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Why should you always choose a RICS surveyor?

RICS Surveyors - blog

Thinking of buying a residential property? Whether you are a first-time buyer or a long-term property owner, consulting with a professional surveyor to obtain a home survey before you sign on the dotted line is a ‘must do’. What’s more, you should double check that your surveyor is a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

What is the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)?

RICS is the world’s leading professional body for promoting and enforcing the highest international standards in land, property, infrastructure and construction. It is the pre-eminent organisation for professionals working in the UK property surveying industry.

RICS qualification and membership ensures the highest quality reporting and level of professionalism. That means peace of mind for you knowing that someone with extensive professional knowledge is casting their expert eye over the building you are thinking of purchasing. Why cut corners when you don’t have to?

What does a RICS surveyor do?

A RICS surveyor will inspect and report on the condition of the property you are about to buy. This will help you discover if there are any structural problems such as damp or subsidence, or any other unwelcome skeletons in the closet both inside and outside of the building.

Choose from one of three RICS surveys available – RICS Condition Report, RICS HomeBuyer Report or RICS Building Survey – and get independent expert advice and guidance from a qualified, fully regulated and insured property expert you can trust.

All RICS surveyors will have undergone rigorous training to gain their qualification, and they must follow a strict code of conduct when carrying out property surveys. Members must also keep up to date with the latest training and complete continual professional development every year, ensuring that the high standards of their professional body are always being adhered to.

Why use Able Surveyors?

At Able Surveyors, we deliver comprehensive surveying services across London and the Home Counties. We’ve built our business around helping our clients to make informed decisions about buying and managing property assets.

Our Managing Director, Dean Davidson (MRICS) has 25+ years’ experience in building surveys and property management for residential and commercial clients. He is a RICS Chartered Surveyor and also a member of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB). Dean and the team have extensive experience in residential property, and are able to provide a wealth of professional guidance before you exchange contacts.

A RICS surveyor’s report could potentially save you thousands of pounds if serious building defects are discovered. A property survey can also present an excellent opportunity to renegotiate the asking price to cover the cost of any repairs that are highlighted in the survey. Using the services of a RICS surveyor such as Able Surveyors will give you the peace of mind you need when it comes to making the final decision about which way to proceed with your property transaction.

Able Surveyors offer a range of professional services, including a full menu of RICS home surveys. To discuss your particular property surveying requirements, please get in touch.

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Knightsbridge Building Surveyors

Knightsbridge in London is well known around the world as one of the most expensive places to live in Britain but it is so much more than this. There is an eclectic mix of properties ranging from renowned historic buildings like Apsley House on Hyde Park Corner which was the residence of the 1st Duke of Wellington, the Brompton Oratory which was built in the 1880’s in the Italian Baroque style and the beautiful No. 4 Hamilton Place which is a fantastic example of an Edwardian townhouse through to the incredibly modern apartments costing millions of pounds. It is reported that One Hyde Park Corner sold for £100 million pounds off plan.

There are many shopping areas in the centre on London and arguably Knightsbridge is the best with shops like Harrods an

d Harvey Nicholls sitting amongst the vast array of types of shops which is why many of the richest people in the world own homes in Kensington.

The property market is fast moving and can be expensive, it is for this very reason that Able Surveyors offer many different types of survey in

Knightsbridge Drone Survey

Knightsbridge Drone Survey

Knightsbridge for people looking for a new home to ensure our clients know exactly what type of property they are buying and that it is in good order. We offer the very basic Home Buyers Valuation survey through to specific defect surveys with the assistance of drones so that we can check roofs for any defects. You’ll be hard pushed to find a better property survey.

With Kensington being so dense with property it has many properties that are lease hold and having party walls, communal areas etc, you need to know that these areas are being maintained properly with all the different elements of the property being in good order. Our comprehensive survey reports will not only list the property so you are aware of what type of building it is and its construction but we will also list any defects with approximate cost for renovation or fixing which of course can be used as part of your negotiations when purchasing the property.

As members of the Royal Institute of Surveyors (RICS) we must have all the relevant qualifications, insurances and our services have to be of a very high standard so you can be assured our service is as good as it should be. Our team is highly trained and will assist you in any queries you may have after the survey has been completed at no additional cost.
If you are interested in one of our fully comprehensive easy to read surveys please contact our customer services team on   020 71646628 or email us at info@ablesurveyors.com for a quote.

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Which property survey is right for you?

Happy couple buying home

You may be surprised to hear that roughly four out of five prospective homeowners choose not to have a property survey carried out before exchanging contracts. Unfortunately, it’s a false economy to ‘buy blind’ and the consequences of not getting a survey done can be very costly indeed.

Recent research carried out by Churchill Home Insurance found that 13 million homeowners needed unexpected building work to be carried out after moving into their new home. Damp, subsidence and roof issues were among the main problems that could have been identified by an experienced surveyor. What’s more, not only would a property survey have warned them about the defects but it would have allowed them to factor the remedial work into their budget and use this information to renegotiate the purchase price.

The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) endorses three levels of property survey: Home Condition Report, HomeBuyer Report and Building Survey. At Able Surveyors, we have a wealth of experience of carrying out all types of property surveys for our clients and are always happy to discuss which of the following surveys would suit your building best:

• A Home Condition Report provides a concise and easy-to-use description of the property, using a traffic light systems to indicate areas of concern and how these should be addressed. It’s a Level 1 survey that gives an overview of the building and will either give you’re the reassurance that everything is fine, or a warning that further investigation is needed. This type of survey is really only recommended for conventionally constructed homes in good condition that are new or nearly new.

• A HomeBuyer Report is a more detailed, mid-range survey that is suitable for most UK residential properties. A surveyor will inspect the visible areas of the property inside and out to assess its general condition, and present the report in a standardised, jargon free format. This typically includes associated utilities, damp levels, timber decay and other apparent faults. Reinstatement costs and a market valuation are not included in the standard report but can be added.

• A Building Survey is recommended for older properties including period homes and listed buildings, as well as unconventional constructions and buildings that require major renovations. The most comprehensive type of survey available, the report will give you a wealth of information about the findings, notes about major and minor defects, estimated costs of repair, maintenance advice and recommendation for further inspection.

A property survey can potentially save homeowners thousands in surprise repairs. The expert eye of a qualified surveyor will be able to spot signs of trouble that they layman simply won’t be able to see. From roof defects to subsidence, damp and timber decay, aging plumbing and electrics and much more, it is essential that you protect what may well be the biggest investment you will ever make.

For more information about the property and surveying services offered by Able Surveyors, or to discuss your particular property purchase, please feel free to get in touch on 0207 164 6628 or info@ablesurveyors.co.uk.

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Why do you need more than a Mortgage Valuation when buying a home?

Nice houses in Woodford, Essex in the early morning sunlightAccording to RICS (the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors), 4 out of 5 house buyers do not commission a property survey before committing to the purchase of a new home. In many cases, this is down to not understanding the benefits of a survey, and/or confusion about the Mortgage Valuation carried out by the bank.

Given that UK sellers are not obliged to disclose any known problems with the property, the onus is on buyers to make sure they are happy with the condition of a building before agreeing to a price. This is known as caveat emptor or “buyer beware” and, while it has certain limitations, it still results in hundreds of sales every year where buyers are unprepared for the amount of work their new house needs.

Here is a brief explanation about why a Mortgage Valuation is not an adequate replacement for a Building Survey.

What is a Mortgage Valuation?

Most lenders require a Mortgage Valuation to be carried out before agreeing to release funds to purchase a home. Simply put, they are making sure that the house is worth enough to recoup their money if you default on your mortgage repayments.

The valuation is done in about five minutes and the surveyor or valuer won’t spend time looking for specific defects. Even if they see any, they are under no obligation to tell anyone other than the lender. This can sometimes lead to a reduced mortgage offer, usually without any clear explanation, leaving you unable to buy your home without really understanding why.

How is a survey better?

If you arrange for a professional survey to be carried out, the surveyor will be specifically looking for defects and reporting their findings back to you. Any issues that may affect your decision to buy the property (or at least prompt you to re-negotiate the purchase price) will be highlighted in a clear, comprehensive document, allowing you to make an informed decision about proceeding.

Depending on the level of survey that you commission, you will also receive advice about the best repair and maintenance options for the property, along with technical information about the building’s construction materials and methods. Most buyers find their report is not only helpful for deciding whether to proceed with their purchase, but as a guide for planning and budgeting repair work when they move in.

In short, having a survey will provide you with a much better idea of the level and cost of any work that is needed to make a house safe and comfortable. Once you have that information, you can decide whether to take the property on, re-negotiate the price or walk away and find something more suitable.

Which survey is best?

The most appropriate survey depends entirely on the type of property you are looking at.

Condition Reports are intended to determine whether new (or nearly new) homes have any significant defects, while Building Surveys cater for old, large or complex properties that may have numerous issues hidden beneath the surface. HomeBuyer Reports are the mid-range option and provide sufficient detail to understand most conventional modern homes.

Take a look at our survey comparison table for a better idea of the differences between surveys. You can also find an example of a Building Survey that we carried out just below the table.

Property investment is a big decision, which is why, at Able Surveyors, we want to help our clients make the most informed decision they can. If you have any questions about property surveys or any of the other services we provide, please get in touch.