You may be wondering how exactly a building surveying
company can help you. What would you use a surveyor for? There are actually a
large number of reasons you might need to hire a building surveying company.
What Is a Building Surveyor?
A building surveyor is responsible for providing
professional advice on building issues. These may include everything from
common defects in a building, alterations, or additions. They also provide
advice on building and designing new structures.
A building surveyor will usually work on-site, checking the
structures and offering ways to improve the existing design or rectify
potential issues. They work closely with construction teams and clients, as
well as the local planning council to keep the buildings secure and to help
preserve older buildings.
A surveyor may help after a disaster, such as a fire or
flooding, or oversee repair work and offer advice on how to fix issues. They
also are well versed in legal issues regarding everything from party walls to
building permissions and regulations.
For a small project where an architect is not needed, you
may find that a surveyor is best for managing and planning the construction of
the building.
As you can see, a building surveyor has many roles, but why
would you want to hire one?
How a Building Surveyor Can Help You
Still not sure why you need a building surveying company?
They’re actually quite useful, whether you are building a whole new building or
are renovating an older one. Here are a few things you might need a surveyor
for:
To manage your
construction project:
Managing a building project can be complicated and it
requires a thorough knowledge of many different processes and regulations. The
surveyor will need to manage multiple teams, ensuring that you get what you need
done without spending too much money or taking too long. It’s a balancing act
to get things in on budget and on time, but an experienced surveyor will have
what it takes to do just that.
To ensure building
safety:
A very important part of the surveyor’s job
is to ensure the building is
secure and safe. They’ll carry out surveys or inspections on each of the
elements of the building to ensure they’re up to regulation. This includes both
structural and internal checks which will turn up any structural issues and any
plumbing or electrical problems.
To help preserve
protected buildings:
A surveyor can also help you restore a building that
has historical significance. There are special regulations that go along with
protected buildings, so you will either need to familiarize yourself with all
of them or let someone help you . . . someone with the necessary knowledge of
historical buildings and permissions.
To create an energy efficient
building:
Your surveyor is up to date on energy standards and regulations.
They can use this knowledge to ensure that all proper steps have been taken to
provide efficient energy throughout the building, as well as safe energy. If
they see any potential hazards, they’ll let you know so you can fix the problem
before it actually causes any issues.
To improve quality:
Not all buildings are built up to proper standards and if yours is one of them,
you need to ensure that the building is up to standard. The building surveyor
will help ensure that your structure is suitable for habitation.
To inspect a
potential investment
: Are you considering purchasing a home or building?
You should have it surveyed ahead of time to figure out exactly what you’re getting
yourself into. If the building is older, you’ll need to know if there are
structural issues and what sorts of repairs it will need. You can see some of
these things yourself, but a professional building surveyor is trained to spot
the potential problems.
To oversee
maintenance projects:
If you need someone to keep an eye on maintenance,
both preventative and refurbishing or replacing parts of a home, you can rely
on your surveyor to handle everything.
To help with
permissions and applications:
Trying to figure out what you actually have
to apply for or create a contract for? A building surveyor has the necessary
experience to help you figure out planning permissions, licenses for
demolition, and multiple other pieces of paperwork. They’ll ensure you have
filed all the necessary papers in order to build your home or addition, etc.
Since the entire project could be shut down if you’re not careful, it’s worth
having someone with the right knowledge on your side.
File an insurance
claim
: In the event of damage to your property, you’ll need to report it to
the insurance company. However, you can hire a professional surveyor to report
the damage and to ensure you present a proper case to the insurance company.
This often goes much better than when the homeowner does all the work and
interaction with the insurance company.
They can also go ahead and oversee the repair work.
To resolve boundary
disputes:
When there is an issue with a neighbour over boundary lines, a
building surveyor may identify the boundaries and aid in resolving the problem.
They can give you advice on what to do next.
A building surveyor has many skills and they may end up
putting them all to use in one job. If you need help with anything related to
building, you’ll find that a building surveyor either knows how to do it or
they’ll know who to contact for more information. They’re a very useful part of
the team when you’re dealing with construction, buying, or selling, a property.
Choosing a Building Surveying Company
Now that you know how you can use a surveyor, where do you
find one? Your best option is to go with a private company that is motivated to
give you the best possible service. However, you shouldn’t choose the first
company you find. It’s important to do some research and ensure you get the
right person for the job.
First, you’ll want to pay close attention to the building
surveying companies in your area. It’s easiest to work with someone who is
already fairly near to you. In addition, the regulations and laws change from
place to place, so having someone who is well versed in the specifics of where
you live will help immensely with your planning.
Next, you should make a list of the companies that offer
building surveying services
and check their ratings and how active
they are. You can also call for references if you don’t see any reviews.
Ideally, your surveyor will have quite a bit of experience
and should be able to point you to their previous projects. They should also
give you an idea of their services when you call, even if they are offering a
wide range.
It’s often helpful to look for a firm that has a number of
people on its team. This is helpful in case one person is out for a time, since
you can always have a professional on hand. The employees are also very good at
keeping records, so anyone new can be up to date on your case very quickly.
This is good news for you, as you’ll be able to hire the company and not worry
about who is working with you. A good team makes all the difference.
It’s also important to find a team that can handle a wide
range of areas. After all, you may need insurance help one day and a damage
survey the next. As you’ve seen, there are a number of different options that a
surveyor can help you with and that means you need to make sure you find the
right company.
Finally, you should talk to the company and see if they seem
like people you can work with. Since most construction and renovation projects
take a while, you really want to ensure that you can be comfortable with
everyone who may be involved. You could be seeing them daily for months to
come, so it’s best if you get along with everyone and find them helpful and
courteous.
Building and renovating can be very time intensive and
requires a multitude of paperwork. Why not hand it over to someone who has the
experience and will manage it all for you? If you can trust a surveyor, you’ll
find that the weight is taken off and you can focus on other areas of the
building process.
A building surveyor is a helpful part of the building team.
You should always consider hiring one when you’re working on a project or
considering purchasing a building.
Are you looking for a qualified building surveying company? Contact
Simon Levy today
to book your appointment.
