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The term “Full Building Survey” used to be described as a “Structural Survey.” The two names are used interchangeably and essentially mean the same thing. Visible and otherwise hidden defects in a property will be commented on during a building or structural survey. The report’s focus is mainly on the property’s structural condition and on what might be regarded as serious or urgent. The surveyor takes the property’s integrity into account and comments on the causes of various issues, which could affect that integrity.
As stated previously, if you need a “Full Structural Survey,” you generally need a Full Building Survey. However, if there is a specific aspect of the property you need to uncover—in many cases, because you suspect cracking damage or subsidence—you might instead want to get a Structural Engineer’s Report.
Typically, a Building Survey is carried out to the same exacting standards by Chartered Surveyors from RICS, CIOB, or RPSA. By contrast, a Structural Engineer Survey is carried out by a Structural Engineer.
An additional distinction is that a building survey encompasses the entire structure and surrounding environment, while a structural engineer survey has a much narrower focus—that of suspected structural problems.
Home buyers usually commission building surveys to understand the condition of a property. These surveys illuminate any necessary repairs or maintenance the home may require. Structural engineer surveys, on the other hand, tend to concentrate on one specific issue or suspected area of structural weakness in the home.
If a Structural Engineer Survey is needed after a building has been surveyed, it is typically because the building surveyor has found something that requires a more detailed look. These follow-up surveys are often referred to as Specific Defect Surveys and are mostly focused on an area that the building surveyor has identified as needing attention.
Put differently, when you intend to purchase a property, you first engage a Building Surveyor to carry out a Full Building Survey (also referred to as a Structural Survey). If this survey uncovers any significant risks to the structure itself, you then retain a Structural Engineer to probe more deeply into the problem.
Our panel includes surveyors with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors credentials and structural engineers from the Institution of Structural Engineers. These building experts can carry out a survey of the property and an assessment of its condition and suitability for your purposes. What they do is provide us with the means to give you an informed opinion on whether the property is worth the price being asked.
When preparing a subsidence report, the current state of the site and possible environmental liabilities must be considered. A site investigation can provide information about the presence and concentration of contaminants in the environment. A team can take samples of soil, roots, and water from the site to test in a laboratory.
The tests can range from simple tests that measure moisture content and classify the materials, through to more complicated tests that determine the basic physical and mechanical properties of the materials. The tests can be done using methods specified in British Standards (e.g., BS 1377).
The Full Building Survey report includes the following:
When it comes to the detail that the surveyor will go into concerning defects, repairs, and maintenance, the Homebuyer Survey is fairly standard. Full Building Surveys, however, are more refined and go into more detail about possible and likely defects. Repairs and maintenance are covered in more detail. The Survey cost depends on the age, size, and value of the property.
The analysis they undertake is a visual inspection. This means that, for the most part, the building components that can be seen will be looked at and assessed in accordance with the surveyor’s remit. The Home Survey Report will show you the visible defects and then go on to discuss the kinds of partially hidden or totally hidden defects that the surveyor thinks you should be aware of. It will also try to clarify what kinds of repair work need to be done and the nature of the repairs. The survey is effectively a way to consider “defects” and their potential impact on the building.
A Building Survey Report contains the most important information for understanding the condition of a property. The surveyors that undertake the work follow a set procedure. The first part of the report contains a general overview of the property and its surroundings. The second part details the major and minor problems with the property’s components, inside and out. These problems range from serious structural defects to issues with doors or windows that don’t close properly, and everything in between. The report is written in clear English, complemented by diagrams and photographs. If any of the problems found are what a surveyor might consider important, that’s what the report indicates—using clear and unambiguous language.
Surveyors usually use a tick box to indicate methods of repair when drafting a building survey report. They are also required to comment on the timescale of any repairs. A condition rating is typically included: what needs to be addressed immediately, what is in the process of deteriorating but is in reasonable condition, and what has not deteriorated at all.
A building surveyor is responsible for a variety of checks and tests during a building inspection. These could be checks or tests for damp and woodworm, or they could be visual inspections of the building’s structure. In building surveying, there are visual inspections of roofs – checking for tiles and slates (if applicable) and also checking for leadwork (if applicable) and looking at the junctions between roof and wall. If the wall structure has brick in it, the surveyor will visually check for any “spalling” (brick breaking apart visibly) and any bulging (brick failing to hold its place visibly), for example.
If defects need fixing immediately, then the options recommended for this survey specify what to repair and give some idea of how long the problem has existed. For the most part, this survey describes recommended repair approaches that are standard in the industry and that do not require excessive expenditure. Future maintenance is also discussed, including what to expect when the problem being surveyed is not repaired and what to expect with repairs that are made but with questionable methodology.
Your surveyor will explain some of the legal aspects of purchasing the building, covering—in as much or as little detail as you desire, and their implications, but this is subject to your solicitor verifying.
You might consider having a separate market valuation done to determine whether the property’s asking price is warranted. You’ll also need a reinstatement cost valuation for insurance reasons.
RICS’s industry guidelines suggest building surveys for properties that are large, very old, in some disrepair, or have unusual features. Building surveys are also recommended if you plan to do any significant renovations or extensions.
If you’re purchasing a relatively modern home that’s in decent shape and built to ordinary standards, then a Home Buyer Survey is an acceptable choice. If you want the assurance of an inspection and report that are pretty much guaranteed to turn up any issues that might be hidden or just hard to see, then you should go for a Full Building Survey instead.
The Full Building Survey is more detailed; it is more specifically tailored to the property your surveyor would be inspecting. It also comes with more advice on the visible defects found and on the potential hidden defects that they suspect may be present. Your surveyor will illustrate reports with photographs so that you can clearly see what has been discovered. Both the Home Buyer and Full Building Surveys describe the repairs needed, the order in which the repairs should be done, and the kind of “maintenance measures” that will be required to keep the property in good condition.
A HomeBuyer Report does include a market valuation as well as reinstatement costs. However, a Full Building Survey does not. The main reason for the differences in what is and isn’t included in the two types of reports is how focused the reports are on the condition of the property. The Full Building Survey is the most in-depth and comprehensive survey of a property that you can have done.
A number of different elements affect the calculation of the price for the freehold, making it less than straightforward. The principal ones are the value of the individual flats and the length of lease remaining on each flat. A formula provided in the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 can give valuers an idea of the sort of freehold premium that might need to be paid. It is essential that anyone considering the enfranchisement process knows precisely what they are buying. A basement, for example, or underground car parking could form a part of the freehold. If any of the leases could be described as short (less than 80 years), that in itself will inflate the freehold purchase price.
Looking for a Chartered Surveyor? If you are buying a property, contact us for a building survey. Our panel of CIOB, RPSA and RICS surveyors will help you with the Level 2 or Level 3 property survey you need in Notting Hill. We can also assist you in Red Book Valuations, Party Wall Awards and other services. Reach out to us today for building surveyors, valuers and party wall surveyors in London!
