Services
Homebuyer Reports
Commercial |
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Residential |
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Commercial Building Surveys and Appraisal
Surveys and Appraisals are requested for various purposes; for investment advice for a potential freeholder or long lease holder; for a potential owner occupier or leasehold occupier; as part of a feasibility study for an extension or major alteration to existing premises; or for the purposes of a special investigation. Each client’s requirements are unique and before an instruction commences the appropriate type and level of survey is agreed with the client.
A Full Building Survey may include detailed reports on the services and building structure. The report will include an inspection and detailed report on all exposed and accessible parts of the building. It will include descriptions and appraisals of the condition of each element including diagnosis of defects and indexed photographs and budget costs of remedying any significant defects. In addition, we will also comment, when required, upon maintenance requirements of the external envelope, boundaries and the relationship with adjoining buildings, means of escape, and other relevant matters. A reinstatement assessment for insurance purposes may also be appended at the client’s request.
An Acquisition or more Limited Survey can be tailored to suit a client’s requirements. The report will be produced to concentrate on the major shortcomings of the property. A Limited Survey is often undertaken to provide advice for investment or company acquisitions, or where a leaseholder requires advice on his service charge obligations. A reinstatement assessment for insurance purposes or budget estimate to repair defects can also form part of this report when requested.
A Condition Survey is an inexpensive way of obtaining an initial view of a property or a large property portfolio. The report will include a description of the main elements of the building along with a description of the building condition. Indexed photographs will also be included within such a report, along with an identification plan where appropriate repairing / dilapidations obligations at termination of the lease. This type of report is frequently provided for general record purposes or to determine whether a more detailed survey of the building is required.
In every case the report produced by Robertson Simpson Limited will recognise the client’s particular requirements and will be issued promptly, with comments and recommendations written in a clear and concise manner.
Residential Surveying
We provide a full range of residential surveys which are likely to be required during the home buying procedure. Although the surveys fall into distinct and recognised categories, we can tailor a survey to your needs, relevant to the type and nature of the property you are purchasing and any specific items of concern/interest that you may have.
There is no such thing as a perfect survey. Given the nature of construction and materials used there are almost always defects to varying degrees. If you have not had a survey done before or are not familiar with construction at all, they can appear alarming. They normally contain technical references to materials, construction methods, defects and remedies and more often than not further guidance should be sort to clarify any point within the report which is unclear. We offer a further discussion service to allow us to clarify aspects of the written reports following your review of any survey we prepare.
If you are buying a property, you should have a survey done before you enter into a contract. A survey can actually save you money. If there are serious problems, you can often re-negotiate the sale price to reflect the cost of necessary repairs, or you may even decide you do not want to buy it at all, due to the level of works and potential disruption of remedial repair works.
Why do I need my own survey?
Buying a property is likely to be one of the largest financial investments a person will make during their life. The best way to reach an informed decision about a property is to have a professional survey undertaken.
Before you decide to go ahead and commit yourself legally, you can minimise the risks by asking a Chartered Surveyor to answer these questions for you:
- What would be a reasonable price for the Property?
- Are there drawbacks I don’t know about?
- If so, what do I need to do about them?
Commissioning your own survey is a simple, economic way to avoid unpleasant and perhaps costly surprises after moving in.
A survey is a kind of 'health check' for buildings and will advise you of any potential problems with the building. It is designed to help you make a more informed decision and offer reassurance and real peace of mind.
Mortgage Valuations
A valuation isn't a survey. It is a limited check on the property that your mortgage lender carries out to ensure it's worth the money they are lending you, although they will probably ask you to pay for it. Many lenders provide you with a copy but it is unlikely to cover items of detail which would be picked up in a survey.
The primary purpose of a valuation is to provide an opinion of the price a property might achieve if it were sold whilst other types of survey and inspection focus on condition, constructional issues and associated remedies.
Valuations may be prepared for a variety of reasons and the following issues need to be understood and agreed between the parties before they are carried out:-
- The purpose and date for which the valuation will be required;
- The interest to be valued;
- The assumptions on which the valuation will be made;
- The extent of the inspection will usually be defined by reference to guidance
- published by the body to which the professional belongs; in our case the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors;
- A valuation, and in particular a mortgage valuation, should not be interpreted as, or used in substitution for, a survey report.
I already have a Mortgage Valuation Report . . . . .
Even if you are seeking a mortgage and may be paying for a Mortgage Valuation report, it is still advisable and prudent to arrange a survey by your own Surveyor. Both the Consumers’ Association Which? Magazine and the Council of Mortgage Lenders give this advice.
The reason is simple: the Mortgage Valuation report is prepared for the lender, not for you, the borrower. It answers only the lender’s questions about the appropriate security for your loan. You cannot rely on it to answer to questions which concern your personal interests.
What choice of surveys do I have?
We provide three forms of survey which are specifically designed to help homebuyers, a Building Survey, the RICS Homebuyer Survey and the Structure Only Report:
Homebuyer Survey and Valuation Report
In contrast to a Building Survey, the HOMEBUYER Service is in a standard format and is designed specifically as an economical service. It therefore differs materially from a Building Survey in two major respects.
It is intended only for particular types of home: Houses, bungalows and flats which are:
- Conventional in type and construction;
- Apparently in reasonable condition.
It focuses on essentials: defects and problems which are urgent or significant which may have an effect on the value of the Property although it also includes much other valuable information.
The HOMEBUYER, unlike a Building Survey, provides not only a Survey but also a Valuation and reinstatement cost assessment as an integral part of the Service.
This is an economical service. Because of the practical limits on the type of property and on the scope of its coverage, the HOMEBUYER Service is priced mid-range, more expensive than a Mortgage Valuation, but less than a Building Survey.
Building Surveys
A building survey (sometimes called a structural survey) is a comprehensive visual inspection of a property and provides a detailed written report. This type of survey is suitable for all property types, including listed buildings, older properties, and buildings constructed in an unusual way, or should you plan to renovate or alter in any way, or properties that have had extensive alterations.
It examines all accessible and visible parts of the property and includes information on the method of construction, materials used, details of faults, potential problem areas, environmental considerations, the location / surrounding areas. Recommendations for repairs or improvements will be given where possible or further specialist inspection or investigation recommended.
The contents of the report will be dependent on the property age, type and can be tailored to your specific requirements, to enable any particular concerns you may have to be covered.
The Building Surveys do not as standard include a valuation or reinstatement cost assessment.
Structure Only Report
This type of survey is designed for a purchaser with some knowledge of construction or who does not require advice on minor defects or elements of the building which are not significant to its structural stability or weathertightness. This format can be used for all properties regardless of age, type or construction.
Structure only inspection is a visual inspection of the structural fabric of the property and / or specific structural issues highlighted by others, providing recommendations for repairs where possible or further specialist investigation if required.
The written report is designed to be a concise assessment of the property focusing on the structural stability and weathertightness of the property only. It will cover the following:
- The structural stability of the property
- Weathertightness of the building envelope i.e. are the walls and roof preventing water penetration
- Dampness and condensation issues
- Timber decay and beetle attack
- A visual inspection of the services (not including testing)
The report will not cover or include the following:
- Finishes and fittings
- Local issues
- A market valuation
- Reinstatement cost assessment
