. It will be the client’s responsibility to obtain the Vendor’s written permission before this work is carried out.

(4) Formal testing of services, including drainage, by approved contractors. Any testing will concentrate on the current condition and operation of the services, rather than attempting to rework original design calculations.

(5) Formal testing of leisure facilities by approved contractors. The client must specify in some detail what leisure facilities are required to be tested, and the extent of testing required.

(6) Inspection of common parts of buildings containing flats, maisonettes, etc.

(7) An assessment of the estimated current reinstatement cost in its present form for insurance purposes.

Where possible, the calculation will be based on the rates per sq.m. in the current edition of the Association of British Insurers/Building Cost Information Service Guide to House Rebuilding Costs. If the building is of non-standard construction, more detailed calculation will be required and this will be reflected in the fee charged.

Charges
Unless a fixed fee has been agreed, fees will be charged at our current hourly rates. Other expenses, including contractors’ costs incurred in performing the Optional Services, will be charged at cost plus 10%.

Before agreeing a fixed fee the clients are expected to give a fair indication of what is to be inspected, including the size and type of building to be surveyed, (including the size of the main building in which a flat/maisonette is situated), the approximate extent of the grounds, any unusual features, and any Optional Services required. In the event of the inspection being substantially more extensive than described by the clients, the surveyor shall be entitled to an additional reasonable fee.

In the event that previously arranged access to the property is denied or restricted, the surveyor shall be entitled to charge for travelling expenses and travelling time as set out above. The surveyor will notify the client of the problem, and it will be a matter for the client to seek reimbursement from the Vendor if required.

The clients will pay the fee to the surveyor within 14 days of the invoice date, otherwise interest will be levied at 4% above base rate.

Single Issue Surveys

Single Issue Surveys may be required in the following circumstances:

• Following unfavourable comment in a Building Survey, Homebuyers Survey, or Mortgage Valuation carried out by others

• Following a recommendation for further investigation made in such a report

• As a diagnosis of a building defect, preliminary to specifying maintenance or remedial work.

Extent of Inspection
The service offered is a detailed visual inspection by a Chartered Building Surveyor of those parts of the building identified in the clients’ instructions, and such additional parts as the surveyor deems necessary, in order to identify the building defects complained of and to give a professional opinion of the cause of such defects and the appropriate remedial action required.

Roof areas will be inspected, if relevant, from ground level or from an available vantage point and the surveyor will carry with him a 3 metre (10ft) long ladder. This means that the surveyor may be unable to view some roofs, particularly flat roofs of two-storey or higher parts of the building. However suitable ladder hire can be arranged if required and if advised by the client before the inspection takes place.

During the course of our inspection, the surveyor will open all relevant and accessible access hatches, where the removal of such hatches will not cause damage to decoration or finishes.

The surveyor will not lift floorboards, cut into, pierce or otherwise damage any part of the property without the owner’s prior consent in writing; neither will he attempt to move heavy or delicate furniture or lift fitted carpets.

The surveyor will have regard to his personal safety and will not inspect any parts of the building that are not safely and readily accessible.

Content of Report
The report will describe all observations made by the surveyor and relevant to the defects complained of. The report will state the surveyor’s opinion of the cause and significance of the defect. The report will contain, in general terms, a description of the appropriate remedial works required. The report may contain recommendations for further investigations or monitoring required, if such are required to fully diagnose the defect.

The report must be construed as a ‘snapshot’ at the time of inspection, and it may not be possible to see time-variable defects such as condensation or progressive cracking. Similarly, there will be some parts of the building (such as foundations) that we cannot inspect directly. However, where possible we will draw secondary inferences from visible defects or symptoms (such as the pattern of cracking).

Where the surveyor relies on information provided by others, this will be indicated in the report, with the source of the information.

Charges
Unless a fixed fee has been agreed, fees will be charged at our current hourly rates. Other expenses, including contractors’ costs incurred in performing the Optional Services, will be charged at cost plus 10%.

Before agreeing a fixed fee the clients are expected to give a fair indication of what is to be inspected, including the size and type of building to be surveyed, (including the size of the main building in which a flat/maisonette is situated), the approximate extent of the grounds, any unusual features, and any Optional Services required. In the event of the inspection being substantially more extensive than described by the clients, the surveyor shall be entitled to an additional reasonable fee.

In the event that previously arranged access to the property is denied or restricted, the surveyor shall be entitled to charge for travelling expenses and travelling time as set out above. The surveyor will notify the client of the problem, and it will be a matter for the client to seek reimbursement from the Vendor if required.

The clients will pay the fee to the surveyor within 14 days of the invoice date, otherwise interest will be levied at 4% above base rate.