Structural Surveyors
A structural survey should not be confused with a standard house survey undertaken by a chartered surveyor as part of a valuation, a homebuyer’s report, or a building survey. However, all of these can highlight the need for a structural engineer to assess a specific defect. That’s where we come in.
A structural survey, also known as a structural engineer report, will usually involve an initial visual inspection and assessment of any issues, together with advice on proposed remedial measures where applicable. The report can highlight the need for more intrusive investigations, such as making holes to expose foundations, lifting floorboards to establish the size of joists, or cutting holes in the ceiling to establish how walls are supported. Third party input may be required, such as wall tie inspection and drain surveys that we can co-ordinate and organise.
We will then identify the probable causes of the defect through our understanding of how structures and materials behave, as our specialist knowledge goes beyond that of a building surveyor.
What is a structural survey?
What to expect from our structural survey
You may need a structural survey to prove your project is structurally feasible or a detailed report to get planning permission for alterations, or you may wish to obtain a structural survey on a property you wish to purchase. Our reports can also help you resolve a dispute.
Our structural surveys will help you confirm whether your proposals are possible before you start building! We can also provide advice on preliminary design to help your contractors give you more accurate pricing, which is important as the cost of building materials continues to rise.
We will provide you with a written report that outlines our observations, conclusions and making recommendations for the next steps. These might be intrusive investigations, a plan to monitor the problem for a fixed period, or a solution to the issue.
Structural surveying services at a glance
Building structural surveys
As discussed above, structural engineering surveys are valuable if there are any concerns regarding a building, especially when you are buying or selling a property.
Structural reports for planning or listed building applications
As discussed above, structural engineer surveys are valuable if there are any concerns regarding a building, especially when you are buying or selling a property.
Expert witness reports
We use our expertise to provide a professional opinion and clarity in the event of a building dispute, by reviewing design and construction works already completed, additional works, substandard or non-compliant works, and the impact of time delays.
Sea wall and coastal structure surveys
These can consist of one-off surveys or ongoing assessments and monitoring for maintenance purposes, and they are often needed when buying or selling a coastal property, plus the co-ordination of geotechnical assessments if required for cliffs, etc.
Structural surveyors near me
If you think you need a structural survey to investigate an issue with your home or potential future home, or to support a planning application, or you need help resolving a building dispute, please do not hesitate to give us a call.