Building Surveying Services

BUILDING SURVEYING

OUR OFFERING

We provide a comprehensive range of expert Building Surveying services and advice of the highest quality to ensure our clients are best advised on building defects, investment, disputes, asset and project management.

We operate across a broad market spectrum, including leisure, housing, education, health care, heritage, office, industrial, defence, security, and rural buildings.

Our Building Surveying services are undertaken by our RICS accredited team. This offering, coupled with the services offered throughout our business provides our clients with a complete and seamless service, allowing them to maximise their property assets.

We pride ourselves on delivering a quality and bespoke service to clients and place service standards and delivery at the heart of what we do.

BUILDING SURVEYS & TECHNICAL DUE DILIGENCE SURVEYS

GFW provide an extensive range of residential and commercial Building and Technical Due Diligence Surveys for investors, commercial groups, businesses, pension funds, and private individuals.

We are specialists in building acquisition and truly understand the construction technology of buildings, their design, function, purpose where and why buildings fail and what to look for.

It is imperative that capital invested into a building is carefully spent and that a client is fully aware of a building’s condition, understands how it is constructed, the maintenance requirements necessary and the associated legal issues to consider, prior to acquisition.

Our clients can rest assured that a building intended for acquisition is carefully assessed and areas of concern raised for their attention, ensuring they are prepared and better positioned for negotiating on price and understand building maintenance requirements in the future.

Our Technical Due Diligence surveys and residential Building Surveys are conducted and prepared in line with strict, RICS regulated guidance by a Chartered Building Surveyor to afford the highest level of reassurance in any building or asset acquisition. We will tailor our service to provide a bespoke solution to ensure our service is relevant and ultimately satisfies our clients requirements.

In 2020-2021, our surveyors surveyed in excess of £17million of residential property investments alone.

DILAPIDATIONS & LEASE ADVICE

Dilapidations advice is commonly sought by a Landlord or Tenant, during or at termination of a commercial lease. Typically to understand the responsibilities and obligations of a Tenant, in respect of returning the property to a Landlord.

We can:

▪ Prepare an interim Schedule of Dilapidations for a Landlord or a Tenant during the lease term

▪ Prepare terminal Schedules of Dilapidations at lease end

▪ Negotiate a settlement on behalf of a Landlord or Tenant

▪ Specify and manage dilapidation works for a Landlord or Tenant

▪ Provide strategic dilapidations advice at the outset of agreeing a lease

▪ Provide Schedules of Condition

▪ Provide Section 18 valuation advice

Our extensive experience working for both Landlords and Tenants gives us the ability to understand dilapidations from both a Landlord’s and Tenant’s perspective, positioning us in a strong and informed position to negotiate.

EXPERT WITNESS & CPR PART 35 REPORTS

We provide a range of expert witness services and can produce detailed and clear Part 35 expert witness reports in line with civil procedure rules.

Our reports will clearly distinguish between facts and opinion and will be prepared in the format and style suitable for use in a court of law.

Our expert witness services are handled with the upmost professionalism at the outset, ensuring conflict checks are completed and that the assessment of matters is considered independently and reported on in a clear and concise format. We ensure our process and assessment is suitable for court representation and are able to support clients in a court of law as an Expert to one party or as a Single Joint Expert.

We have worked on a number of high profile disputes and our advice has supported parties complete settlement agreements outside of court without further expenditure and loss of time. We have also supported clients in claims which help to demonstrate precedent on unique and common disputes.

We can advise on a wide range of expert areas including:

▪ Construction disputes & contract disputes

▪ Non-payment and substandard service (within construction projects)

▪ Building defects

▪ Housing disrepair

▪ Dilapidations

▪ Building surveys

▪ Negligence

▪ Boundary disputes

▪ Party wall

▪ Valuation & section 18

▪ Land contamination

▪ And many other specialist and bespoke cases

HERITAGE & CONSERVATION

GFW have a long standing history of working with historic and Listed buildings. Our Building Surveying team are knowledgeable and competent in assessing and analysing historic buildings. We understand historic buildings, how they should be cared for, maintained, repaired and developed.

Recent prestigious heritage buildings we have surveyed include Listed buildings in Collingwood St Newcastle, Clennell Hall, Otterburn Hall, Nunriding Hall, and a wide range of other Listed buildings.

We can provide the following services to assist with heritage buildings:

▪ Heritage statements for planning applications

▪ Prepare Listed building applications

▪ Specialist defect assessment

▪ Quinquennial surveys

▪ Advise on sympathetic and appropriate repairs and conversion

▪ Historic building and feature recording

▪ Provide method statements for building repair works

▪ Conservation office liaison services

▪ Undertake project management works

PROJECT WORKS & CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

Our surveyors can manage and deliver your project from inception to completion, be it for new build, refurbishment or repair works. We also offer insurance damage reinstatement project management and support.

We offer project services across both residential and commercial property sectors and can deliver the following:

▪ Prepare Schedules of Work

▪ Prepare Designs for Conversion/New Build

▪ Liaison with Planning and Building Control

▪ Tendering & Tender Analysis

▪ Act as Contract Administrators

▪ Prepare and enforce contract documents

▪ Certify Payments

▪ Project Management

▪ Undertake Project Monitoring

▪ Provide Snagging Services

Expert Opinion

In our experience, projects without a clear specification, formal tender process, formal contract and site management are at significant risk of dispute, delay and cost overrun.

We are often appointed as Expert Witness surveyors to consider dispute claims where contractual breaches have occurred and even when contracts have not been in place.

Failure to have the correct structure and processes in a works project can create significant financial risk which can often outweigh the cost of having a project correctly managed and administered at the outset.

STRATEGIC ASSET MANAGEMENT ADVICE

Understanding property assets including their condition, value, use profile and standard of statutory compliance ensures clients are best placed to manage their assets effectively.

Our team of surveyors have a wide range of experience in asset management advice and providing strategic insight into assets and performance. This could include making the right strategic recommendations for disposing inefficient assets, including those which fail minimum energy efficient standards (MEES), those which require too much investment or are uneconomical to retain, those assets which are disused or unsuitable for the market or those which simply do not comply with legislation We can advise on asset acquisition, planned maintenance and building compliance to ensure assets are strategically managed and in order.

We have acted as primary advisers to Teesside International Airport on their property investment and compliance portfolio. We have also provided asset advice to firms with investment portfolios and local authorities including Northumberland County Council.

SCHEDULES OF CONDITION

GFW provide Photographic Schedules of Condition to document and record the condition of buildings, sites or structures:

▪ Before undertaking construction works

▪ To append to a lease

▪ To append to party wall awards

▪ For quinquennial surveys

▪ To identify historic features within buildings

▪ To prevent neighbourly disputes

Our Schedules of Condition are clear and concise and work around a building or site in a logical order, listing photos of building elements with written commentary on condition. This allows for clear referencing and documents an honest, factual record of a building at a point in time.

Our Schedules are endorsed by an independent, Chartered Building Surveyor for reassurance and additional peace of mind.

In one survey alone, our surveyors saved a client in excess of £285,000 of repairs expenditure by documenting condition prior to agreeing a lease on a large industrial unit In Sunderland.

PARTY WALL SURVEYS

Compliance with the Party Wall Etc Act 1996 matters can be a complex, challenging and costly process, though our clients can rest assured that their Party Wall matters will be handled professionally with due skill, care and attention.

We can provide the following Party Wall services:

For the Developer (Building Owner)

Advise on the rights and obligations conveyed by the Act, identify which aspects of the proposed works fall under the Act and which do not, identify adjoining owners, prepare and serve notices, prepare and agree Schedules of Condition, prepare Party Wall Awards and resolve issues of damage or compensation.

Did you know, we offer technical training on the Party Wall Etc Act and have delivered CPD presentations this to local authorities, legal practices and property owners.

For the Adjoining Owner

Advise on the validity of notices, review works proposed to ensure proposals are appropriate, review and agree Schedules of Condition, negotiate terms of Party Wall Awards and ensure the building owner fulfils their statutory obligations.

Expert Opinion

In our experience, many who fail to serve notices correctly and seek approvals often suffer costly project delays, fee expenditure and legal challenge. Securing the correct advice at the outset helps avoid such risks.

REINSTATEMENT COST ASSESSMENT

A reinstatement cost assessment or reinstatement valuation determines the costs necessary to rebuild a property should it be damaged by an insured event. This exercise will state a declared value, which can then be applied to a policyholders account to calculate the correct payments for insuring a building. It is also a strict requirement from insurers to provide an accurate and up to date reinstatement valuation for a property to ensure adequate cover is in place. Failure to provide accurate information can render an insurance policy invalid. With construction costs rising, it is essential to ensure the stated insurance rebuild value for a building is correct. If this figure is too low, the policyholder will be under insured and could be penalised in the event of a claim and provided with little or no cover at all.

Having too higher reinstatement value can result in a policy holder over insuring their property and paying an unnecessary and inflated annual premium.

It is critical that such assessments are reviewed regularly as market prices will change over time.

Commissioning a detailed reinstatement cost assessment or reinstatement valuation will ensure the level of cover is adequate and will provide peace of mind in, should the need arise to make a claim.

It is critical that such assessments are reviewed regularly as market prices will change over time. Our team can be on hand to update and review existing assessments as well as prepare new assessments in line the standards set out by the RICS.

It is worth noting that our surveyors do not solely rely on software generated cost data. We consider bespoke site features, contamination, abnormal costs, listed building status, location and other factors into calculations to provide a more robust assessment.

SPECIALIST DEFECT SURVEYS

Our Chartered Building Surveyors are specialists in specific defect surveys, identification and advising on the appropriate repairs needed. Our skill set covers the following areas:

▪ Dampness

▪ Cracking monitoring, cause identification and assessment

▪ Building movement

▪ Timber decay infestation/attack

▪ Wall tie failure

▪ Post flooding inspections and reinstatement advice

▪ Assessment of construction defects

▪ Fire damage

▪ Concrete defects

We have been working and advising on six developments in the Collingwood St, Newcastle – a prime city centre location where we have provided defect and construction advice for hotel, leisure and apartment schemes. Such schemes have entailed the provision of detailed defect advice to ensure repairs are appropriate and suitable for such Listed buildings.

DEVELOPMENT MONITORING

Working for banks, lenders and private funders, we can assess the viability of a development and monitor progress throughout the project duration.

We will appraise a development at the outset and provide an initial development appraisal with guidance on any risks, considerations and areas of improvement necessary in order to proceed without risk. We can review works progress and quality, identify and manage risks, certify payment and authorise funding drawdowns.

We have completed development monitoring for a range of commercial and residential developments and have the experience to deliver a quality and reliable service.

COMPLIANCE SURVEYS

It is essential that buildings and operations within them are compliant with legislation. There are various aspects of legislation applicable to buildings and use and this needs to be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Our Building Surveying team is skilled in compliance assessment and complaints audits. Our team can identify where buildings fail to comply with laws and what is required to achieve statutory compliance. This is a standard requirement for most leased commercial property and ensuring documentation is in order not only ensures direct legislation compliance but can also avoid expensive bills at the end of a lease as such compliance may be a contractual obligation.

Compliance aspects include but are not limited to some of the following:

▪ Fire risk assessment

▪ Asbestos surveys

▪ Electrical testing

▪ Gas/oil testing

▪ Heating systems testing and servicing

▪ Drainage system compliance

▪ Accessibility audits

▪ Environmental permits

▪ Legionella assessments

▪ Water risk assessment

▪ Building safety concerns

Our team will comprehensively audit buildings to advise on what is necessary and can manage the complaints process by ensuring any outstanding items are implemented correctly.

Case study – We have undertaken a comprehensive asset compliance audit for a leading regional Airport and commercial property investment firm. This has included assessment and identification of non-compliance where relevant. We have also been involved in the implementation and follow up advice associated with achieving and improving building and asset compliance.

FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT

A fire risk assessment is an essential audit of a building that should be completed frequently, either annually, following completion of building works or when damage has been identified in a building. Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, it is an essential requirement that building owners and those responsible for buildings, ensure that their building are fire safety compliant.

We have trained and competent fire risk assessors and surveying personnel who provide both fire risk assessment and review of buildings in respect of fire safety.

Case study – Turnbull Building, Newcastle

We completed a detailed fire risk assessment of the Grade II Listed luxury apartment block in the city centre of Newcastle.

Did you know, we can provide training on fire risk assessment awareness?

PRINCIPAL DESIGNERS ROLE, CDM, HEALTH AND SAFETY

CDM Regulations 2015 place a legal responsibility on commercial and residential clients to ensure safe working practice and conditions for workers, occupiers and the public during a construction projects. This applies to all domestic and residential projects and should be considered at the outset of a scheme to ensure compliance and safe operations.

We can independently review the design and progress of a project for health and safety compliance. We can act as Principal designers and prepare pre-construction information packs, review construction phase plans, review method statements and risk assessments. We can also coordinate and review the project health and safety file upon completion of the works.

PLANNED MAINTENANCE SURVEYS

A planned maintenance survey comprises of a building audit to determine current and anticipated maintenance requirements over a defined period such as 1,3,5 and 10 years. Building components are carefully assessed as assigned repair works, budget costs, severity codes and anticipated due dates for completion.

This exercise allows an asset manager or owner the opportunity to understand their building or asset portfolio, the maintenance need required and the costs necessary as part of annual budgets and funding programmes.

We can also provide large scale stock condition surveys of housing to aid with budget planning and condition assessment.

Case study – We completed costed planned maintenance surveys for Bolton Council across their leisure centre portfolio, including gyms, swimming pools, sports facilities, community rooms and children’s centres. This allowed the client to understand the cost of maintaining their assets over a fiveyear period to allow for budgeting, strategic planning and targeted investment.

QUINQUENNIAL SURVEYS

A quinquennial survey should be undertaken every 5 years on heritage and Listed structures including castles, church buildings, historic commercial buildings, halls, stately homes, ruins and scheduled ancient monuments. This assessment will include:

▪ Planned maintenance

▪ Health and safety risks

▪ Accessibility

▪ Energy performance

▪ Long terms risks

▪ Provide budget costs and priorities for repairs

We carry conservation accredited personnel and can assist with funding applications, conversion and refurbishment advice, project works for repairs and specific defect advice.

FEASIBILITY STUDIES

For clients looking to develop, convert, extend or demolish their building assets, our surveyors can provide initial feasibility reviews to determine the issues involved with a proposed project, what to expect, possible costs, time frames and legal issues. This allows a client the opportunity for carefully determining their decision, whether to explore a development further, before committing to the full expense of detailed design, planning and specification.

Our team can survey existing buildings and consider feasibility for alternate use or demolition and rebuild. Feasibility study appraisals can consider the reasonable options available for building owners and consider how they could be changed or developed to suit a client’s requirements.

We can consider cost implications, legal implications, planning, building control, structural feasibility, land issues and practical considerations which could be the determining factor for a feasible development and will provide informed opinion and support to clients.

ACCESSIBILITY AUDITS

The Equality Act 2010 provides legal protection from discrimination in society and the workplace. This legislation replaces legislation such as the Disability Discrimination Act and combines it with other aspects of relevant legislation. The Building Regulations also apply, covering strict requirements in respect of building accessibility.

Owners of publicly accessible buildings should ensure that their buildings are accessible to all and do not discriminate against a physical disability, impairment, health condition, age, race and gender.

Employers should ensure their buildings are accessible and appropriate for their employees and the Act allows for reasonable adjustments to be made to allow an employee to work.

An accessibility audit is a legal requirement in order to justify the approach taken to ensure building accessibility as far as reasonably possible. Failure to commission such an exercise could lead to discrimination, prosecution and fines for failure to comply with the Act.

CLERK OF WORKS, SNAGGING & NEW HOME INSPECTION

With demand for property at an all-time high, the industry has observed standards of finishes and quality slip. Our trained and experienced team can complete snagging inspections for both residential and commercial new build to ensure clients are aware of faults and finishing defects before taking acceptance of their property.

A professional snagging survey can generate significant savings in future maintenance and repair costs by ensuring defects are addressed whilst under the responsibility of the building contractor or developer. This service also ensures an independent assessment has been completed to provide peace of mind.

Our snagging service can also be used to support dispute cases against building contractors and house builders who may discard requests from clients or purchasers who are not from a Building Surveying or construction background. Having qualified and competent snagging inspectors assess your property places pressure on building contractors to put things right.

This service can also be used by developers, who want to have their finishing and works standards independently assessed in order to ensure all snags are completed for their customers.

Tip

It’s worth noting that a building guarantee from a housebuilding or warranty provider is not an insurance policy for any issues which are identified. Claims under warranty schemes are subject to strict policies and terms and more often than not, claims are refused as most do not qualify.

In our experience, purchasers or clients very rarely read any warranty or guarantee information before completion and assume that because a warranty or guarantee in in place, they are covered. This is simply not the case and we have even represented clients in legal disputes who have been miss sold guarantees or provided with negligent architect’s certificates. The case in question, entailed costs of over £300,000 to make good a residential home due to failings in construction and finishing. The key point to remember is that the term ‘buyer beware’ still applies to new build and just because a building receives sign off, does not mean every aspect has been checked in detail.

MEASURED SURVEYS, AUTOCAD, DESIGN AND SPECIFICATION

We can provide measured surveys of existing buildings with accompanying CAD drawings, plans and elevations as required.

We utilise industry leading software to deliver high quality and detailed drawings which can be used for lease plans, planning applications, design work, refurbishment and building alterations. We can also provide specialist design services in conjunction with our Design and Architecture team.

DRONE SURVEYS & AERIAL INSPECTIONS

GFW offers drone surveys and aerial inspections of the highest quality, to inspect and record structures, site development and provide marketing imagery for land and buildings.

Our offering

▪ We are qualified, insured, risk assessed and experienced to deliver services safely. Clients can rest assured they are in safe hands with our service.

▪ We utilise the latest, specialist drone technology to provide 4k and HD imagery and video.

▪ We understand buildings and can effectively analyse the footage in real time to identify defect areas of concern with a building or structure.

▪ Surveys are delivered by building surveyors, meaning we have expert defect advisors on hand to review findings immediately.

▪ We use the latest drone technology and are always upgrading equipment to keep up to date with technological demands.

ENERGY & SUSTAINABILITY AUDITS

We carry domestic and commercial energy assessors and MEES consultants in house. Our consultancy team include sustainability experts who understand renewable technologies, how they work, how much they cost and what returns they can bring. This knowledge, coupled with our specialist building surveyors, allows buildings to be assessed completely and independent advice on energy savings can be made without risk of conflict or product selling, as often the case in the market.

Our energy assessors will advise on genuine and cost-effective ideas, not simply the go to expensive solution to renewables as we appreciate not all clients have the capital necessary to invest in this technology which may not be suitable for the site or building. With sustainability high on the agenda for firms and individuals, our specialist team can assess your property and identify improvements not just limited to energy, but also aspects such as water, CO2, material wastage, recycling materials and whether buildings and their components can be retained and refurbished rather than replaced.

Insight

From 1 April 2023, MEES will prevent Landlords from continuing to let properties with an F or G EPC rating where a current EPC exists. This includes a substantial amount of rental property in the UK which will shortly be unsuitable to let. This rating criteria will become stricter as time passes due to the ever building pressures on energy usage and climate change.

BOUNDARY DISPUTE SERVICES

Boundary dispute and identification can be a particularly sensitive and emotional matter for the parties involved. Our Chartered Building Surveyors recognise this and ensure the upmost standard of professionalism and independence when providing an opinion and commentary on a boundary.

When a dispute leads to the courts, a Judge will typically insist and direct the parties of the dispute to appoint an experienced surveyor to determine their opinion on the location and ownership of a boundary. We can provide our expert opinion on a boundary location and ownership responsibility using both historic records, maps, plans, registry information, photographs and specialist measuring equipment.

This opinion and report can ultimately be used by a judge to inform their decision as part of any ruling.

We have specialists within the firm who carry GPS locater equipment and who can import Land Registry plan data in to mapping, allowing data points and boundaries to be plotted directly on to a site, ensuring high levels of accuracy.