Why Are My Reinstatement Costs Higher than My Home Value?
A quick look at property forums reveals that one thing is of constant concern to new property owners. After you have had the necessary surveys carried out on the property you intend to purchase, you will have several key pieces of information at your fingertips. Two of those key facts
Do I Need a Party Wall Surveyor?
Undertaking building work can often affect your neighbours and adjoining property owners. In some cases, where the work involves modifying, demolishing, excavating near, or building against, a party wall, it may fall under the Party Wall Act 1996. What is a party wall? A party wall is so called
What to Look for when Choosing a Building Surveyor
There’s a lot to think about when choosing someone to survey your building. It’s important you get the service that you want, and there’s lots more than price to take into account. When it comes to making the decision, it’s easy to forget all the things you need to keep in
Government’s Help to Buy Scheme – Success or Failure?
The government’s Help to Buy scheme has been in the news ever since it was first announced. The initiative, which aims to help first-time buyers onto the property ladder, has met with a lot of criticism. The 15% interest-free loan offered by the government allows buyers to get a mortgage
What is the Difference Between a Mortgage Valuation and a Homebuyer Survey?
There are many different survey options available to you if you are looking to buy a property. With all the various options, it can be hard to know which one you need. From mortgage surveys to building surveys, each one has a different role and purpose. Where it often gets
Help to Buy Scheme for First Time Buyers
Due to the recession, first time buyers are struggling to get onto the property ladder. The combination of tighter wages and rising house prices means that they are finding it difficult, if not impossible, to save up the required deposit for a mortgage. Even if they can, UK lenders are
Homebuyer Survey or Building Survey – What Do I Need?
People buying houses often make the mistake of thinking a mortgage survey is more in depth than it actually is, and can be left wondering why certain issues were not mentioned when they later move in to their home. In fact, all a mortgage survey does is make sure a
Investigating Subsidence for Insurance
Subsidence is where the ground caves or sinks, which is a huge problem for homes built on top of it. There are many different causes of subsidence, and many ways in which it can be prevented or halted. One thing is for certain: the cost of subsidence can often be
How Soil Samples Help Identify the Cause of Subsidence
Subsidence can be a homeowner’s worst nightmare. It can cause incredible amounts of damage and cost thousands of pounds to fix – even more if it is identified too late. If you suspect the ground underneath your home is subsiding, you need to take action quickly. Before looking into the
Bats and Building Work
It may seem like bad news if you think that you have bats in your property and certainly in terms of the legislation afforded to the protection of bats, it is a veritable minefield. Penalties relating to infringement of these legislations include anything up to six months imprisonment and/or a
