BUILDING SURVEYORS

Building Surveyors who needs them?

Building Surveyors who needs them?

Introduction

The building surveyor is responsible for ensuring that the building control regulations are observed in the planning and construction stages of new buildings and of most property such as extensions, conversions etc. He will resolve any queries on the building regulations and allied legislation presented by staff or other persons. Ensuring uniformity of approach and consistency or interpretation amongst staff. The building surveyor will also make site visits at different stages of the construction to ensure that it is being properly carried out. Building surveyors advise and make judgements on building proposals. This aspect of the work involves reading applications for building regulation consent.

This is the most comprehensive - and the most costly - type of survey. It is suitable for any building, but is especially recommended for older buildings (75 years and upwards); those constructed out of unconventional materials such as timber or thatch; and properties which have had lots of alterations or extensions, or which you intend to alter or renovate.

The surveyor will check the property thoroughly, looking at everything that is visible or easily accessible to examine the soundness of the structure, its general condition and all major or minor faults. More specialist surveys can also be carried out on aspects such as foundations, damp proofing, or tree roots, either by a specialist within the firm of surveyors or by an independent specialist surveyor.

The report you receive will be extremely thorough and very long, as surveyors are legally obliged to inform you of all the findings of the survey. Don't necessarily be put off if it seems that endless defects are listed - every house has some defects and surveyors tend to show the worst-case scenario for anything they discover. You should be provided with a list of prices for repairs and maintenance work, which will also tend to over- rather than under-estimate prices.

A full structural survey normally takes much longer than the one or two hours required for the homebuyer's report. The survey report can also take a long time to produce, so this is a much lengthier process than for a homebuyer's report. You will probably have to wait up to two weeks after the inspection for the report, for which there is no standardised reporting format. A buildings survey costs anything up to £1,000, again, depending on the price of the house.

Discussion

A building surveyor is a professional trained in understanding and interpreting building law. He or she is authorised to assess building plans with a view to ensuring they are compliant with the Building Regulations. In addition to having recognised qualifications, a building surveyor must be registered and must have appropriate insurance.

Building surveyors are responsible for making sure that buildings are safe, accessible and energy efficient and therefore have an impact on the design, planning and functionality of buildings. They interact with other professionals such as engineers, architects and builders to ensure that buildings are designed and constructed to comply with building ...