Haywater Surveyors

Residential Surveys

Buying a property is generally regarded as the largest single investment that most people make. If you buy a car, you wouldn’t hand over the money until you’d at least taken it for a test drive or at best, got a mechanic to look it over for you. So why would you take such a risk with your future home?

Surveys are a kind of “health check” for buildings and can actually save you money in the long run. At worst, if there are serious problems, you can re-negotiate the sale price of the property to reflect the cost of necessary repairs, or you may even decide you don’t want to buy it at all. And at best, you will have peace of mind knowing you are going to live in a sound home. There are two main types of surveys for residential properties:

• RICS Homebuyer Survey and Valuation (HSV)
  The RICS Homebuyer Survey and Valuation (HSV) is designed as an economy service and varies on price depending on the purchase value of the property. It is intended for houses, flats and bungalows which are conventional in type and construction and apparently in reasonable condition. It focuses on essentials and is designed to highlight 'defects and problems which are urgent or significant and thus have an effect on the value of the property'.
  
  The main aim of this service is to help you make an informed judgment on whether or not to proceed with the purchase by alerting you to any serious defects and to assess whether or not the property is a reasonable purchase at the agreed price.
  
  

• Building Survey
  The building survey is more comprehensive than the HSV and includes extensive technical information on construction and the range of defects, major to minor. It is more suitable to properties that are Listed, older, constructed in an unusual way or properties that you plan to extend or alter. You pay more for this report due to the detail and time that is required and the price is based on the size, age and type of the property.

With both reports, if you have any specific worries or concerns about the property, talk them through with your surveyor first. We will be happy help you decide on which type of survey is right for you.

Valuations

Valuations are carried out for Banks, Building Societies, Solicitors, Housing Associations, Accountants and private clients. Consult us to discuss:

• Residential mortgages
• Independent valuations for prospective purchasers
• Leasehold Reform Act
• Company accounting purposes
• Valuations for shared ownership properties, Right to Buy
• Retrospective valuations for property litigation purposes

Commercial

Condition reports or Building Surveys are an essential pre-requisite in acquiring freehold or leasehold commercial premises to avoid or reduce future repairing liabilities and expenditure. The repairing obligations specified in the lease can have a significant impact on costs at the end of the lease and it is important to have clear evidence of condition of the building prior to occupation for both landlords and tenants in the form of a Schedule Of Condition.

Schedules of Condition

Every incoming tenant should obtain a Schedule of Condition for attachment to the Lease; this greatly reduces the opportunity for disagreement when a tenancy comes to an end

Condition report or Dilapidation Schedule

Summarises the construction and condition of the building, listing significant defects and suggesting remedial work if required. Later, builders/contractors can use the report to price remedial work.

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Labels: commercial surveyors, haywater surveyors, listed building surveyors, residential surveyors