Period Building Surveyors
Call on 0117 21 21 214 or 0800 880 6024
Every property should be surveyed before purchase, but some are more at risk from defects and decay than others. It is the nature of building materials that all have a life-span after which they will seriously degrade; many will do so earlier than expected, particularly if poorly kept or exposed to inclement conditions. Structural movement, damp ingress, timber decay and condensation are all common problems in ageing structures.
An old building is therefore the most likely structure to harbour defects which will be costly to repair and, in some cases, are even dangerous. To assist, we provide building surveys from period building specialists to seek out these problems and bring them to your attention before you commit.
Building Specialists
More than any other type of property, purchasing an old building should be approached with caution. What may look like a dream home full of character can quickly become a nightmare of hidden defects, expensive repair bills and cause sleepless nights.
Instructing a surveyor to compile a report on the property is therefore crucial, but so too is the nature of that surveyor. A general practice surveyor will often lack the requisite skill-set, but a chartered building surveyor is specifically trained to deal with this sort of structure.
Bespoke surveys for period structures
Building surveys come in various formats, lengths and styles. Many, like the RICS HomeBuyer report, are template-based and draw heavily from standard paragraphs. Whilst these reports have their place, they should be avoided when purchasing or addressing an issue at an older property in favour of a bespoke inspection which allows the surveyor the time to properly investigate any serious issues found on site.
Right Surveyors in Kingswood offer the following bespoke services specifically designed for older structures:
- Full Building Survey (FBS)
- Our most thorough building survey for an old property.
- House Purchase Survey
- A concise version of the FBS above, covering similar elements at a lower level of detail.
- Major Elements Survey
- Similar to the FBS above, but omitting superficial elements like decorative state and joinery.
- Single Fault Assessment
- A focused report covering one particular issue at the period property, like a significant damp issue.