Recent work — the problem, the survey, the outcome.

Problem

A buyer was under offer on a four-bedroom Victorian terrace and had been told by the vendor's agent that recent damp-proofing work meant no further investigation was needed. Persistent staining to the ground-floor skirtings suggested otherwise.

Survey

A Level 3 Building Survey inspected the fabric in detail — solid-wall construction, suspended timber floors, bay projection and rear closet wing. Moisture readings and inspection of external levels confirmed the cause was raised external ground and blocked airbricks, not rising damp. The injected DPC installed by the previous owner had been an unnecessary treatment.

Outcome

The buyer renegotiated £6,500 from the asking price to reflect the remedial ground works, timber repairs and lime-plaster reinstatement. The proper remedy cost less than a fresh chemical DPC would have done — and addressed the actual defect.

Problem

An SME was taking a ten-year FRI lease on a mixed-use commercial property. The landlord's heads of terms attached full repairing liability, and the tenant had no baseline record of the existing defects to the elevations, roof coverings and external areas.

Survey

A photographic Schedule of Condition was prepared and annexed to the lease, recording existing wear, localised damp staining and hairline cracking to render and masonry. A Reinstatement Cost Assessment was carried out in parallel to confirm the correct sum insured.

Outcome

The tenant's repairing obligation was limited to the recorded condition, protecting them from an eventual dilapidations claim for pre-existing defects. The declared sum insured was increased by 22% to reflect current rebuild costs, avoiding an average-clause reduction in the event of a claim.

Problem

A retired couple were purchasing a Grade II listed rubble-stone cottage. A previous surveyor's report had flagged 'significant structural movement' to the gable wall and recommended engaging a structural engineer before exchange. The vendor was preparing to withdraw.

Survey

A targeted Level 3 inspection, informed by knowledge of traditional lime-bound construction, established that the gable movement was historic and stable — consistent with seasonal moisture cycles in solid stone walling. Recent cement pointing was identified as the more pressing issue, trapping moisture and accelerating stone decay.

Outcome

The sale proceeded without a structural engineer's report. A phased schedule of lime repointing and internal lime-plaster repairs was agreed with the buyers' preferred conservation contractor, with an indicative budget of £14,000 spread over two years.