Do you need a property survey or report in Lincolnshire or Yorkshire?

We also offer Schedules of Condition and Schedules of Dilapidation surveys on your commercial property, as well as surveys in connection with insurance claims. Contact us for further details.

Structural report

This type of report is often asked for by a Mortgage Valuation Surveyor acting for a building society or bank, who require assurance that the property has no major structural defects which could adversely affect the value.

What does it cover?

This type of inspection covers the main structural items only, such as floors and walls, e.g. to identify the cause of any cracking to the masonry and internal finishes and distortion to the structure, such as subsidence or other structural problems.

Also previous structural alterations, such as removal of load bearing walls or chimney breasts.

It is basically tailored to the needs of your prospective lending institution or insurers, so you are only paying for the service actually required. If our terms of reference are limited, to say an inspection of cracking to one wall only, or to other specific defects of a limited nature, then we can provide a partial structural report at a lower cost.

Based on our findings from our visual inspection we will make the appropriate recommendations for remedial action.

Structural reports do not include comment on the general maintenance of the property such as decorations, ventilation, timber infestation, thermal/sound installation, dampness, electrical, plumbing and heating services and the roof covering.

The roof space and drainage will only be inspected where accessible and considered relevant to the investigation or when specifically requested. However any of these may also be inspected if required and are included as part of a full building survey.

Full building surveys

This is a more comprehensive assessment of the overall visible condition and state of repair of a property. A full building survey is suitable for all properties and provides a full picture of their construction and condition.

What does it cover?

The report is intended to outline any defects which could materially affect the value and, as such, normally includes:

A structural report on the walls, floors and roof void (where accessible)
Dampness
Timber infestation and decay
Drainage
Advice on the general condition of electrical, heating and plumbing services
Clear recommendations for remedial works
Budget costing for works if required for an additional charge
Advice on the level of thermal insulation present

A full building survey is likely to be needed if the property is, for example, of unusual construction, is dilapidated or has been extensively altered or where a major conversion or renovation is planned.

Specific defect reports

If the inspection is confined a specific defect, this may not require a full survey.

Issues which could individually be considered in a Specific Defect Report includes:

Cracking or other structural problems concentrated in one part of the property.
Lintel defects
Sagging roofs
Defects to garages or boundary walls
Cavity wall tie failure
Removal of a chimney breast etc.
Sulphate attack on ground floor slabs in houses built in the 1960s and 1970s

Sulphate attack

Concrete ground floor slabs in houses built in the 1960s and 1970s may be vulnerable to attack by water soluble sulphates present in certain types of hardcore on which the floor slabs are laid. The chemical reaction which occurs is normally referred to as sulphate attack and produces a gradual breakdown of the concrete and causes the floor to expand and lift.

This type of damage is generally not covered by buildings insurance policies and can be expensive to rectify, so it is essential that the correct diagnosis is made by a Chartered Building Surveyor if such a problem is suspected, for example, by the Mortgage Valuation Surveyor, prior to your purchase of a property.

DO YOU NEED A STRUCTURAL REPORT? A FULL BUILDING SURVEY? OR A SPECIFIC DEFECT REPORT IN LINCOLNSHIRE OR YORKSHIRE?