Working with associates our building surveying services range from one off inspections and reports for building defects through to entire cyclical maintenance programmes for colleges, offices and the like.

The building surveying services we carry out are typically as follows:

HOMEBUYER SURVEYS

If you forget everything else about surveying, remember one thing. A mortgage valuation is not a survey! For sure it is normally carried out by surveyors, but those surveyors are experts in valuation and not building defects. Your mortgage report (which you normally pay for) is for the purpose of the lender to ensure that the property is mortgageable and that chances are it will still be standing at the end of the mortgage term.

Your first port of call for an independent survey is a Homebuyer Survey and Valuation. This is a report that is geared towards newer properties and rarely includes extensive detail about the property under inspection.

BUILDING INSPECTION SURVEY

Perhaps better known in is previous guise at a “structural survey”, a BIS is a full and complete inspection of a property. Unlike the Homebuyer survey it is suitable for properties of all ages and descriptions. We have used our BIS report to inspect on properties under construction through to historic properties and from two bedroom terrace houses through to college buildings and factories.

So, why commission us?

Chances are, if you phoning round for a quote, we will not be the cheapest. Sometimes we may be, but that is not our aim. Our aim is to provide you with the most comprehensive report you and your purchase property deserve. We also write our report in plain English and the report includes a glossary on different colour paper for you to refer to. Under each heating, ie roof, gutters, walls etc we offer general advice, we give an account of the construction or the installation at the property under inspection. We then comment on its condition and offer our thoughts as to suggested remedial works. Then, and perhaps of most importance, we offer advice as to what the worst case scenario will be if the defect is not remedied.

All in we feel this packages up to be the most detailed, comprehensive report you can purchase. So while we may not be the cheapest, we certainly offer excellent value for money.

SCHEDULES OF CONDITION

We are frequently appointed to carry out a schedule of condition on a property when a tenant is purchasing a lease. Our schedule is a factual description of the condition of the property on the day of your inspection. This is then appended to the lease for reference by both parties at the completion of the leased term.

We also receive commissions for schedules of condition from building owners that are looking to have a report on the condition of a property prior to refurbishment of redecoration works.

SCHEDULES OF DILAPIDATIONS

Similar to a schedule of condition, we carry out schedules of dilapidations to assess the condition of a property for the landlord on completion of a tenancy.

DEFECTS INSPECTIONS

Frequently here at Lofting Consulting, we receive commissions to report on a specific building defect. This may be damp, condensation, movement or any other building defect one may wish to think of. We inspect the defect and issue a written report in a similar format to a section of a building survey, ie what is it?, what’s the problem?, how can it be fixed? and what’s going to happen if you don’t fix it?

MAINTENANCE INSPECTIONS

Mainly carried out for larger corporate clients, we can inspect a single building or a whole site or collection of sites to ascertain the current condition and required maintenance over a period of 5 years or so. We feel that five years is an optimum time scale as this schedules required works for years 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 and can be carried out on a rolling basis.

MAINTENANCE PROGRAMMES

Following a maintenance inspection, a maintenance programme will be produced. This will typically include the element reference, its construction, condition and what maintenance is required over the coming five years. Budget costing is then put to each item to give the property / facilities manager an idea of required budget to keep the buildings in their current condition for the next five years.

The document is normally produced in Excel a the data can then be easily manipulated, ie results plotted for building type (ie what is building D going to cost us over the next five years), element type (ie what roofing works have we got planned) or year (ie what is our predicted expenditure for year three).

PARTY WALL MATTERS

At Lofting Consulting we can act as party wall surveyors for projects large and small. As a building owner you are required to serve notice under the Party Wall etc Act 1996 to your adjoining owners (next to, over or under) if you are planning works on or near a party wall. It is possible that you could be up to 6m away from an adjoining owners property but you may still need to serve a notice to be protected under the act.

Likewise, if your neighbour is working on your party wall, ie to install a steel beam, or is excavating trenches for foundations near your property, they should have served you with a notice under the act.

Fees for party wall works normally (but not always) fall with the person carrying out the works.