Turner Surveyors are experienced at pre-acquisition surveys, whether a domestic building survey or in conjunction with commercial property acquisition. Building surveys provide important information as to the condition of a building to be considered when deciding whether to buy or lease a property. Turner Surveyors welcome enquiries from both the domestic and commercial markets in respect to carrying out building surveys.

In respect to domestic properties, Turner Surveyors undertake building surveys. Please note that we do not undertake valuations or homebuyer's surveys. 

For information, a valuation is not a survey. It is carried out on behalf of a lender to ensure that the property is worth the value of mortgage you require. Increasingly these are carried out as desk top surveys or 'drive by's' - the valuation surveyor may not even visit your property. Even when they do, they are concerned with the value of the loan only, and will not carry out a detailed inspection. Information from a valuation survey is not to be relied upon as being indicative of the condition of a property, and therefore you should not just rely on the information from a valuation when considering whether to purchase or take out a lease on a property. 

We then come to the surveys. Think of these as a health check on the property. If you intend to buy you are strongly recommended to have a survey done and carefully consider its results prior to entering into a contract. The survey may highlight problems with the property, and as such if you still want to proceed you can negotiate a lower price for the purchase, or make an informed decision and walk away. Surveys can save you money.

Two types of survey are available; the limited Homebuyer Survey and Valuation, and the Building Survey that we carry out. 

The Homebuyer Survey is designed for newer properties that appear in a reasonable condition. It is not a detailed survey of every aspect of the property and focuses only on major and urgent matters. 

If the property is old, in a poor condition, listed, a building constructed in an unusual way, has extensive alterations, or you are planning to renovate or alter/extend, it is suggested that you commission a Building Survey.

A building survey is a comprehensive inspection of all accessible parts of a property and can be tailored to suit individual needs and concerns. The building survey will include details of:

• Major and minor faults, 
• Implications of any possible faults, recommendations for remedial actions, and the possible cost of repairs, 
• Results of any dampness testing to walls, 
• Extensive technical information on the construction of the property and details about materials used.
• Comments on the existence and condition of damp-proofing, insulation and drainage. (Please note that drains are not tested.)
• Recommendations for any further special inspections, testing or investigations. 

We will report on all parts of a property that we can easily gain access to, including the use of a ladder to 3m in height. However we will not lift carpets, shift furniture, carry out testing on electrical wiring and water supplies, test the gas supply or boiler, or place ourselves in situations adverse to the health and safety of our surveyor. 

If you are thinking of buying a property, or leasing, please contact us for a quote for a building survey. If you are unsure as to which survey to go for, please call and we can point you in the right direction.