Another real life and recent example of why home surveys (not bank valuations) are vital.
These are ALL the UNEDITED feedback responses we received from REAL home buyers for the month 23rd May to 22nd June 2019
Take a look and see what our customers have to say about our service.
We have only removed the names and addresses.
Most of us are familiar with the plastic or older iron guttering that edges our roofs to catch the rain and safely divert it into a drain or soak-away. But unless you have owned a house built between the 1950’s and 1970’s, you may not have come across “Finlock” guttering.... Read More
Although residential surveying is what we are best known for, Chartered Surveyor Doug Snell started off last week with a schedule of dilapidation for the owner of a butcher’s shop in North West London, later described as “in offal condition” (ouch!).
Doug then went on to inspect a 1930’s first floor flat conversion just down the road for a buyer, finding only “the usual” maintenance items, but pointing out the loft should not be used as a habitable room.
Read more .........
What is a week like for the region’s leading firm of residential Chartered Surveyors?
Well, last week was busy as usual for the team at Woodward Chartered Surveyors.
Stephen Cornish FRICS was inspecting flats for Lease Extensions in Stanmore, Harrow Weald, Northwood, had two Party Wall inspections in Northwood and one in ... more .....
The ultra experienced Chartered Surveyor Mike Weaver FRICS has joined the growing team of top Building Surveyors at Woodward Chartered Surveyors in Harrow. more ...
When housing subsides, the subsidence needs to be stopped before the property is damaged further. In the past, it was standard practice for underpinning to be carried out. That is the support of the building’s foundations by introducing strengthened foundation base to carry the loads of the existing building. Nowadays, underpinning is specified by building insurers only in the most serious of cases. more ....
Replacement windows can lead to failings in the wall above (see photo), if they are not properly specified. But let’s not rush to judge poor double glazing installers too quickly. In this case, a wooden casement window was replaced by a PVCu double glazed window. Read on .....
Can you tell whether you are buying a timber frame or brick house?
Many modern timber frame houses have brick outer skins that make it very difficult for the untrained eye to tell the difference. This skin is not load bearing, but is the protective jacket for the inner timber frame. Other finishes on older timber frame homes, such as panels of wattle and daub, clap board or tile hanging tend to show all or part of the timber frame. ... more ...
Do I need consent to remove my chimney breast?
You may or may not need planning consent, depending on whether your home is listed or in a conservation area, and how much of the chimney you want to remove.
As chartered surveyors in London, we see many properties where only part of the chimney breast has been removed, for instance just ther ground floor, or up to the loft. read on ...