What our Building Surveying Consultancy Offers
We support clients in Sheffield and across the North of the UK on most aspects of property maintenance and management:
- Pre-Purchase Building Surveys
- Maintenance Surveys & Budgeting
- Landlords Inspections
- Re-building Cost Assessments for Insurance
- Dilapidations Advice & Negotiation – Landlords or Tenants
- Schedules of Condition
- Design & Contract Administration – Repairs, Reconstruction, Alterations
- Historic Buildings Advice
- Building Defects Advice
- Development Monitoring – Initial Appraisal & Interim Inspections
- Fire Risk Assessments, Energy Efficiency, Accessible buildings, and other property related compliance matters.
Pre-purchase or Pre-Lease Building Surveys
This is a detailed survey advising on the condition of a building, identifying defects that may influence your decision to buy, or the terms of your new lease.
The report recommends where further investigation is required, such as the opening up of inaccessible areas. It will also include outlined details of significant work that would need to be planned, and can include budget estimates if required.
Sometimes, reports are prepared on behalf of a vendor so that the condition of the building is pre-disclosed to potential buyers to minimise delays to the sale and avoid purchasers chipping away at the asking price.
RICS Home Surveys
Our Building Surveyors primarily work in commercial property but we do offer a residential surveying service for clients who may be investing in larger, more complex or heritage.
The three levels of surveys offered by Building Surveyors are:
Level 1 – RICS Home Condition Survey
The lowest price survey, suitable for conventional and new-build homes that are generally in a good condition. The report is presented in a simple ‘traffic light’ rating format, providing an overview of the condition of the property.
Level 2 – RICS Homebuyer Report
A Level 2 Homebuyer Report includes the features of a RICS Home Condition Survey, with additional advice on defects found with recommendations for further investigation if necessary. Most suitable for a conventional or slightly larger property that is in reasonable condition. Optionally, this can include a market valuation and insurance rebuild costs if required by your lender.
Level 3 – RICS Building Survey Report
The RICS Building Survey Report is more detailed and is essential for older, rundown, large or more complex properties, or where major alterations are proposed. This is the most in-depth type of report, providing a detailed analysis of the condition and advice on repairs and maintenance options. The input of other specialists, such as a Mechanical & Electrical Engineer or a Structural Engineer, may be recommended to supplement the report to provide a full picture.
If you are looking for a residential survey and need some advice, get in touch and we can point you in the right direction.
Property Maintenance Surveys & Budgeting
This type of survey identifies what repairs and maintenance work that may be required over the course of the next year, 5 years or 10 years for financial budgeting. This can be an overview or done on a detailed room-by-room basis.
The report is usually presented as a Planned Maintenance Schedule and includes cost estimates. We carry these out for individual buildings or as part of an estate management strategy on portfolios. At SMC Brownill Vickers, we are equipped with iPads and GoReport software, which are perfectly suited for stock surveys and consistent reporting.
This service is useful for Landlords planning work that may be rechargeable to tenants under a service charge, or for tenants who want to maintain their leasehold building to minimise their Dilapidations liability at the lease end.
Landlords Property Inspections
An inspection of leasehold property carried out on behalf of Landlords to identify any repairs that the tenant or landlord needs to do to keep the building in repair and decorated to meet the lease requirements.
This survey is a proactive way to reduce risk by making sure your buildings are properly maintained by the tenant during the lease term, rather than relying on end-of-term Dilapidation claims, which are increasingly being successfully challenged. Proper maintenance helps to ensure your buildings remain profitable in the future.
We will provide a bespoke service and tailored reporting to target your specific needs.
Re-building Cost Assessments
For commercial property, the onus for determining the level of Buildings Insurance cover required usually lies with the owner. With access to the Building Cost Information Service Online Renew, we are able to provide up-to-date Rebuilding Cost Estimates for insurance purposes.
If a building is underinsured, there is a danger of the insurer not paying out the full cost of rebuilding. If over-insured, then higher premiums than necessary may be incurred.
As building costs fluctuate and buildings are altered over time, it is advisable to periodically review the level of cover needed, usually every 3-5 years taking in an inspection of the building and supplemented by an annual desk-top valuation.
At SMC Brownill Vickers, we can provide this service alongside our periodic Asset Valuation service to keep costs competitive.
Dilapidations Advice & Negotiation – Landlords or Tenants
Leases have obligations for tenants to keep the building in good condition during the term and when handing it back to the landlord. There might also be a requirement to reverse any alterations made during occupancy. If the tenant does not comply with these obligations, the Landlord can serve a legal Dilapidations claim.
We provide specialist advice to both landlords and tenants in preparing for a claim or responding to one.
Negotiating a claim should be straightforward, but in practice, it can be complicated needing legal, valuation and technical expertise to create a tactical plan of action. We believe settlements should be fair to both parties, efficiently and transparently dealt with and without exaggerations that can lead to lengthy and costly arguments.
Schedules of Condition
Before taking a new lease, you might want to consider having a Schedule of Condition prepared to append to the new lease. This document records the condition of the property at the start of the tenancy.
Depending on the wording in the lease, it can help protect a tenant from having to hand the property back to the landlord in a better condition than when they took it on. For a landlord, a Schedule of Condition can help to ensure the tenant hands the property back in the same or better condition. Such a document makes it clearer what is expected at the lease end.
Design & Contract Administration – Construction & Repairs
Building Surveyors, like Project Managers, can help with the design of construction work and the administration of construction contracts. We are able to manage repairs, renovations or alterations from start to finish on your behalf
Specialist advice might include:
- Planning and building regulations
- Appointment of appropriate specialists
- What to expect during the work & obtaining competitive prices
- What form of contract to use, or what insurance is required
- How to deal with payments, defects, or claims for additional costs.
Older & Historic Buildings
Older and historic buildings are what Building Surveyors are trained for. Good maintenance and sympathetic repair of historic buildings is fundamental to their preservation.
Good maintenance is cost-effective, and time and money spent on routine care, regular surveys and prompt attention to defects protects the value of the building and prevents more serious problems and potentially costly repair bills.
We can advise on the conservation of historic buildings, provide condition assessments, and recommend suitable maintenance and repair options.
Building Defects Advice
Few buildings are free of defects and they can be present during any stage of development or completion. Some defects are simply inconvenient, while others can affect the value of a property and some may develop into something potentially hazardous or even catastrophic.
We can help you identify the extent of the defect and the likely risk and then recommend appropriate repair options.
Development Monitoring
Independent monitoring services can provide reassurance for any party that has a direct interest in the successful completion of a construction project but who has no direct control over its delivery.
Our services include both Initial Appraisal Reports and ongoing Progress Reports:
Initial Report – to identify construction-related risks before the project has started, which may affect a decision to support the development. This also examines if the budget is adequate, and have potential financial risks addressed.
Progress Reports – once the development has commenced, to verify expenditure and approval of drawdowns, and the adequacy of the remaining undrawn loan to cover the forecast cost to complete. Examines progress against plan, checks that key milestones are on target, and the contractor is proactively managing their responsibilities
We are also able to review distressed developments and recommend possible recovery strategies. The service is tailored to our client’s needs.
Building Compliance Advice
Commercial and residential buildings are subject to various regulations, and building owners and occupiers have responsibilities to manage statutory compliance and keep buildings risk free. As Building Surveyors & Property Managers, we can advise on building compliance matters including:
- Fire risk assessments
- Energy efficiency regulations
- Accessibility
- Statutory inspections
- Record keeping
- Log Books
Start Your Journey with SMC Brownill Vickers
Whether you’re buying or selling, SMC Brownill Vickers can help you make informed choices about properties. Our expert team has tailored advice to guide you at every step of the journey. Contact us today to find out more about our services and building surveys in Sheffield and beyond.
