If you live in a semi-detached or terrace house, then you share a wall (or walls) with your neighbour. That wall is known as a party wall. Party walls usually separate buildings belonging to different owners but could include garden walls built astride a boundary – known as party fence walls. Where a wall separates …
Top 5 Things About Your Party Wall Agreements You Need to Know Before Renovating Read More »
A house survey is a professional inspection of a property’s condition and identifies any potential buyer issues. It’s completed by a surveyor who visits the property, carries out an assessment, and prepares a report outlining any problems they’ve found. It’s an excellent way to avoid unexpected repair costs. Getting a survey for a house or …
One of the most common causes of moisture in buildings is penetrating dampness. It includes any damp which has penetrated the building; however, it also provides plumbing leaks. On one of our building surveys in Kingston, we saw the causes of penetrating dampness from a cavity wall (generally post the 1920s). Penetrating damp from outside …
What are Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs)? An EPC is a certificate that rates how energy efficient a house or building is. By law, all sold, rented, or leased facilities must have an EPC, which will last for 10 years before it has to be renewed. Â It will tell you roughly how expensive property will …
Flat roofs are often found on extensions and outbuildings; however, they can sometimes be found on flats and commercial buildings. In general, they tend to be less effective than pitch roofs as they are less effective in shedding water, which can lead to more defects. Â Types of Flat Roofs Cold Roof A cold roof …
A large portion of older buildings, such as Georgian and Victorian houses, were designed to be breathable. Â Lime mortar and clay bricks were very popular in the Georgian and Victorian periods. These materials are permeable by nature, meaning when the water hits the external envelope can be absorbed and evaporated. Combined with the use …
One of the Surrey building surveyors carried out a building survey for an Edwardian cottage, in which there was an extensive amount of dampness. They tested for damp (which they do in all building surveys) assessed the repair property. There was also another significant defect in rotten timber windows in which there was evidence of …
Case Study: Edwardian Cottage Burst Pipe in Roof Space Read More »
You’ve decided that you want more space in your property, so what’s next? Here are vital aspects you need to consider before you extend your property. Once you’ve decided that you want a home extension, you need to consider the price. Will, it cost more to extend your home, or is it more simple to …
Several members make up a building frame. A few prominent members are struts, ties, beams, columns, and walls that make up the building’s frame. It’s essential to understand how stress affects these, especially in a commercial building.  Struts are present in the frame to withstand compressive stress. This stress comes from the force of each …
How Stresses Affect Members in Commercial Buildings Read More »
Owning a property is one of the best investments you can consider. Follow along as we explore various options home buyers may take to climb their way up the Surrey property ladder. Help to Buy: Equity Loan According to Zoopla, an extremely popular government scheme to help people enter the property ladder, in the last …
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