Buying or Selling

Much of our work is carried out on behalf of either a buyer or seller of a property.

When a property changes ownership a general survey may be carried out on behalf of the purchaser to assess its overall condition. This survey may range from a simple valuation survey to a comprehensive homebuyer report or full building survey. These are carried out by a chartered surveyor who has extensive knowledge of buildings, but not specific structural expertise. If the survey identifies an area of structural concern a structural engineers report requiring specialised knowledge will be required – this is where we come in.

In some cases a property seller may already be aware of areas of possible structural concern and ask us to prepare a report which would be made available to prospective purchasers.

Your report will be written by a chartered engineer. They will initially make a full visual inspection of the property before focusing in on the crucial structural elements of the building – load-bearing walls, floors and the roof structure, as well as the foundations.

Our report will describe the findings and enlarge upon any specific areas where a problem may have been found. The contents of our reports are often a key factor in determining whether a mortgage application is accepted or whether a sale/purchase can proceed. In light of this we always try to give recommendations in your best interests.