Can I add a basement to my property?
Homeowners continue to add basements to their property, often because it is a cost-effective alternative to buying a bigger house, and options for building higher or outward might be limited. The process of constructing a basement is actually quite straightforward … Find out more
Do I need a party wall agreement for…
Dealing with party walls and neighbours are often not considered by homeowners when they are planning works, renovating or have a project on the go. Most people know they will need planning permission and building regs/control, but many haven’t heard … Find out more
Identifying cavity wall insulation problems
Poorly installed cavity wall insulation can cause problems. In July 2020 the Chancellor announced a Green Homes Grant to give up to £5,000 in vouchers for insulation (BBC News, July 2020) A few years ago, we wrote this article about … Find out more
What if I don’t receive a reply to my party wall notice?
It happens all the time. You serve a party wall notice, wait and then… nothing. So, what do you do? Well, as far as the Party Wall etc Act is concerned there are 14 days to reply (in writing), after … Find out more
Do I need a Party Wall Surveyor to get a party wall agreement?
A large proportion of Collier Stevens’ work is serving party wall notices, agreeing awards and resolving disputes. We have a dedicated section in our Advice Hub that may help you answer any other party wall related queries. We’re often asked … Find out more
How do you serve a party wall notice correctly?
The Party Wall Act sets out what information a properly served party wall notice must contain. There is no standard format, but many party wall surveyors use standard templates to ensure that the notice provides the required information. It is … Find out more
What are the rules and regulations for loft conversions?
We’re seeing an increasing number of homeowners considering home improvements rather than moving. People want to increase the size of their current home rather than taking the next step on the property ladder, or they might want to push up … Find out more
How long does a building survey or homebuyer report take?
One of the most common questions we are asked is: “How long does a building survey or Homebuyer report take?” The answer is usually: “It depends.” It can take anything from 1.5 to 6 or more hours, depending on the … Find out more
Advising neighbours of building work
We are often called by homeowners asking what they can do when their neighbour starts building work without telling them. Quite often your neighbour doesn’t have to notify you, but here are some situations where they are obliged to. This … Find out more
Asbestos in houses
Asbestos is identified in quite a few of the properties in which we undertake surveys. We particularly find it in those houses that were built between 1930 and 1980 and older flat conversions. Asbestos can appear in the most unlikely … Find out more
Home Insurance and Building Work
Whether you have bought a property to ‘do up’, or you’re planning to do some renovation work on your home rather than moving, you should always make sure you have the right insurance in place. You will need to think … Find out more
Solar panels – what lurks beneath?
Between 2012 and 2017 the UK and Europe saw a surge in the domestic use of power generation from solar panels (see this article for more information). It has tailed off a bit, but the chances of buying a property … Find out more
Surveying during Coronavirus
Are surveyors and valuers still doing surveys during the UK lockdown caused by COVID-19? Yes. Government guidelines permit surveyors to carry on surveying and inspecting houses during the COVID-19 crisis. What do the Government guidelines for surveyors say? The guidance … Find out more
Do balconies present a fire risk?
If you own a property with balconies you must read the latest government report on fire safety in properties with balconies. It’s particularly important for owners of multi-storey, multi-occupied residential buildings. If you rent a flat with a balcony, you … Find out more
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
There’s more to your home’s foundations – pt 1
January is the one month of the year that seems to be endless. Christmas and New Year has been and gone and we’re looking forward to the days getting longer and maybe planning a summer break. I don’t know about … Find out more
The vendors reduced the price by £10k … best £500 I’ve spent!
We carried out at building survey on a small, late 19th century terraced house on the Kent coast. It needed some work as it had been lived in by an elderly occupant and hadn’t been well maintained. There was an … Find out more
Would you ever have thought removing a chimney breast needed permission?
So, you have a lovely house, but the two alcoves in the living room and bedroom are beginning to drive you mad. You could do so much more with the space if the chimney breast wasn’t there: a nice little … Find out more
Who can act as a Party Wall Surveyor?
An enquiry this week from a building owner who had appointed their builder to act as their party wall surveyor, having been told by the builder that it was easy and he could do it… no need to pay expensive … Find out more
When is an independent survey, not a survey…
There are a couple of instances when you may be told you have had an independent survey – but that may not necessarily be a as independent as you think, or actually a survey. Here’s why… When it’s a mortgage … Find out more
When garden walls lean, collapse and go bad
When was the last time you checked your garden walls or if you are buying had a look to see what the walls are like? The cost of repair or replacement of brick and masonry garden walls can be considerable … Find out more
When does a Party Wall Notice need to be served
There are precise time provisions within the Party Wall Act relating to when Party Wall Notices should be served and when a building owner can start work. These time provisions should in all normal circumstances be complied with although in the … Find out more
What do we know about chancel repair liability?
That’s what we got asked this morning. So we scratched our heads and had to agree that we didn’t know much at all about chancel repair liability except that it can result in rather nasty surprise bills. We then did … Find out more
This week our building survey saved a client £80,000
Every now and then we can’t help but be a bit self-congratulatory. This email came in: “Had a survey carried out last week in Kent on a semi-detached property and have decided to walk away from the purchase due to … Find out more
The power of roots and poor retaining walls
Here’s a garden retaining wall that garden wall we found on a single defect survey. A retaining wall is intended to hold back ground on one side of it that is higher than the ground on the other, the load … Find out more
Taking out a chimney breast – Party Wall Agreements
Quite often what appears to be an easy way to make a room bigger in an older house is to think about removing the chimney breast – at first thought it seems easy, knock it out with a sledgehammer, bag … Find out more
Tactile Paving – Guidance for improving disabled access
Ever wondered whether there was a reason for those texture paving surfaces you see in the pavement and near steps? The answer is, of course, yes. These tactile surfaces – typically corduroy or blisters are used to designate essential information … Find out more
Surveys of lofts and roofs – what we look for
Do surveyors inspect the loft? It’s a question we are often asked and yes, we do for both building surveys and homebuyer reports. But, what are we looking for in a loft survey and what should you expect to see? … Find out more
Success at the First Tier Property Tribunal (FTPT)
The First Tier Property Tribunal (FTPT) exists to settle leasehold disputes between landlords and residential leaseholders. Commonly these disputes are about service charges being levied unfairly, maintenance works being carried out to a poor standard (or not at all) and … Find out more
Stairs – missing handrails
We saw this staircase on a survey. Typical of its age – probably dating to the mid to late ‘60s. It looks good (to some eyes), is airy and open, but doesn’t comply with building regulations. The lack of a … Find out more
Small repairs matter
Take this seemingly innocuous rainwater pipe seen on a survey for instance. It’s in the rear corner of a fairly new house. The garden stuff has been piled up against it a bit, but otherwise it is probably walked past … Find out more
Challenging a local authority service charge
We have dealt with several instructions to assess the reasonableness of service charges presented by local authority landlords to private leaseholders – the service charge demand can be very high indeed and it was interesting to see that this was … Find out more
Planning a loft conversion? – Party Wall Agreements
If you plan to do building works that may affect a party or structure (a ceiling for instance) between you and a neighbour then the provisions of the Party Wall etc Act may apply. For a loft conversion this will … Find out more
Party walls – your questions answered
You hear a lot from Collier Stevens about Party Wall Notices and Agreements. Here’s a basic summary of what you need to know about Party Walls – what they are, what the paperwork is all about, and when it’s needed. … Find out more
Party Wall Agreements for a wine cellar
An interesting party wall query this week involving a wine cellar. Spiral Cellars manufacture a pre-fabricated, circular wine cellar that can be dropped to a pre-formed hole in the ground, typically 2300mm in diameter and at least that deep. So, … Find out more
More on blisters, corduroys and tactile paving
It’s nice to know some people read our blog posts (this one was about tactile paving) and then give us a call to find out more about disabled access and how to get it right… Recently I took a call from … Find out more
Missing? Party wall problems
Occasionally a situation arises like one we dealt with this week where there is an absent freeholder. Their absence does not preclude the necessity to serve party wall notices (templates available here) or to follow party wall procedure even though … Find out more
Surveying Homes in Dungeness
As local Chartered Surveyors we’ve done a number of building surveys and reports in Dungeness where most of the homes and properties are quite strange or unique as is the environment. Set in a Site of Special Scientific Interest and … Find out more
Loft conversions – your responsibilities for health and safety
I was recently approached for advice by a friend who is considering converting their loft into a third bedroom. She had so many questions and it made me realise just how tricky it is for non-building professionals to understand all … Find out more
Laing Easi-Form housing
This week we have been surveying a Laing Easi-Form house for a prospective purchaser. The Laing Easi-Form is one of a range of house types that are considered as ‘non-traditional construction’ and which were generally erected immediately post the first … Find out more
Hythe and the risk of flooding
Without wishing to underestimate the heartache and damage that comes with flooding, a 2012 report by the Association of British Insurers highlighted the risk of flooding in Folkestone and Hythe and was seized upon by the popular media. It was made … Find out more
How quickly can I get a Party Wall Award?
Help, I want to start work on Monday and my neighbour wants a party wall notice… how quickly can I get a Party Wall Award? At first it depends on whether you get on with your neighbour, whether your neighbour … Find out more
Health, safety and the small builder
There is of course no reason why a jobbing builder working on houses and other small projects should be immune from Health & Safety legislation, and as far as the HSE is concerned, they’re not. The HSE is particularly concerned … Find out more
Have you checked your gutters lately?
Now the autumn leaves have begun to fall and the rain has returned in force, you might have noticed your gutters have become blocked or are overflowing. There may be some leaks from one or two of the gutter or … Find out more
Do you have problems with your garden wall?
And if you do, or most likely will have at some point, who is responsible for fixing it if the wall divides two properties? Who owns the wall? It’s the age-old question – which neighbour owns which garden wall or … Find out more
Finlock concrete gutters
Finlock gutters were commonly used during the 1960s and are very much of their time and in most cases are now past there time as well. We come across them every now and then when we do a building survey … Find out more
Don’t overlook Party Wall procedure
When you are thinking of undertaking building work, it is quite usual to obtain Building Regulation Approval and Planning Consent. What is often overlooked, however, is the statutory obligation under the Party Wall etc Act. to get party wall agreement … Find out more
Disabled Access – It’s not just a sign
Wherever we go we keep our eyes open for good and bad examples of access. When they’re good we never stop learning, and when they’re bad, well… here’s a few examples we’ve found: Have you spotted any serious failings … Find out more
Cost effective (not cheap!) Party Wall Awards
Our fixed fee party wall awards continue to be a popular choice confirming our view that there was a market for a cost effective solution to party wall agreements for householders carrying out works of a simple nature – things … Find out more
Conservation areas
England has some 9300 conservation areas, places designated by local councils to protect their special character and appearance, but the latest edition of English Heritage’s annual ‘Heritage at Risk’ register, reveals that 1 in 7 is at risk of neglect, … Find out more
Condensation dispute calls for expert help
As surveyors providing expert witness advice in housing disrepair cases, we are often asked to advise on condensation issues. We recently helped a client who was having problems with a tenant complaining of condensation with damp walls and mould growth. … Find out more
Colour contrasts – designing for the visually impaired
One of the things that we look for when we are carrying out an access audit is the colour contrast between building elements – for instance walls and floors – which if done well can make a significant difference to … Find out more
Choosing a Party Wall Surveyor
Did you know that anyone can be a party wall surveyor? The Party Wall etc Act defines a surveyor as “any person not being a party to the matter appointed or selected under Section 10 to determine disputes in accordance … Find out more
Surveyor or Chartered Surveyor?
Not all surveyors are equal – anyone can call themselves a surveyor. It’s not a protected title like architect or solicitor. And because anyone can call themselves a surveyor they can do so with no training at all, that means … Find out more
Choosing a builder and building contract
Whilst taking a schedule of condition, I was asked “How do I choose a contractor?” We also ended up discussing best practice for minimising risk and helping to get a project finished on time and on budget. It made me … Find out more
Replacing paths in Hythe to improve disabled access
Case study – Equality Act compliance Collier Stevens, Chartered Surveyors were appointed by Hythe Town Council to design and oversee the reinstatement of footpaths to the Oaklands public open space in Hythe, Kent. The existing paths were laid in the … Find out more
Accessible WC and shower for Equality Act compliance
Case study: Equality Act compliance Collier Stevens, Chartered Surveyors were appointed by Kent Police to design a new accessible WC and shower facility at their county headquarters in Maidstone and help meet their obligations under the Equality Act. Having previously … Find out more
Careful with that party wall injunction
The Party Wall etc Act grants a building owner wishing to undertake building works a number of rights including a right to build on the line of junction, raise, repair and otherwise work upon a party wall or party structure … Find out more
Buying your first home? Get the right survey, by the right surveyor
As a first time buyer it’s often difficult knowing where to start. But one thing that isn’t always top of the agenda is making sure you get a house that’s worth the investment. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) … Find out more
Buying a house with sash windows?
Double hung timber sash windows look great on older or period homes, but they can be draughty and offer poor thermal performance, assuming you want to keep them and not replace them with modern double glazed units (we wouldn’t unless … Find out more
Building surveys vs Specialist Damp Report
As a firm of professionally qualified surveyors, there’s nothing much that annoys us more than those who sit on the fence when they find damp and recommend a ‘specialist damp report’. These are usually poor quality surveyors intending solely to … Find out more
A guide to conservation areas
We did a building survey of a house in conservation area in Greenwich last week which prompted our client to state: “Conservation area? What’s that and so what?” or words to that effect. So, here’s a quick overview of Conservation … Find out more
Textured ceilings – the asbestos risk
Although much less used now than once textured coatings such as those manufactured by Artex remain on many ceilings throughout the UK. We have also seen when carrying out our property surveys similar products applied to walls and then emulsion … Find out more
Accessible parking spaces
Accessible parking spaces always seem to be the space that doesn’t get used the most, so often end up being the space that’s used by caretakers and property managers for all sorts of purposes. Like, for instance, this generator! Unfortunately, … Find out more
Buying a new build home – do I need a survey?
The last few years has seen a big increase in the number of new housing estates going up in the area surrounding Collier Stevens’ Hythe and Chislehurst offices. This isn’t just a localised phenomenon. It’s happening across the UK. We … Find out more
Don’t put off minor building repairs – 79p now or £1,000 then?
That pesky missing gutter end cap, you know the 79p part that push fits onto the gutter if only you could be bothered to go up the ladder. The one you remember every time it rains and the gutter just … Find out more
5 reasons you need a proper building survey
Let’s start with the biggest five reasons people don’t have their prospective new home properly surveyed: “The mortgage company did the survey.” No, they didn’t. They did a valuation report which confirms a property’s value, NOT its condition. “We can’t … Find out more