Selling a home to retire, how Surveying

advice helped resolve problems with the

property, a review

 

Independent Building Surveyors

If you are in the process of purchasing or selling a property our Building Surveyors at 1stAssociated.co.uk can provide you with help and advice. If you are planning on selling a property in the not too distant future we can carry out a pre-sale building survey to help resolve any problems with the property, such as dampness, and to make you aware of potential issues before you put your house on the market.
We also offer structural surveys, home buyers reports, independent valuations, property surveys, Engineers reports, structural reports, defects reports. Please free phone 0800 298 5424 for a friendly chat with one of our surveyors.

Rising damp

Free phone 0800 298 5424

Caveat Emptor or Buyer Beware

Caveat emptor means Buyer Beware and is why a buyer needs to have a Building Survey carried out to show any issues with the property.

If you are selling your house it can help to sell the property if you have a Pre-Sales Survey carried out. This means that you can rectify any issues with the property before it goes on the market making it easier to find a buyer and speeding up the whole sales process.

Damp to floor joists

 

Why should you have a building survey carried out?

In this case our client had lived in the same property for over thirty years and the plan was to retire shortly. Although they knew there were issues with dampness in the property they were unsure on how to resolve these and so decided to commission us to carry out a building survey and report for them.

 

Dealing with the dampness found in the property

After we had carried out our survey we advised our client that the problems were being caused by a number of issues including:-

1.  The property being on a sloping site

The problem had been made worse by the extremely wet weather that had occurred recently.

Sloping site

2.  No French Drain around the property

Example of a French Drain

French drain

French Drain defined

A French Drain involves pea shingle, with a perforated pipe underneath that feeds into the drainage system which takes away any rainwater.

 

3.  Lack of air movement in the property.

This was caused by:-

1.   The windows having no trickle vents.

Trickle Vents Defined

Trickle vents are small vents to the windows to allow air movement inside the property to stop/reduce a build-up of fumes or humidity.

Trickle vent in a window allows air flow in a property

Air movement with trickle vents

Trickle vents

 

2.   No extract fans in humidity generating areas such as the kitchen and bathroom

 

3.   Radiators being positioned on internal walls rather than under windows.

Internal Radiators defined

An internal radiator is one that is located on an internal wall rather than an external wall or under a window. Radiators located underneath windows help air flow in a property as warm air rises and hits the cooler air above the windows it then circulates around the room and helps the air circulation

Air movement

 

Here are some surveying links that we think may be of interest to you;

Condensation and Ventilation Problems

Why you have never seen any Building Surveys or Structural Surveys like ours

Condensation and Damp Walls

 

What do the ovals or circles in our building surveys and articles mean?

Within our reports and articles we utilise a system of ovals and circles to highlight problem areas or characteristics within a property to better explain the issues. If this does not explain the issue completely then we can also use one of our sketches that have been commissioned exclusively for us for use in the reports.

Black mould

Black mould

 

What to expect from your Estate Agents

When the time comes to sell the property we told our client that they need to commission an estate agent that is familiar with selling similar properties to yours and also one that will market your home correctly and advise you on how to present your house.

 

Don't forget kerb appeal and spring cleaning

When selling a house always remember that the presentation of the outside of the property is just as important as the inside, if not more so! Kerb appeal is very important in selling a property as it is thought that it often takes a buyer about three seconds to decide whether they like a property, this is often decided made by the kerb appeal of the property. In the case of our client we were able to advise that simple things such as cutting the grass regularly and tidying bins away can make the property appear tidier and that hanging baskets and pots of flowers could bring colour to the front of the house.

A good spring clean should always take place no matter what time of year you sell your property. A clean house is always well received and a lick of paint can help to freshen up a dated décor.

 

Example of our survey reports

We are more than happy to email you examples of our Surveys that we have carried out on similar properties to the one that you are looking to buy although we do appreciate that all properties are unique. We really believe that you should see what you are getting in the form of an example Survey before you purchase a property. Please free phone 0800 2985

 

We have many other articles on our website for you to read

Please have a good look around our website to see how much detail we go into regarding property and its associated problems in our articles. We go into this much depth and detail within our reports as well.

We trust you found the article of use and if you have any experiences that you believe should be added to this article that would benefit others, or you feel that some of the information that we have put is wrong then please do not pause to contact us (we are only human). Your comments will be appreciated.

 

All rights to this website are reserved by 1stAssociated.co.uk

All rights are reserved the contents of the website is not to be reproduced or transmitted in any form in whole or part without the express written permission of   www.1stAssociated.co.uk

The contents of the web site are for general information only and are not intended to be relied upon for specific or general decisions. Appropriate independent professional advice should be taken before making such a decision.

 

building engineers

Home Buyers Reports Property Surveys - why we're the best. Engineers Reports
© Copyright 1stassociated.co.uk

1stassociated-logo-for-footer IVSA-badge IVSA-putting-client-first call-us-for-footer

We have thousands of free property articles to help you - or call us freephone on 0800 298 5424

We have been working in the property industry for many years and have been
providing free property articles for over ten years. All for free and to help you with buying your next property.

House and Home Surveys and Useful Information

All you need to know about Building Surveys

Building Control, what do they do?

Designers and Architects will they save me money or will they cost me money

Enviroment, Your Building and Garden Gnomes

Estate Agents help sell houses and work for the vendors

Have a Structural Survey to protect you against structural problems

Home improvements, builder problems and ideas for you on how to solve them

How a Surveyor values a property, Chartered Surveyors and Regulated Valuers

How Chartered Engineers and Building Engineers can help you

Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas

NHBC National House Building Council

Structural Surveys and How We Can Help You

Traditional and Non-Traditional Houses and Mortgage Problems

Valuations and how much is the building worth?

Whats the difference between a Chartered Building Surveyor, Chartered Surveyor and an Independent Surveyor

Useful property problem articles by Chartered Surveyors explaining building issues to avoid

External - Helpful information on building problems on the outside of the property

Chimney issues and problems

Cracking and Movement Problems and Surveying Solutions

Flat Roof Problems, how we can solve them

Foundations and Structures and Settlement and Subsidence and Underpinning

Pitched Roofs Problems and Solutions

Roof Problems

Wall Problems

Windows and Doors and Fascias and Soffits and Wet Rot and Dry Rot and other problems

Internal - House problems we have investigated inside

All you ever need to know about floors

Asbestos in your home, what you need to know

Ceiling Cracks and Structural Problems

Condensation, Damp and Black Mould Problems

Cracking and Movement Problems and Surveying Solutions

Windows and Doors and Fascias and Soffits and Wet Rot and Dry Rot and other problems

Woodworm is it a problem or not? Is it active or not?

Services - Building help and advice on costly services

Drainage, what's underground can affect what's above ground

Heating; I just can't get my house warm enough or alternatively I just can't get my house cool enough

You can't mess around with the electric, you need an expert

 

Commercial Property Services

Building Terms Explained and Directories

Commercial Property Surveys

Commercial Structural Surveys

Leisure Facilites

Offices Large and Small

Shops and Retail

Warehouse and Industrial Buildings

Dilapidations Help and Advice What is a Dilapidations Notice?

A Beginner's Guide to Dilaps

Damp Mould and Condensation

Dampness Rising Damp Mould Black Mould Condensation

Dilapidations and Negotiations

Dilapidations Claim by a Landlord

Energy Saving what can I do?

Finance what is a Financial Adviser (We are not Financial Advisors)

Fire Risk and Help

Health and Safety Risks

Insurance how do I get the correct property insurance?

Landlords Surveying Advice

Property Investment how can I invest in property?

Property TV Reviews by an Independent Surveyor

Schedules of Condition Leasing a Commercial Property

Scotts Schedule and Section 18 Valuation

Tenants Surveying Advice

Weather how does weather affect my property?

Flooding

Rain

Snow and Ice

Strong Winds

Reviews from clients on Commercial Building Surveys

Churches and Charities, helpful reviews from our clients

Industrial Buildings and Warehouses and what our clients say about us

Offices Large and Small, reviews and feedback from our clients

Pubs, Restaurants, Hotels and other Leisure facilities we have surveyed over the years

Shops and Retail, helpful reviews from our clients

 

First Time Buyers

Buying a Leasehold or Shared Freehold Home

Buying and Selling Houses for the experienced house and home purchaser

First Time Buyers how do I go about buying my first house and home?

Improve your property knowledge with our presentations on house, homes and commercial property

Building Surveys

Building Surveying Useful Information

Dilapidations

Dilapidations Presentations in Detail

Final Year Building Surveying Exams for University Students or those that would like to know more

How old is your Building? Which era was it built in?

Party Walls

Surveyors and Design Tools

Disputes and Party Walls

Boundary Disputes

Building and Property Disputes

Party Wall Book Reviews

Party Walls Your Rights and Responsibilities

1stAssociated Surveyors Review for Structural Surveys and Building Surveys

Building Surveys, reviews and feedback from satisfied customers

Buy to let property clients, what they say about our structural surveys

Buying at auction, review of the survey

Buying bungalows and retirement properties and how our surveyors can help

Both at work / busy couples, how we can help and some 1stAssociated client reviews

Families with a young person flying the nest, reviews and feedback

First Time Buyers, what they say about us

Listed buildings, structural surveys

Older buildings, a review of buying an older house

Families with children looking for a new home, feedback and reviews

Buying a Non-Traditional Property

Residential Surveys

House and Home Surveys

Commercial Building Surveys

Commercial Surveys

1st Associated Surveyors Are Also Available in the Following Areas:

East Anglia and East

South and South East

West Country and South West

Midlands

North and North East

 

London

London Markets

London Parks

 

Wales

Areas of Britain

1stAssociated Independent Expert Property Surveyors

Specialists in Home Buyers Reports, Building Surveys and Structural Surveys and Schedules of Condition

All Surveyors are Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors qualified and RICS regulated

and are Members of the Independent Surveyors and Valuers Association

Putting the Client First

We do not accept service of documents by email or fax