What can you do if the house next door is close to collapse?
The elderly owners of a property in Youghal, County Cork, Ireland are living next to a derelict house that is in imminent danger of collapse ...
How to repair and maintain laminate floor coverings
Laminate flooring can be a beautiful addition to the home, providing a clean and mess-free alternative to traditional wooden floorboards, carpeting or other floor coverings ...
Are the cracks in my home normal?
The presence of small cracks in block walls and brickwork is not usually something to be too concerned about. We look at the limits of ...
Surveyor’s Guide to garden walls and building regulations
Many local councils have restrictions on the height of garden walls, although in most cases walls that do not form part of the house or ...
Surveyor’s guide to Party Walls
The Party Wall etc Act 1996 covers certain issues between property in England and Wales. The Party Wall Act provides a legal framework for preventing ...
Surveyor’s guide to adding value to your home
Most home owners will be able to say that their property is also their most significant financial asset. So, whether you intend to continue living ...
Surveyors guide to spray foam insulation
Spray foam insulation has been in use for decades, and was included in the government’s Green Home Grant scheme, that closed in March 2022. Yet, ...
Surveyors guide to improving your EPC
The government proposes to require landlords to upgrade the energy efficiency of their properties to a minimum standard of C by 2028, as part of ...
Surveyors guide to matrimonial valuation
The break up of a personal relationship is one of the most stressful of life experiences, regardless of whether the situation is contentious or amicable ...
Surveyors guide to knock through rooms
An open plan kitchen/living area in the home is often on the renovation 'wish list' for new homeowners. Although some buyers prefer separate rooms to ...
Surveyors guide to insurance cover for listed property
When you own or are considering the purchase or renovation of any property, it is essential to ensure you have the right level of insurance ...
Surveyors guide to Asbestos
Asbestos was a popular building material in homes and commercial buildings for many years. It was popular for a reason: it does not catch fire ...
Why has mould appeared in my home?
If you've noticed the appearance of a dark patch forming in the bathroom, around a window or on a wall, don't ignore it. Mould is ...
Surveyor’s guide to structural movement
The prospect of structural movement can be a cause of grave concern for homeowners. The structure of a building primarily comprises the roof carcass, walls, ...
Woodworm – a Surveyors guide to insect infestation
Woodworm is the generic term that applies to the wood-eating larva of many species of beetle. It is also the description given to the infestation ...
Surveyor’s guide to Wet Rot
Wet rot is the most commonly found type of rot in the home. Whilst easier to treat than its drier counterpart, it can still be ...
Surveyors guide to the domestic lift
A domestic lift provides homeowners with the means to effortlessly travel between floors and are an alternative to the traditional stair lift, over which it ...
Tired of losing sleep every time the teenager sneaks home after midnight? How to fix a squeaky floorboard
There are many reasons that you, Father Christmas or the Tooth Fairy might want to creep around your own home when everyone else has gone ...
Surveyor’s Guide to: Dry Rot in the home
Dry rot is something of a misnomer and you may easily be mistaken in thinking that it will only thrive in dry conditions, but ironically ...
Surveyors Guide to Rising Damp
Rising damp can be defined as the upwards flow of moisture through a permeable wall structure. Almost all building materials are, to a certain extent, ...
What do Chartered Surveyors do?
The types of work carried out by Chartered Surveyors is varied. Residential Chartered Surveyors inspect properties that are in the process of being bought or ...
Surveyors guide to: Water Ingress
The primary reason for building materials to deteriorate faster than they might otherwise is the influence of water. We look at water ingress - the ...
What type of survey or advice do I need?
An independent Chartered Surveyor will always be happy to discuss and explain which type of survey you need, and give you the advice and explanation ...
Condensation in the home
One of the most common defects, found in almost every home in the country to a varying degree, is condensation. Condensation is the term for ...
Inheritance tax revenues set to increase
Inheritance tax was introduced in March 1986. It is the tax paid on a person's estate when they die, and comprises the property, possessions and ...
Surveyor’s Guide to Building Reinstatement Valuations
Homeowners, management companies and managing agents of any type of property have the responsibility for ensuring that their property carries the correct level of insurance ...
Reminder: it’s illegal to send small children up chimneys
As the summer evenings turn slightly chilly and damp with the approach of autumn, it's comforting to imagine a nice relaxing evening in front of ...
Insulation of Suspended Wooden Floors
Suspended wooden floors are very often forgotten when it comes to insulating a house. People insulate the roof space, double glaze the windows but forget ...
A surveyor’s guide to home insulation – how to insulate your home
The heating bills resulting from another cold winter are a vivid reminder of just how much it costs to keep your home warm. Check our ...
A surveyor’s guide to the Snagging Survey
Most people will have a building survey carried out when buying older property and will be presented with a report detailing the defects within the ...
Flooding has caused widespread power cuts – how should we prepare?
Power cuts are a fact of life in many areas of the UK, particularly during periods of inclement weather and often due to circumstances beyond ...
Carbon monoxide in the home
If your home has even one fuel-burning appliance or heater, or an attached garage or fireplace, you should have a carbon monoxide detector installed on ...
Surveyors guide to buying older property
Have you been seduced by a charming old property that oozes character and appeal, perhaps ripe for development into an exceptional home or investment property? ...
Home heating and how to minimise winter bills
As summer recedes and we begin to contemplate those long winter nights, it's worth taking a look at the way in which we heat the ...
Let painted walls breathe
Keeping your home's gutters, rainwater downpipes and drains clear and in good condition is by far the best way of ensuring your home stays free ...
A building survey report? What’s the point
A Chartered Surveyor acts for the buyer of a property and gives an honest professional opinion on the condition of the property. It is not ...
A surveyors guide to: jargon-busting house surveys
A Chartered Surveyor may seem a financial extravagance when you are just about to spend a fortune on the biggest investment you have ever made ...
Record level of subsidence claims
The exceptionally dry, hot weather we experienced in the summer of 2018 may seem a long time ago now, but there are still signs of ...
The biggest property viewing turn-offs
We all have a checklist of requirements when searching for our dream property, but there will also be a list of definite viewing turn-offs that ...
The facts about ammonia and using ammonia in the home
Ammonia is commonly in use around our homes – but is it safe to use in the home? At a Carlsberg brewery in Northampton in ...
Legionnaires’ Disease: Legionella in domestic property and landlords’ responsibilities
In May 2018, routine water sample taken by Shropshire Council and Public Health England identified another instance of Legionella at The Feathers Hotel in Ludlow ...
Storm proof your home
No amount of preparation in advance can prevent unexpected events during storms, but there are things you can do now that will make handling the ...
Control the Beast – keep your house warmer this winter (and next) while keeping heating costs down
As the Beast from the East arrived in the UK from Siberia, many of us experienced temperatures as low as -8C or even colder. It's ...
Home insurance and how to keep premiums down
Insurance companies use 'risk-based pricing' to determine how much you should pay for your home insurance premiums. It's worth learning what insurers look out for ...
Why don’t four in five home buyers bother with a survey?
Mortgage lenders don't insist that you commission a survey before they will lend you many of thousands of pounds to purchase your new home. But ...
How to add Value to your home
For those of us lucky enough to own property, it can be easy to forget that the building you call home is also your largest ...
Up to your neck in poo: How to maintain your drainage
Drainage faults are a common source of water ingress, so keeping your drainage systems in good order is essential to maintaining a dry house. Potential ...
Keep your thatch up to scratch
A chocolate box cottage with a thatched roof is the quintessential English home. To make sure your thatch roof doesn't turn your dream house into ...
Nobody puts Fire Safety in the corner!
Kent Fire and Rescue has published on its Twitter page another in its series of safety videos highlighting the importance of testing smoke alarms. The ...
Water facts and how to save water in the home
We use 70 per cent more water now than we did 40 years ago. On average, we each use 150 litres per day but, when ...
Beware toxic house plants: the hidden dangers in your home
House plants may be an attractive addition to the home and some have health benefits too, even having the ability to absorb chemicals released by ...
How can I tell if my house is subsiding?
If you spot any of the problems listed below, and cannot find a reason for them, get specialist help as soon as possible. If it ...
Am I at risk of flooding?
It is estimated that there are now over 5.5 million properties in England and Wales at risk of flooding. Whether from rivers, the sea or ...
How to buy property at auction
Purchasing at auction can be a risky business but it is also a really good way of securing a competitive property investment. But there’s more ...
Is your home a ticking bomb?
Most car owners would ensure their vehicle was well-maintained and had an up-to-date MOT, but how many home owners routinely check their houses for maintenance ...
Preparing Home and Garden for Winter
Homeowners have a responsibility to ensure their home is in the best possible condition; this is especially true for Landlords of Buy-To-Let properties with tenants ...