Structural Problems that Chartered Surveyors May find in Staircases

Chartered Surveyors City Of London

When you call for a professional house survey, you must check some important structural requirements. House surveyors are particular about potential safety hazards in a property. There is a chance that your report may not get positive approval due to some issues.

 

The Importance of Stair Safety:

 

Stairs are one of the important installations in a residential property that many house surveyors take note of. As a homeowner, you should remain prepared before your inspection and check all the issues with your staircases. This can be from the placement of the stairs to any missing installations.

 

Issues with Staircases that Chartered Surveyors May Spot:

 

Before the survey begins, checking that your stairs are built according to the safety regulations is important. Otherwise, you may face problems with your hired professional chartered surveyors in the City of London. We discuss more about this in the following part.

 

  • Issues with Handrails and Balustrades: In some cases, handrails and balustrades may have a weak lateral restraint. It refers to the effort you have to exert to push the railings sideways. It is a crucial part that a house surveyor may check. It is specifically important to strengthen the railings if you have a family member with locomotion problems.

 

  • Presence of Asbestos: This is a common structural issue that surveyors can find in properties established between the 1950s and 80s. The stairs are lined with traces of asbestos underneath. In case your stair lining contains asbestos, you have to remove it without delay. This is a must if you buy or sell a property built in that specific period.

 

  • Altered Stairs: In the case of extended properties, an altered staircase can create some problems. The treads should have the same depth, and the steps should have an equal height. The stairs should also have a proper landing place, the absence of which could create some problems with the building surveyor.

 

  • Issues with Repaired Stairs: This is an important aspect you must check in your property. If there is a modification to your house’s staircase, you must ensure it has no problem with nails or patchy wood. The tread of the stairs should also be in optimal condition.

 

These are some important requirements for the stairs of a property that you should check. Ensure contacting a professional chartered surveyor in the City of London for proper evaluation. You can visit All Building Control, one of the reliable names in this field. Our company comprises a team of experienced house surveyors who can check all parts of your property.

Few Things that Can Affect Your Building Inspection Process

Building Inspectors Notting Hill

Whether you buy or sell a property, getting it inspected by reliable home inspectors is necessary. They are the experts who observe every part of your property and give the nod to proceed with the transaction process. They can point out the shortcomings or issues in the property as well.

 

Ensure Proper Safety in Your Home:

 

To ensure the safety and other vital features of a property, you should keep your property in good shape. In several cases, people may not get the clearance due to some inconsistency in specific parts of the home. The professional building inspectors in Notting Hill check every part of a property before providing a clearance.

 

Things that Can Fail the Building Inspection Process:

 

Here are some vital parts of a property that you should check properly before going through the building inspection process. You may not be able to get a clearance if these are not in good shape.

 

  • Electrical Issues: This is one of the most common issues why property owners may fail to get a clearance from the home inspector. Faulty wiring and panel issues are a few problems. These may cause a sellers to get a red flag from the inspector. To ensure that it does not bother you, check all the wirings and connections before calling in a building inspector.

 

  • Pest Problems: A property infected by pests and termites is a big setback for a property seller. It can be a pressing problem for all types of homes, irrespective of the materials. In wooden homes, the inspector may look for signs of wood rot. Make your home pest free before a home inspection routine.

 

  • The Roof: It is one of the major elements that professionals check during a home inspection. The buyer may fail to get a certificate from the inspector if there is a leaky or damaged roof. Replacing the roof before an inspection may be a costly factor but most homeowners would opt for a roof repair before the property inspection procedure to help ensure that they get clearance from the inspection.

 

As a homeowner, you should be wary of these issues on your property. Give attention to these problems and ensure that your property is in great shape before the home inspector comes in. If you want to get quality assistance from Notting Hill building consultancy Ltd, you can contact All Building Control. We are an independent private-sector building inspection team. If you want to learn more about us, visit our website today.

Why Must You Consider Professional Chartered Survey before Selling Your Home in Highgate?

Chartered Surveyors Highgate

Selling your property can be a time-consuming and stressful process, especially in a bustling city like London. However, engaging the services of professional Chartered Surveyors in Highgate can make the process smoother and more efficient.

They can provide you with an accurate valuation, advice on building regulations, professional marketing advice, identification of defects, and assistance with legal matters.

5 Reasons to Invest in Chartered Survey Process

Here are five reasons why you should consider looking for a Chartered Surveyor before selling your property in London.

1.    Accurate Property Valuation: Chartered Surveyors have extensive experience and expertise in the property market, which allows them to provide an accurate valuation of your property. This is important in ensuring that you receive the best possible price for your property. They use various methods to determine the value of your property, including a market appraisal and a detailed inspection of the property.

2.    Knowledge of Building Regulations: Licensed and experienced building surveyors are also experts in building regulations and can advise you on any building work that may need to be carried out to comply with current regulations. This can save you time and money by avoiding costly delays in the sale process.

3.    Professional Marketing Advice: Certified experts can provide you with professional marketing advice on how to present your property in the best possible light. They can advise on the type of marketing materials that would be most effective for your property, such as floor plans, photographs, and videos.

4.    Identification of Defects: Professional building surveyors can identify any defects in your property that may affect its value or saleability. By identifying these defects early on, you can address them before the sale process begins, which can help to avoid any delays or setbacks in the sale.

5.    Handling of Legal Matters: These experts are well-versed in the legal aspects of property transactions and can help you navigate the complex legal process involved in selling your property. They can advise you on the various legal documents that need to be prepared, such as contracts, transfer deeds, and mortgages.

By having a chartered surveyor on your side, you can be confident that you are making the best decisions for your property and maximising your chances of a successful sale.

Work with the Experts

All Building Control is a Corporate Approved Inspector licensed by the Government (via the Construction Industry Council (CIC) to undertake plan checking and site inspections and issue you Building Regulations Approval and Completion Certificates. For all your queries related to Chartered Surveyors in and around Highgate, please get in touch with us.

Key Factors to Consider in Professional Chartered Surveyors before Hiring the Service

Chartered Surveyors Kensington

Chartered Surveyors are highly-skilled, trained and competent property professionals. They are hired to obtain unbiased and specialist advice on various property issues. Their building consultancy will always help you make vital decisions regarding purchasing a new property or renovating the existing ones.

When it comes to hiring professional Chartered Surveyors in Kensington for your property needs, there are certain factors that you should consider before making your final decision.

Four Vital Things to Check in Chartered Surveyors in Kensington

Here are four key things to check in a Chartered Surveyor before hiring their service:

1. Certifications and Qualifications: It is important to ensure that the surveyor you are considering has all of the necessary credentials, such as being an RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) accredited or possessing a similar level of qualification. This will ensure that they have the proper qualifications and experience to carry out your surveying requirements efficiently and accurately.

2. Experience: An experienced Chartered Surveyor can provide valuable advice on any residential or commercial property transaction, including valuations, Party Wall surveys and other legal matters. In addition, they may also offer advice on land use and development opportunities. Therefore, it is important to find out how many years of experience the surveyor holds and what type of projects they have already undertaken successfully.

3. Local Knowledge: Chartered Surveyors who specialise in local properties are ideal because they possess an intimate knowledge of local market conditions. This will enable them to give accurate valuation advice and identify potential problems with the property. It is, therefore, crucial when selecting a surveyor that you select one who knows the local area well as well as has to experience with particular types of properties in that region.

4. Fees & Costs: As with any type of contract work or purchase, it is important to check the fees associated with employing a Chartered Surveyor’s services ahead of time so that you can budget accordingly and avoid unexpected costs later down the line. Ensure that you take into account not only their hourly rate but also additional charges such as mileage or expenses related to travel if needed during the process so that any surprises can be avoided when paying for services rendered at the completion of project deliverables being met.

All Building Control is a Corporate Approved Inspector licensed by the Government (via the Construction Industry Council (CIC). Along with domestic projects, our experts are always available for commercial properties in and around Kensington.

Please get in touch with us for more information.

6 Reasons to Hire Chartered Surveyors in Kensington

Chartered Surveyors Kensington

When it comes time to buy or sell a property, you can choose many professionals to help you through the process. However, if you want the peace of mind that comes with knowing that your property is in good hands, hiring a Chartered Surveyor is the best decision you can make. These experts can make things easier for you when you need to make an informed and wise decision regarding a property’s future.

Let’s see how professional Chartered Surveyors in Kensington can help you with property deals.

Benefits of Working with Professional Chartered Surveyors

1. Expertise: A Chartered Surveyor is a professional with extensive training and years of experience in surveying properties. This means they will be able to identify any potential issues with your property and provide expert advice on how to deal with them.

2. Knowledge of the Local Area: A certified surveyor will have an in-depth knowledge of the local area, including which areas are more desirable and which have a higher or lower risk of flooding. This information can be invaluable when deciding where to buy or sell a property.

3. Professionalism: A Building Surveyor will always act professionally and in your best interests. They will keep you up to date with progress reports, answer any questions you may have, and work hard to get the best possible outcome for you.

4. Thorough Inspection: These experts will conduct a thorough inspection of your property, looking at everything from the roof to the foundations. This allows them to identify any potential problems early on and take steps to fix them before they become too costly or difficult to repair.

5. Comprehensive Report: Once the inspection is complete, the Chartered Surveyor will compile a detailed report outlining their findings. This report can be very useful when it comes time to negotiate with potential buyers or sellers or when applying for a loan.

6. Peace of Mind: Ultimately, one of the main benefits of hiring a Chartered Surveyor is peace of mind. Knowing that someone is looking out for your best interests and has your property’s best interests at heart can be incredibly reassuring, especially during what can be a stressful time.

At All Building Control, we provide our clients with comprehensive building survey reports that will help them to make crucial decisions about a certain property. We are a Corporate Approved Inspector licensed by the Government (via the Construction Industry Council (CIC) to undertake plan checking and site inspections and issue you Building Regulations Approval and Completion Certificates.

Please get in touch with us to get a free quote and other relevant information.

Myths about Property Survey that You Should Ignore at All Costs

Chartered Surveyors Highgate

A building survey is one of the important procedures for transacting a property. Professionals perform it to determine the actual condition of the house. A building surveyor generally scans all aspects of the property, both interiors and exteriors.

Get a Professionals Help:

Hiring the service of a chartered surveyor in Highgate can incur some extra costs. A better understanding of the process can help you save a lot of money in a property inspection. Due to miscommunication, many tend to believe in unrealistic expectations, leading to unrelated claims and myths.

Common Myths about Property Inspection:

As a potential house buyer or seller, getting help from a chartered surveyor is important. You should not believe in popular myths. The common myths around property surveys are discussed in detail in this blog.

  • Buyers are Not Allowed during Home Inspection: It is one of the popular myths that have no base at all. The property surveyors work on their own and inspect all the parts of a house. However, first-time buyers need to be a part of the home inspection. They may want to get an idea of the condition of the house they are about to buy. So, they may request the chartered surveyor to be a part of the house inspection. There are no such rules that prevent buyers from going to a home inspection.

  • Chartered Surveyors Do Not Inspect New Constructions: This is important to notice when entering a newly built house. The construction is a time-consuming process which requires everything to be compliant with the law. During the construction process, certain things may get overlooked. To check that, you should insist on a property inspection by a surveyor.

  • A Home Inspection is A Guarantee: Many tend to fall for this myth while buying or selling a house. While it is advisable to get certifications from a professional property surveyor, you should not consider their words as the final verdict. It is impossible to predict the house’s condition in the future. So, it will be wrong to assume the words of a property surveyor as the final verdict.

  • All Surveyors are the Same: This is one of the costly mistakes you may make while looking for a home surveyor. Look for a professional with the proper credentials and necessary experience in the field. You can also look for recommendations for a good property survey officer. In that case, you must communicate with your friends and family who have experienced their service.

For better property survey works by professional chartered surveyors in Highgate, you should consult a professional source like All Building Control. We provide Building Control Approval and other necessary consultancy services. For more details about our business, you can visit our website.

What Are the Top Features of a Good Building Inspector?

Whether you are buying a new property, extending or renovating your own or selling your old home, the expertise of professional building inspectors will help you in many ways. With so many companies claiming to offer high-class building survey and building control services, it may seem tough to find one reliable service provider in and around Bank.

Professional building inspectors always have some great skills that help them to serve their clients better than someone with limited access to knowledge and tools.

Tips on Choosing the Right Building Inspector in Bank

  1. Location of the Business: Ensure that your potential building inspector is located and carry out surveys in the same location where your potential new home is located. A local service provider is familiar with the local housing issues, land disputes, climate hazards and environmental threats that can impact your property deal to a great extent.

  2. Excellent Customer Reviews: Word of mouth is still considered a great source of marketing in many industries. If you get a few names from your friends, colleagues, neighbours or families, you can fix interviews with those recommended services to get a good one according to your need and budget.

  3. RICS Regulated: You can find companies with the tag of RICS associate (AssocRICS), member (MRICS) and fellow (FRICS). The last two qualifications are chartered. It is always advisable to work with RICS chartered companies for the best services in every way possible.

  4. Range of Services: An efficient company always tries to fulfil the needs of clients with a wide range of services. Ensure that the company you are dealing with will make it easier for you to obtain various building control and survey-related solutions under one roof.

  5. Licensed and Insured: Always look for a building inspector with the proper license in building control and survey in the UK. Ensure that they carry Professional Indemnity and Public Liability insurance. This will give you mental peace. Only a licensed company can provide you with a legit survey report that you can submit for building planning and extensions.

Trust Your Consultant

It is necessary to deal with a reliable, efficient and experienced company for building control and survey. You can trust them when the report is submitted.

All Building Control is one such trusted name in this industry. We started working as a London-based Corporate Approved Inspector in 2013. Our team has earned a good reputation in the local market in London. Please get in touch with us to get a free quote for our services.

All Builiding Control Donation

We’re glad to announce that over the course of the last year, we were able to raise £500 for the homeless through your generosity! We have matched this with another £500 as promised! These packs have now been put together and are ready to be given out over the coming days.

Thank you to everyone who chose to join us in supporting this wonderful charity, the work that they do and most importantly, the people in our communities that need it most this Christmas!

Important Changes for ‘Relevant Buildings’

New Sprinkler Requirements

From November 2020, whether constructing a new building or adding additional floors to an existing one, such that the resultant building will have a storey over 11m then, the new requirement is for 60 minutes fire resistance and sprinklers throughout the building. Additional and more onerous provisions will also apply the higher the building gets e.g. over 18m.

Storey heights is depicted by the following diagram:

New Way Finding Signage Requirements

From November 2020, Wayfinding signage is now a requirement to assist fire-fighting operations.

The guidance in support of this new requirement offers suitable letter type, height and size.

Generally accepted formats for referring to floors are depicted below:

External Walls and Non-Combustibility Requirements

Regulation 7(2) applies to any building with a storey at least 18m above ground level (as measured in accordance with Diagram D6) and which contains one or more dwellings; an institution; or a room for residential purposes (excluding any room in a hostel, hotel or a boarding house).

It requires that all materials part of an external wall or specified attachment achieve class BS EN 13501 Class A2-s1, d0 or Class A1, other than those exempted by regulation 7(3).

NOTE: The above includes student accommodation, care homes, sheltered housing, hospitals and dormitories in boarding schools.

For existing buildings which are captured by the regulations by Regulation 5(k) or 7(4)(a) then the building requires a suitably qualified fire engineers report to detail what is considered necessary work to be carried out in respect of combustibility external walls and specified attachments.

Regulation 5(k) the building is a building described in regulation 7(4)(a), where previously it was not”.
**Regulation 7(4)(a) means a building with a storey (not including roof-top plant areas or any storey consisting exclusively of plant rooms) at least 18 metres above ground level and which—
(i) contains one or more dwellings; (ii) contains an institution; or (iii) contains a room for residential purposes (excluding any room in a hostel, hotel or boarding house);

Other Notable Requirements

  1. Requirement for stairs to be fire-fighting stairs where previously they were not i.e. 1100mm wide where the building is over 18m.
  2. Smoke control systems to stairs lobbies would likely be required where the 11m storey height threshold starts to be exceeded.
  3. A dry rising main installation would likely be required where the distance from a pump appliance set down point to farthest point of uppermost flat exceeds 45m as is often the case once over 11m.
  4. Disproportionate collapse class changes so a structural engineer will need to be consulted on the existing building type and proposed nature of any additional construction.

Questions the designer should be asking

What is the Height of Top Story of the current building?________m
What will be the Height of Top Story of the proposed building?_________m
Does or will the building fall within the definition of a “relevant building” as described above?________
Has a fire engineer been appointed yet? _________
Does the building currently have sprinklers if not how accessible is the existing building? __________
What is the current form of construction for the external walls?__________
Is an EW1S form in existence for the current building and what is the outcome?_______

Important Changes for ‘Relevant Buildings’

Hampers for the Homeless

The recent global pandemic we have found ourselves enveloped in has changed our daily realities massively and collapsed them into a somewhat stationary life in our dwellings alone. Not all of us have been able to experience the long lockdown months with the luxury of having a roof over our heads and being able to enjoy our newly-found time with our loved ones. Excessive online shopping, daily walks and endless zoom calls have become a new normality for most of us.

All Building Control has remained working throughout the static, cold winter months, and we’ve seen the sheer amount of people on the streets, in the horrendous cold. The number of homeless on the streets rising is inevitable, but we can still reach out and show them a sense of much-needed support. For that reason, All Building Control has come up with an initiative to make these challenging times somewhat easier for these people in need by giving out hampers to the homeless.

These hampers will include an assortment of daily necessities such as warm clothes, toiletries and dry food and costs only £20. The hamper will be delivered personally on the way to site visits, stopping for a chat whilst doing so! In association with Night Watch, a charity providing for London’s homeless, we aim to fundraise enough money to put together an abundance of these hampers to reach as many of the homeless as we can! Nightwatch provides London’s homeless with weekly support in the form of food banks supported by local restaurants and businesses, assisting them in taking up vocational training and education and stabilising those that previously may have been homeless in new accommodation, befriending them whilst doing so.

Nightwatch emphasises the importance of both empowering such people, to give them a big boost of confidence in finding their new path in life but also educating the community about the realities of homelessness. If you decide to appoint us on a project of yours or would like to make a donation towards one of our hampers for the homeless, we will match this and provide two on our part! We encourage you to support us in this opportunity to reach out to the least fortunate of our communities and revive the sense of belonging that may have been diminished by the continuing pandemic!