Home and building survey tips and tricks : Check the Roof First! It might seem an odd pastime, but next time it rains, don’t stay indoors, put your waterproof coat on, take the kids to help you if you can, and play ‘spot the hole in the roof!’ Check for things like missing tiles, cracks near chimneys etc. Check the Guttering! While you are out and about checking the roof, also check the guttering for leaks which will either be from the joints or because there is a blockage, in which case get the joints sealed and/or the blockage cleared. Electrical and Gas Safety, I don’t know why, but every home I’ve ever bought has had a really useless boiler! As a result I’ve had to fork out between 1,000 to 2,000 to get a new one fitted. So, after having this happen twice, I now make sure I ask the surveyor to have a quick look and then I get a Gas Safety Registered plumber to check it out – albeit at an extra cost of up to 75. However, this has saved me over 10,000 due to the number of properties I’ve bought over the years!

Plants and any other large object present on windowsills should be removed, as these will also be assessed by the surveyor. This saves the surveyor from having to move things around themselves. Mould is one of the most obvious signs of damp in a home and must always be dealt with as it can thrive if left alone. Make sure you scrub away any mould that is present in your kitchen or bathroom, fix dripping taps by replacing the washers.

Likewise your property may be scouted by buy-to-let investors who are looking for a quick sale without too much trouble, or who are looking for a ‘ready’ home that they can move tenants into straight away. Try to put yourself in the shoes of your next potential buyer. Ask yourself these questions; can I move in here straight away? Will it cost me to make immediate repairs? Are these issues easily fixed? Am I willing to conduct any DIY or have repairs made by a technician?

The full Building/ Structural Survey cost will vary from 500 to 1,300; the survey cost will depend on the property type, size and location. To save you money on your survey, compare fees by filling in our simple and quick form and receive up to four instant quotes from our RICS regulated Chartered Surveyors. As one of the most comprehensive surveys available, more often than not a building survey will be requested by potential buyers of your property. It is a wide range inspection of the entirety of a property done in more specific depth than a Homebuyers Report or a Mortgage Valuation. A Building Survey’s purpose is to give a detailed report of the condition of the property in question.

The RICS Building Survey is well suited to unusual properties, older or non-standard construction properties were buildings which are away from the status quo. They are most typically commissioned for older properties whether listed or not and are valuable for understanding the common issued associated with their original methods of construction, as well as giving new owners advice on the best methods to preserve or maintain their condition and rectify problems before they become devastating to the property. Where our traditional building stock has been modernised, altered or extended a RICS Building Survey will be able to investigate if these modern methods of construction are affecting the traditionally built building such as PVC or Cement, which in modern houses designed to be kept dry function surprisingly well but in older traditional stock designed to have breathability there inclusion can lead to all sorts of moisture retention and this can lead to rot or beetle infestation. See more details on Party Wall Agreement.

Party Wall Surveyors, will deal with disputes by issuing an Award. Party Wall Award(s) are ways of dealing with disputes under the Party Wall etc. Act. At Home Heroes we are able to work on your behalf both before the need for a party wall surveyor by preparing and serving notice and once a dispute is deemed, we have experience working as building owners, adjoining owners and even an agreed surveyor.