RICS Residential Building Surveys
An in-depth inspection of a domestic or residential property, that is carried out by an RICS-approved surveyor. This kind of survey is recommended when buying a property, with different levels which range from Level 1 to Level 3 – Level 3 being the more comprehensive and the most expensive.
This is a survey that flags potential issues that could affect the value of a property and therefore the offer you want to make.
RICS stands for Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.
RICS Commercial Building Surveys
Much like the above, this is a survey that is scheduled prior to the purchase or rental of a commercial property. It is a more complex survey than that which is required or recommended for a residential property, as it considers everything from the building itself to the surrounding land, its condition, technical analysis, value, and more.
Health and safety concerns are a major flag to look out for with a commercial survey, as they can impact the way the building can be used by a business.
Schedule of Dilapidations
This kind of survey is one of the more detailed that we offer and is often scheduled towards the end of a lease when the full condition of a property needs to be assessed.
It looks at everything from the structure of a property to the signs of wear and tear, outlining the areas for repair and the projected cost of these repairs.
Schedule of Condition
A Schedule of Condition survey is a report outlining the quality and condition of a property at a specific period of time – typically the start of a lease. The aim of this report is to create something that can be referred back to following the Dilapidations survey, to recognise where damage has been caused and where the main signs of wear and tear can be found.
Party Wall
When you want to undertake construction work on a property and you share a boundary with another property, you will likely need a Party Wall surveyor to establish where that boundary is and to ensure that the prospective work will not impact that boundary wall.
This survey involves the inspection itself and the provision of notice to all affected parties, to ensure full agreement prior to the project taking place. A Schedule of Condition and Party Wall Award is often required which can be prepared by a Party Wall surveyor.
Planned Preventative Maintenance
This kind of survey is picked up by commercial building managers and business owners who want to understand the condition and quality of a building that they are interested in, both now and in the future. The aim of this survey is to future-proof a purchase and ensure that maintenance works are picked up and understood in advance of the purchase or start of a lease agreement.
Defect Surveys
A Defect Survey is an initial visual inspection of a property to spot and draw attention to potential defects. While this survey is not explorative and does not go into detail about the cause and extent of damage, its aim is to flag potential issues and make sure that a building manager or homeowner is aware of the defects. They can then schedule further surveys as required.