Architectural Services
Purchasing a property is the biggest financial commitment most of us will make in our lifetime. Before the major decision whether to ‘buy’ or ‘not to buy’ a property can be made, it is most prudent to commission an independent survey/report by a structural engineer or building surveyor.
Our structural reports and building survey reports often reveal problems which the purchaser or vendor are unaware of. Significant defects identified may require considerable immediate or future expenditure, or lead to problems in reselling or insuring the property. Our structural reports and building survey reports provide clear recommendations and guidance towards remedying any defects identified, the likely costs of repair, and include information regarding any need for further investigation works, or additional specialist input.
So, whether you are considering the purchase of a property, or have concerns regarding the condition of your existing property, we offer the following services, which can be tailored to suit your specific needs:
Building Survey Report
A building survey is suitable for all residential and commercial properties and provides the full scope of their construction and condition. A building survey is likely to be required if the property is, for example, of unusual construction, is dilapidated, has been extensively altered, or if a major conversion or renovation is planned. It is usually tailored to the clients’ individual requirements. Our building survey reports include extensive technical information on construction methods and the materials used, and include details of the whole range of defects, major to minor, together with recommendations for repair, and the likely costs of repair.
Specific Structural Inspection Report
Our specific structural inspection is a visual inspection of a particular structural problem or concern, which includes all matters relating to that particular problem. It should be noted that parts of the property not related to the specific problem area may not be inspected. However, if our structural engineer or building surveyor were to identify any other structural problems or concerns during the course of the inspection, these may also be noted in the report.
Our reports include details of what was inspected and found. They state whether or not there is a problem, and if so, what is required to rectify that problem, or what further investigations may be necessary to enable us to fully understand the problem. Where repairs/remedial works, or further investigations are recommended, the report will give budget costs for these, if required.
General Structural Inspection Report
This type of inspection is similar to a specific structural inspection, except that our structural engineer or building surveyor will inspect and report on the structural condition and adequacy of all of the readily accessible load-bearing elements of the property (not just a particular problem area of concern). The inspection will include the roof structure, floors, walls, lintels, and beams. It will also include the surrounding site area in case there are any factors which could indicate a risk to the foundations.
