City Surveys

Building Surveys

Beyond the Beams: Surveying a Converted Barn Before You Exchange

Converted barns offer space, character and a link to the working landscape, but their construction and conversion history can conceal complex risks. This guide explains what a specialist building survey should examine, from historic timber frames and breathability to drainage, structural alterations and planning consent, so buyers can decide with evidence rather than romance.

Nov 10, 2026

Building Surveys

Out of Sight, Not Out of Mind: Surveying a Home With No Mains Drainage

A rural or semi-rural home without a mains sewer is not a problem in itself — but buying one without understanding the tank, the soakaway and the consents behind it can be costly. Here is how a surveyor approaches private drainage, and what to check before you exchange contracts.

Nov 10, 2026

Building Surveys

Sideways Growth: How to Survey a Garage Conversion Before It Becomes Your Problem

Garage conversions are among the most common ways a British home has quietly gained a room, yet the standard of work varies enormously and the paperwork is often thinner than the plasterwork. This guide explains what a surveyor examines in a converted garage — structural openings, floor levels, damp, insulation, fire separation and drainage — and how buyers should weigh the risk before exchange.

Nov 9, 2026

Building Surveys

Glass Rooms, Real Risks: A Buyer’s Survey Guide to Conservatories and Glazed Extensions

A glazed extension can be the most attractive room in a house, but it can also conceal lightweight construction, poor drainage and thermal weaknesses. This guide explains how surveyors assess conservatories, orangeries and garden rooms, and when a buyer should budget for repair or replacement.

Nov 9, 2026

Building Surveys

Steel Frames and Concrete Panels: A Buyer's Guide to Surveying Post-War Prefabs

Post-war prefabs and non-traditional homes can look entirely ordinary, yet their construction, mortgage status and repair risks demand specialist attention. This guide explains how surveyors identify systems such as Airey, Cornish and BISF houses, what defects commonly emerge and why lender confirmation should come early.

Nov 8, 2026

Property Defects

Knotweed at the Boundary: A Calm, Evidence-Led Approach to Survey and Purchase

Japanese knotweed is often treated as an automatic deal-breaker, but the practical outcome depends on evidence, distance, lender policy and a credible management plan. This article explains what a surveyor can confirm, how nearby growth affects finance and insurance, and what realistic remediation involves.

Nov 8, 2026

Building Surveys

Bay Windows and Boot-Top Roofs: Surveying the Interwar Semi with Confidence

The interwar semi is familiar, but familiarity can hide real defects. This field guide explains what surveyors look for in 1930s houses — from bay windows and hipped roofs to cavity ties and drainage — and how buyers can separate cosmetic aging from structural risk.

Nov 8, 2026

Auction Property

Before the Gavel Falls: Why Auction Property Demands a Pre-Bid Survey

Auction contracts leave little room for second thoughts. This article explains what the legal pack can and cannot tell you, the defects most often missed in auction stock, and how to commission a survey against a deadline without cutting corners.

Nov 8, 2026

Building Surveys

Charm, Movement and Maintenance: A Surveyor’s Field Notes on Victorian Terraces

Victorian terraces are rarely silent about their age. This field guide explains which movements, damp patches and uneven floors are ordinary signs of maturity — and which deserve urgent investigation before exchange.

Nov 8, 2026

New Build

Beyond the Warranty: Why an Independent Snagging Survey Belongs on Every New-Build Checklist

A new-build warranty is valuable protection, but it is not a room-by-room inspection at handover. An independent snagging survey gives buyers evidence, priorities and a practical route to getting defects fixed while the developer is still listening.

Nov 8, 2026

Leasehold Property

Below the Pavement: Surveying a Lower-Ground Flat Before You Commit

Basement and lower-ground flats can offer useful space in UK cities, but they sit in a difficult relationship with water, soil and the street above. This guide explains the survey checks, lease questions and pre-offer investigations that matter before you buy.

Nov 8, 2026

Building Surveys

The Retrofit Audit: Reading the Evidence Behind a Green-Upgraded Home

Green upgrades can add comfort and value, but a partly finished retrofit can conceal condensation, electrical and compliance risks. This guide explains how a 2026 building survey tests the evidence, which paperwork to request and how to avoid inheriting an unfinished project.

Nov 8, 2026

Leasehold Property

Living Over the Shop: What to Check Before Buying a High-Street Flat

Flats above shops are a familiar feature of UK high streets, but they carry risks that a standard flat purchase may not reveal. This article examines structural separation, noise, fire safety, access, shared repairs, lease restrictions and insurance before you commit.

Nov 7, 2026

Building Surveys

Warm Rooms, Hidden Faults: A Winter Survey Strategy for UK Homebuyers

A warm, well-lit house on a cold November viewing can feel reassuring, but winter weather often conceals as much as it reveals. This guide explains how to commission and interpret a building survey in late 2026, with a practical checklist for condensation, damp, roofs, gutters and drainage.

Nov 7, 2026