Before buying a home, it is important to know what condition it is in. If there are defects / short life materials, you may be faced with unexpected expense to rectify them. A building / structural survey should reveal them at a stage when decisions can be made about negotiations on the price or looking elsewhere.
With respect to Flats / Apartments, there will usually be provision to charge the leaseholder a proportion of the cost of repairs and decoration etc of the common parts, external walls, roof and external areas; possibly to include other buildings on the estate. Accordingly it is wise to check these as well.
Solicitors will usually advise their clients that once they have bought a property there is 'no come back' on the vendor if inadequacies or defects are subsequently found.
Types of property
Typically Borron Shaw inspect and report on:
- Country houses
- Large urban and suburban houses
- Other houses of all ages and styles
- Flats and Apartments of all ages and styles
- Homes converted from buildings previously in other uses
- Listed buildings
Areas Covered
Borron Shaw will undertake residential surveys throughout the North West of England.
Extent of Inspection and Report
Borron Shaw will tailor their service to suit your particular requirements, though typically we:-
- Inspect the external structure and fabric from all reasonable vantage points (including with the use of ladders where practical).
- Inspect within lofts
- Inspect internally on a room by room basis and wherever access for viewing is available.
- Inspect common parts if Flats / Apartments.
- Inspect associated outbuildings, grounds, hard standings and boundary walls/fences etc.
- Consider fire safety
- Inspect heating, plumbing, drainage, electrical and gas installations, etc.
- Assess costs of repair.
- Consider the repairing liabilities and service charge provisions in the lease if Flats / Apartments.
- Consider the extent to which the landlord is honoring his repairing obligations and whether it is likely that a significant scheme of maintenance works will shortly be due if Flats / Apartments.
- Provide a verbal report shortly after inspection.
- Provide a detailed written report with succinct conclusions and recommendations.
Additionally Borron Shaw can
- Report on flood risk.
- Report on ground conditions and contamination.
- Arrange follow up inspections by structural engineers and services specialists etc (if required)
- Undertake open market and insurance valuations.
- Project manage schemes of repair and or refurbishment.