At ACREWOODS we work with a team of consultants that specialist in Building Surveys.
Our experience in building construction and pathology enables us to undertake detailed pre-acquisition surveys of residential, commercial and industrial property.
Our detailed survey reports can highlight potential liabilities and maintenance issues; provide indicative budget costs, to enable our clients to make an informed decision prior to purchasing.
We provide advice with regard to repairing liabilities under the terms of a lease and provide advice on the future repairing and possible dilapidations liability.
We undertake investigation of defects relating to design or workmanship and provide recommendations for remedial works.
To learn more about our services, please contact our team.
Choose this report if you’re buying or selling a conventional house, flat or bungalow built from common building materials and in reasonable condition. This service includes:
No tests of the building fabric or services are undertaken.
The RICS Home Survey – Level 1 does not include advice on repairs or ongoing maintenance, and it does not include a valuation.
Ask your surveyor for a detailed ‘Description of the RICS Home Survey Level 1’ document.
Choose this report if you need more extensive information whilst buying or selling a conventional house, flat or bungalow, built from common building materials and in reasonable condition.
The focus is on assessing the general condition of the main elements of a property. This intermediate level of service includes a more extensive visual inspection of the building, its services, and grounds, but still without tests.
Concealed areas normally opened or used by the occupiers are inspected if it is safe to do so (typical examples include roof spaces, basements, and cellars). The report objectively describes the condition of the different elements and provides an assessment of the relative importance of the defects/problems.
Ask your surveyor for a detailed ‘Description of the RICS Home Survey Level 2 (survey only) document.
Choose this report if dealing with a large, older or run-down property, a building that is unusual or altered, or if you’re planning major works. It costs more than the other RICS reports because it gives detailed information about the structure and fabric of the property. This service includes:
The report objectively describes the form of construction and materials used for different parts of the property. It describes the condition and provides an assessment of the relative importance of the defects/problems. Additionally, it should:
The surveyor may also be able to provide an estimate of costs for identified repairs if agreed with you in advance.
Contact ACREWOODS for further details on queries in respect of the range of home surveys we currently offer.
All property owners should ensure that the structure of their property is adequately insured to enable it to be re-built, for example, in the event of fire or any other catastrophe. The majority of lenders require that adequate reinstatement insurance is maintained as a condition of their loan.
It is recommended that insurance valuations are updated every three years for commercial property because the risks of inappropriate insurance are high. Costs of materials and labour can change greatly in this period leaving your insurance undervalued.
If a property is under insured the shortfall between the actual reinstatement cost and the building reinstatement insurance value will need to be funded by the property owner.
We offer full Building Insurance Reinstatement valuations which are carried out in accordance with RICS Guidelines by our Chartered Surveyors.
To learn more about our services, please contact our team.
The main purpose of the Party Wall act is etc Act 1996 is to enable joint owners of a structure, such as a wall between two properties, to carry out certain works.
Adjoining property owners are served formal notice and a Party Wall Award is prepared. The Party Wall Act also covers building on boundary line and excavating near and adjacent structure.
ACREWOODS Chartered Surveyors prepare the requisite documentation for our appointing owners and the administration of the Party Wall.
We strictly follow the RICS Guidance Notes for Party Wall matters.
To learn more about our services, please contact our team.
Schedules of Condition are carried out in order to determine the condition of a property so that any existing defects can be identified and recorded. A Schedule of Condition may be required in various situations, including an attachment to a lease, in order to limit a tenant’s dilapidations liability, or in the case of newly refurbished premises, to ensure there is a record of the condition in which the property is to be returned to the landlord.
In advance of building works to record the original condition.
As part of a Party Wall agreement.
Our knowledge and expertise, in dealing with Dilapidations claims, has enabled us to gain a unique understanding of how to correctly construct a Schedule of Condition that can truly aid the position of the client in a future Dilapidations claim (as long as the property has been correctly maintained during the term of the lease).
We tailor our Schedule of Condition to each client. Schedules can be prepared to record the properties principal features only or be prepared to a very high level of detail on all types of commercial property across the UK including offices, industrial units, factories, warehouses, educational and healthcare establishments, leisure facilities and retail units.
To learn more about our services, please contact our team.
A Schedule of Dilapidation is a formalised report which describes a building’s condition in a table format.
The level of description is very precise and necessarily very brief in order to fit it into the table format.
It must refer to the terms of the lease which might require certain repairs to be addressed.
The Schedule is really one part of a legal process to manage the repairs strategy and relationship between Landlord and Tenant.
And there is a raft of legislation, case law and protocol to determine the conduct of dilapidations.
The most common reason for a schedule of dilapidation to be repaired is to enable a Landlord (or sometimes a tenant/senior lease holder who has a sub-tenant) to establish the condition of the property, verify that it is being maintained in accordance with the terms of the lease and to provide a mechanism to identify repairs which are required and the party that is responsible for undertaking them.
A Schedule of Dilapidation might take one of two forms: a Terminal Schedule of Dilapidation or an Interim Schedule.
The Terminal Schedule of Dilapidation is prepared close to the end of the lease or sometimes after the lease has expired and the Landlord has obtained possession of the premises. This schedule identifies the elements of disrepair in the building, relates them to the leaseholder’s repairing and decorating obligations and then usually determines a cost for undertaking the repairs and reinstating the building to a suitable condition in which it might be let.
It does assume that the Landlord intends to re-let ‘as is’ and the Schedule of Dilapidation must be prepared in accordance with the Civil Litigation Protocol, which sets out requirements for surveyors and lawyers when dealing with a dilapidation claim.
We work with both landlords and tenants preparing Schedules of Dilapidations.
The interim schedule of dilapidation is prepared during the mid-term of a lease and well before expiry.
Typically this has a number of possible functions, for example the Landlords may wish to ensure that a tenant is given plenty of notice about the condition of the building and reminded in timely fashion of their obligations to maintain these conditions.
To learn more about our services, please contact our team.
Snagging list surveys are for new build properties. They are an inventory of things you are not happy with or that have not been finished by the building developer.
Our qualified surveyors will visit your property and prepare a photographic schedule of items which have not been completed satisfactorily by the building contractor. This document should be submitted to the developer so they can conclude any remaining items, prior to the completion of your purchase.
With a snagging list survey, prior to completion, these problems can be identified earlier in the process giving you the information you need to ensure that defects are dealt with before you pick up the keys.
In some circumstances, a snagging list survey might be able to help to renegotiate with the developer.
To learn more about our services, please contact our team.
