Residential surveying services

Our list of services for residential property changes according to new government legislation, regulation from our governing body the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and needs of the market.

• Buying a home
• Property Surveys
• Property Valuations
• Boundary Disputes
• Extending your home
• Party Walls
• Extending your Lease
• Buying your Freehold

BUYING A HOME

Stephen Woodward writes; "The first thing to be aware of is that the valuation fee you pay to your bank or building society is NOT A SURVEY or GUARANTEE for you.  It is no more than a valuation for THEM.

So many people make that mistake."

The following extract is from the RICS Booklet  "Property Surveys":

"Your home is likely to be one of the most expensive purchases you ever make - you need to know as much as you can about the property before you buy it, so having a survey makes good sense - and could save you thousands of pounds in costly repair bills.

Which? and The Council of Mortgage Lenders advise you to get a survey before you buy, and not just to rely on a valuation.  A Valuation is not a survey.  Using the services of an RICS surveyor offers confidence because:

• They give you clear, impartial and expert advice
• They act in your interest
• They are tightly regulated and have to follow strict
  rules of conduct
• They carry professional indemnity insurance
• RICS members have to update their skills and
  knowledge throughout their careers, so you can rely
  on their expertise
• You are protected by a complaints procedure

Surveys are a kind of 'health check' for buildings.  If you are buying a property, you should have a survey done before you enter into a contract.

A survey can actually save you money.  If there are serious problems, you can often re-negotiate the sale price of the property to reflect the cost of necessary repairs - or you may even decide you do not want to buy it at all.

Your surveyor will report on all the parts of the property they can easily reach.  They don't inspect under carpets or furniture, and they do not test the water supply or wiring - though they may comment on the condition."

Woodward Chartered Surveyors offer the two main types of survey for homebuyers;  our House Purchase Survey and Flat Purchase Survey  which is, or the more detailed Building Survey.  Both are described in detail on further pages, but we recommend visiting Choosing Between Surveys first, to compare the merits and limitations of both.

Woodward Chartered Surveyors Harrow covering Middlesex, North West London, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire.