Stock Condition Survey
If you are a landlord, we can undertake a stock condition survey of your stock, collecting information relating to the Government’s Decent Home Standard, and about the property in general. This can be used to identify and programme future cyclical/refurbishment works.
The survey covers three main areas:
- Property Condition Survey – to assess the age and condition of the major elements of your home (such as kitchens and bathrooms), allowing us to estimate the renewal year for each item.
- Energy Audit – to assess the energy efficiency of your property and check any potential improvements that may reduce the running cost.
- Health and Safety Risk Assessment – to highlight any potential risks to you, your tenants and any visitors to your property.
We will need to view all internal and external areas of your property, including any loft space.
The survey also covers the building structure (roof, windows, doors), assessing any risk to health and safety, and noting energy efficiency.
The survey does not cover any repairs items.
Damp Survey
A Damp Survey is a detailed look into a property which has signs of potential damp damage. Damp is a common issue that affects many houses, however, if left untreated it can grow and cause major problems.
This specialist survey by our specialist surveyor usually follows a property survey like a Homebuyers Report, Full Structural Survey or even a Valuation, which may have highlighted damp patches or visible mould growth that needs further inspection.
Fitness for Human Habitation Survey
- seriously affect the health of occupants/visitors
- put occupants/visitors at risk of physical harm or injury
- mean occupants/visitors can’t make full use of the property
Fire Risk Assessment/Survey
A fire risk assessment involves a physical inspection of the building to determine the adequacy of the existing fire precautions and the need for any additional measures. However, of equal importance to the physical inspection is a review of fire safety management in the organisation and consideration of the human factors – how people will respond to an emergency and whether they will take appropriate action.
There are practical limits to the extent of the survey and evaluation of the fire precautions. For example, in undertaking a fire risk assessment, we would not carry out detailed engineering evaluation or testing of fire protection systems, emergency escape lighting, etc. However, we would inspect such systems visually. Where appropriate, we would identify the need for any further engineering evaluation, which we would be able to carry out if required.
Similarly, the survey of the construction of the building would extend to readily accessible areas of the building only. We would not undertake destructive exposure. While we would inspect above false ceilings, where possible, this would be on a sampling basis only. Again, if we considered that more thorough examination of such areas was necessary, we would highlight this to you.
In the case of a fire risk assessment aimed at satisfying the requirements of legislation, the objective of the risk assessment will primarily be the safety of the occupants of the building. While some of the recommendations we may make could also be beneficial to property protection, we would not be specifically addressing this objective or the objective of avoiding business interruption from fire. However, we do have the expertise to address these objectives, if required.
Party Wall Survey
- A party wall is the shared wall, usually between a terrace or semi-detached house, and divides the homes of two separate owners.
- It also includes garden walls built over a boundary and excavations close to a neighbour’s property (within three or six meters, depending on the depth of the new foundations).
- In the home, Party Wall Agreements are most commonly needed for building works that involve loft conversions, the insertion of damp proof courses and the digging of new foundations (as would be required in building an extension).
- *Before party wall building works can start, the homeowner (Building Owner) needs a written Party Wall Agreement from all affected neighbors (Adjoining Owners)*
- Or a surveyor has to be appointed to prepare a Party Wall Award (the agreed document outlining how the works should progress).
- To start this process, the homeowner has to serve a Party Wall Notice on their neighbors, in writing, about the planned party wall works.
We offer a comprehensive service for preparation of party wall awards, which includes undertaking legal searches, preparing bespoke notices for your project, undertaking a schedule of condition and producing a Party Wall Award, for private residential properties, in Essex, London and surrounding areas. We can act for either or both parties and offer a cost-effective and fast method of protecting all parties whilst complying fully with the Party Wall Act.
New-Build Snagging Survey
Getting a survey isn’t just applicable to older properties – there are plenty of instances of new build properties with very significant defects. Although many of these will be covered by a warranty, some will not, and others may only come to light much later, leading to protracted disputes and possibly affecting subsequent resale. A survey by a qualified professional can identify latent defects and help ensure these are dealt with during the builders ‘snagging’ process and during any warranty period. A New-build snagging survey is an independent inspection to look for any issues with the property.
Project Management (Refurbishment/Extensions/Conversions)
An independent project management company can add value right from the start, helping you make decisions that will affect the whole life of the project. An independent project manager will keep the pressure on the build team to stick to the timetable. They’ll be completely on your side and will work in partnership with you, challenging the design and build teams on your behalf to deliver the best outcomes.