Author Archive

Is it worth surveying a brand new home?

.

I complete many surveys for Building Companies; Part Exchange cases mainly. Often I am asked by a home owner “Should I have a survey on a brand new home? Would it be worth it?”.

.

This is one of the hardest questions to answer. Yes? No? Maybe?

.

The way I handle such a question is to first ask why they are asking – often a clue develops in that conversation. Others handle this differently and I so-called SNAGGING REPORTS that say that a door is non-compliant due to some obscure Regulation breach and that it has a small scratch by one hinge etc….

Has a solicitor advised a report? Has what I have been doing in their own/current second-hand (old) home frightened them into action? Have they been watching too much TV? Have they had a Lender Valuation report copy and something has upset them?

Often potential purchasers see the Environmental Report and are frighten so much that they google Surveyors and ring to get free advice on that report – this is common.

Sometimes purchasers see something closeby to their new home, eg: an electrical sub-station, and ask if they could get cancer if they moved in – I am not joking!

Sometimes purchasers see that the local sub-soils are predominantly of shrinkable clay and ask me to complete a full Building Survey (on a new home) to ensure them that subsidence is not affecting their potential purchase.

I suppose that what drives many of these types of comment is the fact that purchasers often feel out of their depth: they need and seek re-assurance and asking for the most expensive form of survey fulfills that inner need.

In some cases they ask for a full building survey but when I ask if they also require a market valuation they say “no – I have had a Lenders Report and they say the price is ok”, or they say “I don’t need a Rebuild Cost Assessment because I have insured it for the purchase price”! Rational?

So, how do I answer this question – Is a new home survey really worth it?

First – discover why they are asking. What drives the request? MOTIVATION?

Second – ask what type of home it is and where it is; what is its value? QUALITY? SCALE?

Third – ask at what stage of construction is it at? PRACTICALITIES?

My answer then falls into place.

If it is part built then I report that to ensure a good build-quality they could employ me to check, weekly, during the remaining build-period and to then snag and de-snag the final structure. Obviously this is expensive but would deliver the best build quality and finish possible.

I often refer to the fact that defects often need time to manifest themselves: a missing internal door lintel may not show any distress until months or even years later. A survey after snagging would probably not reveal that problem or risk. This is not negligence.

Is performance of a snagging list the best form of survey? I have seen “specialist contractor” snagging reports and they stagger me. They have merit but are usually filled up with comments such as “the top edge of the bedroom door is not finished in accordance with the British Internal Joinery Association Code of Practice No XYZ/123 and the fire-stop is 1mm too narrow to door head corner area etc….

The surveyor may be right in making such comments but the effect of his/her remarks is generally inconsequential in terms of reduced/increased fire risks. The fact is that if you buy a new car, it is not perfect and it will de-value immediately. The same is true of housing.

We are rapidly becoming American’ised and expect perfection and he-who-shouts-loudest often can succeed in getting works done because of such snagging reports. The “reasonableness test” of whether something not right is actually “wrong” is a moving target depending on circumstances:-

Referring to a part of the building element –

• Does it fulfill its designed performance?
• Has it been installed/built correctly?
• Will it be liable to age more rapidly?
• Does it look reasonable?
• Is it safe?
• Can it be repaired without disproportionate cost?
• Does the problem affect value or saleability? Etc…….

A case can be made to say that some “defects” do not need to be rectified. All things are in a state of imperfection and so why change them? A reason must exist.

My own approach is one of common-sense: is a repair needed? My thought processes will be influenced by the calibre and quality of the building, its weather exposure and if a problem affects value and saleability. My actions on site should not reflect the whims of my client.

“Do you need a survey” also depends on the reputation of the Developer: if they have a good after-sales regime then you can expect to rely upon that service, as well as the limited cover provided by the NHBC 10 or 15 year insurance policy on the home.

So – is a new home survey worth it? Well, yes. Yes, but the type of inspection(s) or report are open to opinion and that is determined by budgetary constraints and personal attitudes. Some clients say “as detailed as possible so I can screw the builder, please”.

So, I DO FIND IT DIFFICULT TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION. I do not like to see clients pay good fee money for less-than-practical-reports and so a certain definition of terms is always needed so I can define the right survey product for any particular client. Any mis-match of expectations will inevitably result in hassle for all parties concerned.

Once (years ago) a repeat client of mine asked for a “full survey” on a new home: when I began my questioning it transpired that the client had a very inflated opinion of the quality of her purchase and the builders ability to set right all faults. In that particular instance I decided to not quote or act for the client. Ducking out? Perhaps I did, but perhaps somebody else didn’t and I hope the client got what she wanted but, to remain professional, I do not report “to order”.

I consider the above a truly professional stance; others may say differently but I like to think my stance is both modern and appropriate to today. I would like to hear others’ views on this conundrum – got a view?

At the end of the day do you think it is wise to spend a massive sum and not take true, independent opinion on whether faults or defects exist? Talk to me BEFORE you let anybody else convince  you otherwise. Stuart Parrett +44 (0)1489 896 174 or use the CONTACT FORM above.

ARCHIVE ARTICLE THAT INCLUDES THE ONLY SURVEYOR JOKE I COULD FIND ON THE INTERNET:

MAN : This house is a ruin. I wonder what stops it from falling down.

SURVEYOR: I think the woodworm are holding hands!

.

Who/What does the most damage to a home?

.

Woodworm: Rot: Leaks: Frost: UV radiation: Acid rain: DIY: Cowboy-Contractors: Ground movements: Occupier neglect, ignorance & lack of maintenance: Poor design: Inappropriate materials: Storms: Damp/Condensation ?

Woodworm: Multiple forms of woodworm exist – some are “notifiable hazards”. Not usually treated until well-established. Can be costly if ignored for many years or you have Death Watch Beetle.

Rot: Basically only two main forms – Wet & Dry. Wet rot – treat/repair what you see. Dry rot – add a “0 or two” to what you think it might cost!

Contractors: Some are brilliant, some are not! Always get a recommendation – find out what is excluded/included. Always find out when payments are required.

Health & Safety is vital but it can also cause increased costs. Ignore standards and codes and YOU will be in trouble. Even simple low-costs repairs sometimes need massive access costs. Lives are lost needlessly every year because we ignore H&S!

Architects choose materials and designs that Builders must be familiar with to construct your dream home. Any mismatch of skills and understanding and the Surveyor will detect them when they become a problem later on (or advise you that XX may become a problem due to YY).

Suns rays degrade certain materials. Over-heating (thermal gain) can cause dimensional instability and cracking and inappropriate environmental standards.

Frost causes many materials to degrade or to de-laminate. Water pipes/drains can freeze and split/leak. Choose the wrong materials and early failure can occur. (Other materials within land and buildings also cause problems in differing weather or land conditions).

.

The real answer to this riddle is “lack of, OR inappropriate monitoring and/or maintenance” causes the biggest problems. Any and every problem has a solution but the best answers always exist if problem diagnosis is both early and correct.

.

This throws the spotlight on the -

(1)  common sense of the home owner/occupier (often DIY or Bob-the-Builder solutions make matters worse).

(2)  whether adequate insurances exist (under-insurance means your claim or claims will not be met, or only in part).

(3)  the experience and range of diagnosis tools of the Architect and/or Surveyor.

(4)  the knowledge and experience of all contractors and professionals employed to rectify the problems.

Nothing is perfect, all things degrade but the right choice of maintenance methods, choice of alterations and improvements, the choice of materials used, etc…. are all central to the quality of what you achieve with a property.

• Do you cut corners to meet your restricted budget?
• Is the cheapest contractor the best contractor?
• What alternatives to your needs may exist?
• Which is the best choice – basic repairs or green improvements to cut fuel costs?
• Have you pursued those alternatives to see if grants are available?
• Have you taken cost-v-value advice?
• Is it worth doing analysis OR would it be better to move to a better home?

The property cycle =  BUY  -  MAINTAIN  -  ALTER OR IMPROVE -  MAINTAIN  – UPGRADE & RENEW ELEMENTS  -  MAINTAIN  – MAKE A PROFIT OR LEAVE AN INHERITANCE

Your actions and decisions throughout the above property cycle will determine the eventual outcome of your initial investment in buying a home. Recessions come and go but, over the longer term, housing remains a good investment if you treat it wisely.

If you make the right decisions during your ownership of any home you will have a smile on your face: if you opt for DIY or bodged-solutions to problems, or, even worse, ignore problems or complete no maintenance at all, you enter a potential spiral of decline that may see your investment become a millstone around your neck from which you never financially or environmentally recover.

.

Things to consider when investing in your next home.

• Can it be bought within budget?
• Have you the budget to maintain it?
• Have you commissioned and understood your own Surveyors Condition Report?
• Can and should you occasionally improve it to current green standards?
• Can you enlarge it if your space needs increase?
• Is there a price tone ceiling in your district (beyond this improvements may not add any value!)?
• Have you seen and understood the EPC on your potential new home?

• How exposed to frost and prevailing weather patterns is your potential next home?
• Is it within a known flood-plain?
• Does adequate, effective site/surface drainage exist?
• Has it been built upon, or next to, contaminated or filled ground?
• Can you obtain Buildings Insurance and at reasonable premiums without high excess payments?
• Is it traditionally or system built and is that method of construction mortgageable?

Do you need help in fully understanding the answers to the above information? CALL PROINSPECT.

Our collective attitudes to insurance are changing.

Insurance used to be exactly that, insurance to cover problems. However, the worldwide insurance industry nowadays often makes a mockery of seeking to provide adequate cover when problems start. Delays, “average” clauses, small-print exclusions are just some of the hidden problems for the unwary. In the car insurance market young people simply cannot get sensible insurance any more.

These problems have resulted in massive instances of non-insurance which in both dangerous and sad. Social responsibility seems to have gone missing in the Insurance industry and we make this worse as record numbers of recession-hit householders are making fraudulent claims. Figures show that annually more than 100,000 fraudulent claims are being made and this annual increase, of 17%, is accelerating.

Fraud thrives in a recession but cheating on your insurance really does not pay (if you are caught). The only thing you are likely to gain is a criminal record. Dishonest home insurance claims were the most common types of fraud, the figures show, with 55,000 detected in 2008; the figures for 2009 will be higher.

Winter Fires ……..

The Fire Brigade said that fires are much more likely to occur when the temperature drops. The most common reasons why individuals cause a fire are due to heating appliances (14%) and cooking equipment (12%) going wrong or being left on.

More than one-third of fatal house fires are caused by cigarettes and other smoking materials. Nationwide figures suggest there were 3,061 accidental house fires, 99 deaths and over 1,000 injuries linked to smoking.

Summary – carelessness causes fires.

Prevention is better than ……

Homeowner claims are at ridiculously high levels at present (as much as 1-in-6 households in some areas). Owners have forgotten they can take simple steps to help prevent pipes bursting in freezing weather. Prevention is certainly better than cure when it comes to an emergency in the home so people need to clear out guttering, lag pipes and wrap up any outside taps.

Burst pipes can result in an emergency plumber having to be called out – which could be costly and may not always be covered by house insurance.  Also don’t forget that if a property is left for more than 30 days then burst pipes may not be covered.

Burst Pipes and Water Damage:

The damage from burst pipes can be horrendous, especially if the burst happens when your house is unoccupied and the burst goes unnoticed for weeks. Collapsed ceilings, saturated furniture and electrical appliances can be the resulting damage.

• One of the main causes of frozen pipes is switching the central heating off completely when a house is empty. Leaving the heating on a low temperature (7-15°C) can minimise potential danger. Boilers and heating systems should also have annual check-up, to ensure they are safe and in good working order.

• Ensure pipes are well lagged, wrap exposed outside pipes with insulating sleeves and make sure that water tanks get insulation too. Intermittent opening of your roof loft trap door to allow warm air from the house to circulate around the loft and pipes can also be wise.

• Letting a protected interior tap drip during freezing weather conditions can prevent a pipe from bursting by providing pressure relief.

• Simply turning off the water is not sufficient for a property that is to be left unoccupied for a long period – there is still a lot of water in the system, which can cause damage. Get a plumber to drain down the water and central heating system to remove the risk completely.

• Washing machines, taps, showers, baths, dishwashers etc. should be checked from time to time for leaks, because even a few drops of water could cause rotting and dampness.

• Know where gas and electricity supplies can be turned off and where your stopcock is, as speedily shutting off the water in an emergency could prevent a great deal of damage.

• Clearing snow from behind parapet wall upstands and roof valleys is also well worth the effort. Deep snow thaws and the water released travels upwards by capillary attraction between tiles and breaches the valley liner, if one is present. This results in water running down the valley underside and into your home.

• In the Autumn period it always pays to clear rainwater fittings of leaves and pine needles. Forget to do this and one result will be that the weight of snow build up and icicles will deform gutters and before long water will get into your home.

Summary – preventative medicine coupled with common-sense is wise: ignore this at your own peril as some Insurance Companies will soon be saying that you have contributed to your problems and invoke Policy “average clauses” that dilute any claim payout. Insurance than turns out to be only partial insurance, again!

Overseas Home Owners – this also applies to you. Did you know that PROinspect can also take surveying briefs for European Home Purchases (albeit that such services are expensive).

Without wanting to insult anyone, or be at all secretive, this cannot be answered “just like that”. It takes time for us to understand what you need and can afford.

Things that cause our fees to vary include:-

• Property size (eg: gross floor area).
• Property type (eg: it is traditionally designed, is it detached, is it “system built”, is it registered defective under the Defective Premises Act, etc….).
• Form of construction (eg: modern or Period timber frame? Cob? Metal framed? Traditional cavity or solid walls, etc…).
• Are there extensive outbuildings?
• Where is it?
• Do you require basic survey products or additional services for specific reasons?
• Do you want us to include/arrange Services tests by Engineers?

We do have a Fee Matrix and this forms the benchmark for our bespoke fee quotation analysis and is not intended to be a rigid fee structure – each and every client is different and has differing expectations!

The best thing to do is to call us for a quotation – this starts with filling out the CONTACT FORM opposite (provide us with at least some basic data EG: 4 bedroom detached house – about 100 years old – value around £500,000 – Building Survey with Valuation opinion needed).

Contaminated Land

Terms often used when discussing such issues include:-

• Brownfield & Greenfield
• Land Quality Search
• Suitability for Use & Risk Assessment
• The Polluter Pays & Pollution Linkage
• FREE Public Register
• Valuation – Yield Adjustment or Cost to Correct?

You may not be surprised that contamination is all around us and is not restricted to Industrial sites. Indeed, former and current agricultural users can have created contamination issues and, in the past, houses may have been built upon contaminated sites (and then forgotten about).

As a normal part of the conveyancing service, your solicitor will usually request a Land Quality Search to be carried out on your behalf. However, even if you have not engaged a solicitor to act on your behalf, you can still commission a Land Quality Search.

The Government’s town planning policies, especially those relating to new housing development, focus on reusing land that has been ‘previously developed’. Often referred to as ‘brownfields‘, returning this land and redundant buildings to economic use is more complex than developing on former agricultural, or ‘greenfield‘, sites.

Government policy regarding land containing contaminative substances is that remediation should take place through the planning and redevelopment process. No set standards are laid down for remediation and the principle employed is ‘suitability for use’. This involves intending developers in a ‘risk assessment‘ process.

Decisions on whether or not to redevelop, the form of treatment and the form of new development have to be determined on a site-specific basis. Not surprisingly the financial viability of the project is considered to be the most important factor, with legislation and insurability of the development being the two next most important issues. The quality of documentation relating to past uses or work undertaken is also recognised as being important in the risk assessment process – it is important such information is retained with the deeds of the property.

The law controlling Contaminated Land is contained in the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (the Principal Act). It was inserted by the Environment Act 1995 into Part ll of the Principal Act as part llA comprising sections 78A to 78YC.

This is a complex piece of law which endeavours to enforce the “polluter pays” principle by ensuring that clean up operations are charged to the firm or individual causing or responsible for the contamination. As part of their functions local authorities are required to identify land which is contaminated within their areas and are tasked with ensuring that the land identified is made fit for the use to which it is intended to be put.

What is contaminated Land? This is land where a “pollution linkage” exists. This is when there is a source of contamination and a receptor for that contamination which are joined by a pathway along which the contamination can travel.

Receptors can be the natural environment, property, animals and human beings. In order for contamination to exist for the purposes of Part llA there must also be a significant possibility that significant harm will be caused as a result of the pollution linkage. At the end of any clean up this significant possibility of significant harm must no longer exist. Complete clear up of the land is not necessary so long as the pollution linkages are broken.

Under Section 78(R) of Part IIA EPA 1990 -  the local Council has a duty to maintain a public register. The public register is intended to act as a full and permanent record, open for public FREE inspection, of all regulatory action taken by the enforcing authority in respect of the remediation of contaminated land, and will include information about the condition of land. Information to be included in the register:

• remediation notices
• site information: location, extent, address of the contaminated land
• remediation information: detail of person on whom the notice is served, what is to do by way of remediation
• site specific guidance issued by the Environment Agency
• remediation declarations, remediation statements and notifications of claimed remediation
• designation of sites as ‘special sites’
• site-specific guidance issued by the Environment Agency where such guidance exists
• appeals against remediation notice and charging notices
• convictions for non compliance with notices
• statement regarding the existence of confidential information

Valuing brownfield land

Developers and valuers are more likely to be confronted with problems on land that falls outside the legal definition of ‘contaminated land’ but nevertheless contains contaminative substances. Such land may be acceptable for its existing use, not causing harm to human beings, their property or the wider environment, but in a redevelopment context may present highly complex problems.

There is some disagreement as to the most appropriate valuation methods and the choice of method may also be dependent upon the purpose of the valuation. The two main methods are the ‘yield adjustment‘ approach and the ‘cost to correct‘ approach. The question of ‘stigma’ impact on value, that is the financial impact that exceeds any physical detriment, is also an important issue.

1. Man-made or naturally occurring Radioactivity plus Heavy metal contaminates such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury etc. The latter found at sites that contained processes such as galvanisers and electroplaters.
2. Organic contaminants such as petrol, diesel, oil, cleaning fluids and solvents. These can be found at chemical manufacturers, steel works, degreasing plants.
3. Acids and alkalis. These can be found at sites used as chemical manufacturers, electroplaters and foundries.
4. Contaminants are not just restricted to industrial processes: other sources may include agriculture activities, inadequate waste disposal, deposition from the atmosphere and every day activities such as petrol distribution and dry cleaning. Anything, anywhere could be a contaminant if it produces real safety risks.

Football in the sun: before the rain.

END

Choices – a brief outline of each Inspection Product . . . . . .

Note – Survey Products can be requested with any extras – the latter would largely be under a separate contract within a separate document.

Note – Don’t forget that we do not charge for an initial chat and product/fee quotation.

This very much depends on what level of inspection is being completed and the complexity of the property.

A good Inspector we have risk and database researched your property before he/she arrives. This process should have raised various questions that will probably be added to the Inspectors normal list of standard queries.

Any Inspector will need to know the history of the land and buildings. This broadly splits into the following areas:-

• Tenure/Legal
• Planning and Building Control
• Limitations or special instructions (imposed upon or for the Inspector)
• Risks
• Documentation, Certificates and Service records
• DIY
• Insurance Claims
• Premises age and the dates of material changes/problems/events

So, the Inspector will not want to be bothered by your Pets/Dogs. Similarly young children may best be taken to neighbours/friends. A tidy environment is always easier the inspect than an untidy and unclean home.

The Inspector will want to get at and into all rooms and areas and so unlocking the garage, shed and side gate will all be appreciated. Moving the car off drainage inspection chambers is also a good idea; as would be taking the car out of the garage or car-port.

If you can take copies of important documents these will be invaluable to the Inspector but it is our experience he/she can just as easily take photographs of such documents.

So what questions and/or documents are important?

1. How old is the house?
2. Is it Listed (which Grade), in a Conservation Area or in a Smoke Control Area?
3. Are any Council Plans/Proposals known of that may affect the house or its plot?
4. Boiler age/installation and service/repair records.
5. Is mains Gas available and metered?
6. Are all other mains services connected and metered?
7. What private services are connected: do they pass to and from only public land OR do they pass over/under private land (and are they shared)?
8. Date of electrical system tests or of re-wiring/alterations.
9. Date of double glazing installation (FENSA certified or under Building Control?).
10. Planning Permissions and/or Building Regulation Approvals.
11. Who designed and constructed (and when) the Conservatory.
12. Lease details.
13. Any off-site buildings or parking facilities? Full details needed.
14. Do any off-site shared facilities
15. Management provisions, fees and charges + name and contacts details.
16. Tree Preservation Orders?
17. Trees removed: and when?
18. Have any Insurance Claims, Party Wall Act Notifications, Neighbour or Boundary Disputes happened – full details/outcomes needed.
19. Extensions and/or improvement or conversion plans, dates, descriptions.
20. Inserted insulation? Type, when and by whom?
21. Have the drains ever blocked, been repaired or renewed? Are any chamber covers hidden from view?
22. What works have YOU done, OR have been done by non-professional or non-specialists?
23. What fixtures and fittings form part of the purchase price and will be staying in the home when the sellers move out?
24. Which site boundaries do you believe to be yours?

Anything you can do to provide certainty to your answers would be invaluable to the Inspector. Remember that anything you can produce to help the Inspector here will probably go into his/her Report and both their client and that clients legal team will have one less thing to worry about – if you take the time and effort to fully cooperate here you are rewarded with less uncertainty at a later date.

Much of the above may be included in the Home Information Pack: at the time of writing these words it is our experience most Sellers, Solicitors and Estate Agents are not bothering to request these details are produced “up front” and so the existing marketing/legal system is not entering in to the spirit of HIPs: in our opinion this attitude is to the detriment of all home buying transactions.

1- Do I need a Surveyor?

BUYING – Chances are that the home you are buying is OK. What if it isn’t? Do you carry the risk? Would the value of the house be lower with significant defects? We would be insured against serious matters, wouldn’t we?

Is the message becoming clear? Why accept risk when you don’t have to? Any defect, minor or serious, is not an insurable peril if it existed when you bought your home (Insurers call these matters “pre-existing-defects”).

Also remember – don’t be fooled into thinking that just because your Loan Company have advanced a large sum means that the premises are free of defects. A Valuation Report IS NOT A SURVEY and in an increasing number of cases such Valuations are produced without inspecting the premises.

So – do you need a Surveyor? The answer is a resounding YES, you do.

SELLING – Increasingly the wise home owner, but only those who can afford this benefit as it is not essential, is choosing to commission a Seller Survey. This is something new but it can be relied upon by Loan Companies and Purchasers (either could sue the Surveyor even though the report was commissioned and paid for by the seller).

Why would a Seller want such a survey? To prove there is nothing wrong or to say, yes we do have condition issues but the report quantifies them and are Asking Price has been set accordingly (thus limiting the negotiation time and angles that otherwise cut in later in the disposal transaction period).

IMPROVING – Thinking of having Conservatory or new windows or a loft conversion? STOP and THINK.

Will that money actually add value to your home? Not all improvements add value. Do you need a Valuers opinion?

If you have just had such works completed do you realise that you may have forgotten something else? You have just created additional costs should your home have to be rebuilt for whatever reason. Did you increase the sum of money that represents the ceiling sum within your Buildings Insurance policy? Do you know how to calculate the rebuild cost of your home?

Surveyors/Valuers are needed at almost any stage of any project to do with housing.

QU – What factors combine to increase the risk of defects at residential properties?

ANS – Age: certain forms of construction: the degree of DIY completed: the type of sub-soil the home is built on (clays being the worst): is the home under threat from flooding?: lack of past maintenance: certain ages of home have certain defects “built in”: the quality of alterations and extensions: weather exposure: the list be long………..

QU – I can do what a Surveyor does; it’s easy. Why bother with using a Surveyor?

ANS – Our standard answer revolves around – anyone can see if the paintwork is peeling, if the roof has a hole in it, if the walls are cracked or not, etc…. But, consider this …… could you recognise the difference between subsidence, settlement and heave? …… could you recognise the difference between wet rot and dry rot and know the implications of that distinction? …… if the roof contours were straight could you still recognise when a roof frame is under serious stress? …… could you diagnose cavity-wall-tie-corrosion problems? …… before you went to the house would you know if it was in a district that suffers from defects such as Mundic, Radon Gas, Black Ash, Subsidence, Flooding and other serious problems?

2-         When do I need a Surveyor?

This is a more tricky question.

Sometimes it all depends on cost – if you are buying a Leasehold home/flat the legal and other researches needed are much more costly in which case it can make sense to commission all those matters first and leave the survey until later in the transaction.

However, in most cases it is wise the consider appointing a private surveyor as soon as possible after having your bid approved by the seller.

Private surveys will focus on the negative about the property and discuss the defects and their effect on saleability and value. Are these matters you would necessarily want your Loan Company to know about? Why then would you consider using the Loan Valuer for a simultaneous private survey? It just doesn’t make any sense.

Always commission a separate Loan Valuation and Private Survey.

In some cases the Loan Company Valuation report or researches will state that signs of a defect were noted or that the home is at high risk of ………… In these cases we would suggest you contact PROinspect immediate and talk through your worries. It is possible we can give you the re-assurance you need to move forward; if we cannot then we should be able to suggest a Survey Product designed to provide exactly what you want OR refer you to another professional who will be able to help you specifically.

Don’t forget your Surveyor after you have moved in. Many times during your occupation you may need a chat before you commit to a course of action that if you get it wrong may later rebound to haunt you —

• I live in an exposed coastal position. Is cavity wall insulation a good idea?
• Will converting the garage into a dining room add value to the home?
• After the snow of New Year 2010 I noticed a bow to my main roof – can you check it out?
• We had XXXXX works completed but are not happy with some elements of the finish and need your opinion?
• We are getting mould and condensation. Can you help us?
• We have had an extension done and now need to increase our Home Insurance to reflect that work. Can you calculate the right sum for us?

And finally…. when you come to selling your home you nowadays have the option to commission a Sellers Survey to prove your homes’ condition. Any buyer can rely on that report and either seller or buyer could sue us if we have got something seriously wrong. In England we are not used to such a Survey Product but in the difficult times we now live in this is something that should be at least considered before you instruct an Estate Agent.

3 – What Survey Product will I need?

1, 2 or 3 or something else?

First of all do completely forget what any other professional adviser has mentioned to you. How many times have we heard customers tell us what “the man in the pub” told them they should ask for.

If you need property advice about surveys who is the right person to take a brief from? Your Solicitor? The Estate Agent? Your Neighbour? NO – tell the Surveyor what your needs are and he/she will recommend the right product that will deliver the re-assurance you need to move forward.

In industry jargon there are only three basic types of property inspection – the higher the number the higher the complexity, fee cost,

• LEVEL 1 Any brief inspection that is not a survey. All Valuations are at this level.
• LEVEL 2 Defined/Limited/Economy surveys or inspections. The most popular forms of Home Surveys are at this level. Included here are Specific Defect Surveys and diagnostic viewings.
• LEVEL 3 These inspections carry the higher fee costs, the surveyor accepts much higher levels of liability to you, the survey products are in much greater details, extras can be added to tailor the final product to your exact needs and budget. Building Surveys and Expert Witness Reports fall into this category.

Level 2 Reports are by far the most popular in the UK and the one Report Product that is head-and-Shoulders above the rest is the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Homebuyer Report (the HBR). It becomes highly important that potential customers discuss their needs direct with a Surveyor BEFORE they issue an instruction. This ensures that the Survey Product obtained is both relevant and focussed to that clients need and budget.

To list a few Level 2 products will make our meaning clearer:-

1. Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Homebuyer Report (the HBR).
2. SAVA Home Condition Report
3. SAVA Home Condition Survey
4. PROinspect Landlords Property Report
5. Thermal Imaging diagnostic reports for leakages and condensation
6. Schedule of Condition (usually with a high element of photography)
7. Schedule of Dilapidation.
8. Specific Defect Report.
9. Pre section 35 (CPR) Expert Witness Report.
10. Boundary and/or Contractor dispute opinion Report.

We were most impressed by Stuart…

ARCHIVE ARTICLE MID-2009

.

For all you Pub Quiz freaks!

(22 mind blowing data bites on Homes, Energy, Risks, Life, Costs and Banks)

DID YOU KNOW? (a mixture of trivia, information and … nuts):

.

1. Dry and wet rot can only form in damp wood – at least 20% moisture content.
2. The 1875 Public Health Act introduced, amongst other things, the concept of damp proof courses in new housing.
3. The role of Building Inspectors was introduced in the reign of Charles II, after the 1666 “fire of London” (that occurred just after the 1665 “great plague”).
4. Just after this timeframe, around the split between George I and George II (abt 1720), chimneys were moved, by design, on to party walls.
5. It wasn’t until abt 1800 that gutters and downpipes came into common usage.
6. Stucco, or rendered front elevations, became fashionable during the 1710 (George I) to Queen Victoria (1840) period. Stucco is a typical “Georgian” feature
7. Cast Iron house Balconies were introduced in the early 1760’s.
8. Government has stated that through Building Regulation step changes in 2010 and 2013 they intend to introduce “zero carbon” rated new homes in 2016.
9. Glass is a combination of sand and other minerals that are melted together at very high temperatures.

10.  Glass, chemically, is actually more like a liquid, but at room temperature it is so viscous or ‘sticky’ it looks and feels like a solid.

11.  When oil exists below a certain depth, the heat of the earth breaks the molecules and it becomes Natural Gas.

12.  Most small, domestic wind turbines generate direct current (DC) electricity. Systems that are not connected to the national grid require battery storage and an inverter to convert DC electricity to AC (alternating current – mains electricity).

13.  Roof mounted small Wind Turbines cost from abt £1,500.

14.  Mast mounted larger systems, in the region of 2.5kW to 6kW, would cost between £11,000 – £19,000 installed.

15.  Wind Turbines can have a life of just over 20 years but require service checks every few years to ensure they work efficiently.

16.  Wind Turbine battery storage systems, have a typical battery life of abt 6-10 years, depending on the type, so batteries will have to be replaced at least once, but perhaps twice, in a system lifespan.

17.  Around 5 million people live in flood risk areas in England and Wales.

18.  In 2002, life expectancy at birth for females born in the UK was 81 years, compared with 76 years for males. This contrasts with 49 and 45 years respectively at the turn of the last century in 1901.

19.  1.0% Bank of England interest rate — this rate is the lowest since the bank was founded in 1694.

20.  -30%: this is the current predicted fall in residential house prices since a 2007 high. Further – this 2007 level of values may not now be seen again until 2016.

21.  +67%: this is the required increase in the amount of land needed if government is to meet its current target of 240,000 new homes a year.

22.  In 2007, 47% of all new residential building was for Apartments. With higher density ratios expected nowadays this may shift to be about 25% soon.