DAVID EVANS ASSOCIATES LLP
Building Surveys
RICS Building Surveys
Our RICS Building Surveys are the most in-depth property reports available.
A RICS Building Survey will help you make a reasoned and informed decision when purchasing a property, or when planning for repairs or upgrading your property.
The report itself, will provide detailed advice on its condition and identify any potential risks or hidden defects.
Following the inspection of the property we’re able to provide an estimate of costs for identified repairs and make recommendations on further actions or advice which needs to be obtained before committing to a property purchase.
We provide Building Surveys for properties within Stamford and surrounding counties, including Lincolnshire, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, Rutland and Northamptonshire.
Why Should I Get My Own Survey?
Buying a home is possibly the biggest investment you’ll ever make in your lifetime, so in many cases, it makes good sense to commission a professional survey and valuation of the property you’d like to purchase.
A building survey is the best way to ensure that you’re not running into any nasty, and often costly, surprises down the road. On a basic level a building survey will answer the following questions:
- What is the reasonable price for this property?
- Are there any drawbacks I’m unaware of?
- If so, what do I need to know about them?
A building survey is ideal if you’re looking to purchase an older home and require a detailed look at the condition of the property itself, before committing to a purchase.
Even if you’re looking to get a mortgage on a property and you’re paying for a Mortgage Valuation Report, it’s still wise to undertake your own survey. This is because this kind of report is prepared for the lender, and doesn’t take into account the personal interests of the borrower.
What’s included in the Building Survey?
A building survey includes two detailed sections, which are the inspection of the property and the detailed report based upon the inspection.
David will also include a valuation and reinstatement costs, along with a number of digital photos.
The Inspection
During the inspection, our surveyors thoroughly check the internal and external structure of the main building and all permanent outbuildings that are accessible; recording the construction and any defects that are evident.
To obtain a comprehensive understanding of the building David will always have damp-meters to hand, along with binoculars, and ladders to reach areas up to 3 metres above ground level.
We may also call in specialists, should we identify the need to investigate issues further, including, timber or damp specialists and structural engineers.
Further to visual inspections, we carry out a desk-top study and oral enquiries.
Services are generally hidden within the construction of the property, meaning only the visible parts can be inspected and tested to ensure they operate as they should. As such, the efficiency or safety of electrical, gas, plumbing, heating or drainage cannot be assessed.
The condition of all boundary walls, fences, permanent outbuildings and areas in common or shared areas are all inspected from both within the grounds of the property and from any neighbouring public access points.
Should there be any restrictions to access, these are reported and advice is given on any potential underlying risks that may require further investigation.
Subsidiary equipment and sports facilities are treated as permanent outbuildings and are inspected in terms of their structure but not subsequent equipment or detailed care.
When inspecting flats, David assesses the general condition of the outside surfaces of the building, as well as access and communal areas and roof spaces, but only if these are accessible from within the property or communal areas.
We also inspect (within the identifiable boundary of the flat) drains, lifts, fire alarms and security systems, although no further specialist tests other than their normal operation in everyday use will be undertaken.
When conducting a survey, we make enquiries about contamination or other environmental dangers in the area. All findings are reported on and should we suspect any issues, we will recommend further investigation.
The Reports
The report provides details on the condition of the property to allow you to make an informed decision on serious or urgent repairs, and on maintenance of a wide range of issues.
The report provides a full analysis of each area inspected as mentioned above.
We provide a rating to all the main parts of the primary building, along with the garage and some outside elements, where relevant.
Here’s what each of the ratings mean:
Condition rating R – Documents we might suggest you request before you sign contracts.
Condition rating 1 – No repair is currently needed. The property must be maintained in the normal way.
Condition rating 2 – Defects need repairing or replacing but are not considered to be either serious or urgent. The property must be maintained in the normal way.
Condition rating 3 – Defects are serious and need to be repaired, replaced or investigated urgently.
NI – This means an area has not been inspected. This could be due to access issues or risks that did not permit an inspection of a specific area and will be noted in detail in the report.
If we have seen the current EPC (Energy Performance Certificate), the Energy Efficiency Rating will be included in the report. Where possible, we’ll include additional commentary on energy related matters for the property as a whole in the K Energy efficiency section of the report. However, this is not a formal energy assessment of the building.
Should we identify issues that your legal advisers may need to investigate further, we’ll refer to these in the report (for example, check whether there is a warranty covering replacement windows). Along with details of easements, rights of way, party wall act, neighbouring properties, and any illegal work.
Within this section of the report we summarise any defects and issues that present a risk to the building or grounds, or a safety risk to people.
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