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A team of structural engineers offers services to both homeowners and tenants in Notting Hill, London, Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, and Cardiff.
If you are contemplating any major structural changes—such as removing a potentially load-bearing wall, installing bi-fold doors, or building a sizable extension—you will almost certainly need to engage a structural engineer.
When it comes to loadbearing assessments, beam calculations, and structural design, the structural engineer is your go-to person. In this context, your structural engineer is the person you hire to provide these vital services. They ensure that everything is adequately designed and built; that all aspects of your project comply with key regulations; and that the whole affair remains structurally sound, and thus safe—throughout the life of the building.
In Notting Hill, a structural feasibility assessment can help if you are planning significant and complex structural changes. It can help determine what is possible and what is not. It serves that function well when planning substantial structural changes, such as removing large supporting beams or columns, cantilevered structures, or somewhat unusual changes.
If you ask a panel of engineers to prepare such a report, they will present in it their considered opinions about the feasibility of the proposed work and its structural impacts on the existing building. Their analysis will examine at great length the architectural drawings of the existing building and of the proposed work. They will consider in detail any previous alterations to the building that may be in place.
In the report, the engineer will describe any changes that might be necessary to make the structural drawings align with the sketch design. They will supply structural designs to demonstrate how the necessary work could be accomplished. Where feasible, they supply several options and explain the pros and cons of each. Once the report has been delivered, your Chartered Engineer will hold a Q&A session to address any queries that you might have.
If you are worried that the structure of your property is compromised, a structural engineer can provide a Defects Survey to assess the situation. This type of survey is highly focused—it investigates a particular problem or aspect of a property that may be affecting its structural integrity. Some common reasons for requesting such a survey include concerns about cracking damage and suspected subsidence, alterations made to the structure in the past, and potential problems with load-bearing walls or other supporting structures.
Structural engineer reporting encompasses various services associated with structural consultations for residential projects, including:
Our panel of local structural engineers and surveyors serves Notting Hill, London, Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, and Cardiff. Your chartered surveyor or structural engineer will rely on valuable local experience, ensuring that each and every project benefits from their understanding of the area’s unique characteristics.
Every engineer holds chartered membership in either the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE) or the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) or a member of the Engineering Council (CEng). Every surveyor belongs to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), or at the very least, he or she holds membership in some other accreditation body that conforms to international industry standards. With such personnel, you can be assured that the relevant Codes of Practice are adhered to and that the highest possible professional, technical, and ethical standards are maintained.
In contrast to other structural engineering panels, ours include both structural engineers and building surveyors. This means that for our panel members, any type of project or property concern can be tackled with the assuredness gained through this mix of expertise. Their experience in both demolition and new construction, as well as major, complex projects, allows them to serve you well. They can mark up your architectural drawings as needed, prepare your building control notice, and provide any structural designs required to see your project through to its completion.
The initial step in the procedure involves the Notting Hill leaseholders creating a company (the nominee purchaser) of which they are all members and then designating a purchaser. In the initial Notice, the leaseholders state certain foundational facts about themselves, as the flat owners, and about the building. They name an independent surveyor of their choice and cite a figure (substantially below the freeholder’s initial asking price) that they are offering for the freehold. This Notice is served on the freeholder, who then has 2 months to respond with a counter-notice.
When the nominee purchaser and the freeholder can not come to an agreement, the leaseholders can take the matter to the tribunal. The tribunal’s jurisdiction is set out in the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993. Under this legislation, if leaseholders want to buy the freehold to a building, the price must be determined by an independent tribunal if direct negotiations fail. This process is necessary because, as with any negotiation, the two sides start from different positions. The freeholder usually bases the amount demanded on a very high figure, while the leaseholders want to pay a low and reasonable price. The steps are therefore:
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!
