Is your chimney prepared for Santa?
Twas the night before Xmas and all through the house, Not a creature was stirring not even a mouse…. We love this Christmas poem by Clement Clarke Moore. (Read it in full). What a magical read for little ones on … Find out more
“Help! My house is subsiding!”
We can’t tell you how many times in a month we get a call from a homeowner expressing concern about cracks in their walls. “We’re worried our home is subsiding!” is the panicked cry. In fact, people often tell us … Find out more
Could you save money long term by buying property that has a more expensive commute to work?
“Buying outside London saves over £14k per mile of travel“. I saw this article and it led to quite a discussion in our London office. We know you could save a lot of money by buying property in Chislehurst or … Find out more
Buying and maintaining coastal properties
The Kent coast was once the mainstay of Victorian holiday makers and we think it’s experiencing a bit of a revival. If you saw our last article, you’ll know Folkestone is on the up and you’ll find some really good … Find out more
£1.5 million for a 2 bed-apartment, or a block of 38 flats?
Where would you rather invest £1.5million, or even £500k? And what can you get for your cash? Steve Way had a rare spare 10 minutes and played around on RightMove… So today I thought I’d have a little fun with … Find out more
uPVC windows problems and pitfalls
With new architectural trends we are seeing more and more glass on new buildings and renovations – the big bi-fold doors, roof lights, even goldfish-bowl style windows that wrap around corners. People want light, they want a feeling of space, … Find out more
Staircases (Part 2) – is it the most taken-for-granted part of the home?
How often have you considered the staircase in your home? Or if you’re looking to buy, do you really take note of the condition of the stairs? Part one of this series of articles looked at the problems we find … Find out more
Staircases (Part 1) – is it the most taken-for-granted part of the home?
How often have you considered the staircase in your home? Or if you’re looking to buy, do you really take note of the condition of the stairs? Unless you’re in a bungalow, the stairs are in fact one of the … Find out more
Conservatory planning, construction and problems
Conservatories are a relatively simple and cost effective way of extending your home. There are so many styles available to choose from, in different materials such as timber, aluminium or uPVC. The more luxurious your choice and size or conservatory, … Find out more
The importance of a building survey or homebuyer report
For many people, buying a home is one of the biggest decisions they will ever make. However, by failing to commission a building survey or homebuyer report before purchase, home buyers are risking potential bills running into thousands of pounds. … Find out more
Questionnaires from surveying students – some advice on good practice
Every year final year construction and surveying students send building professionals unsolicited email requests to complete this survey or that questionnaire trying to complete their dissertations. Along with many other surveyors, architects and construction professionals I am happy to give … Find out more
There’s more to your home’s foundations – pt 2
In our last blog we saw how intriguing it can be to view maps, both old and new, to see what sort of land your home might have been built on, if it had suffered bomb damage during the war, … Find out more