Surveyors & Architects 
at your service....

e all feel intimidated by the scrutiny of an expert, don't we (remember your driving test?) so it's not surprising when we don't particularly welcome the critic of our homes!  A surveyor can wipe away thousands of pounds off the value of our property and wreck our peace of mind, but they are a must aren't they?  

Perhaps rarely finding the need to call upon their services, when we decide to move home they are just one of the professionals who benefit from our decision.   If the housing market grinds to a halt then so does a lot of their work.

At best our expenditure in receiving their advice can save money, lots of it and really shouldn't be begrudged.  Fees that seem a sizeable sum at the time can surely be justified for the greater good.   A property with any sort of 'glowing report' would indeed be something to be proud of, but surveyors aren't there to flatter owners.  We have faith that they will cast their expert eye over a property and then offer unbiased analysis. Unfortunately their reports still have shortcomings, there are always places they cannot inspect and surveyors will cover themselves by suggesting further experts look at such things as woodwork and central heating.  This can seem a bit like an easy option, can't it? 

In mortgage valuations their work looks pretty straight forward too, but in more involved surveys it is a grubby old job ~ up in lofts and down drains!   With a choice of different reports available there are different levels of reassurance, spending more on a full structural survey  is the best and most expensive option...the choice is yours.

Architects  Surveyors can also be architects, but in this capacity they are very welcome!   These 'precision artists' are to be wondered at by lesser mortals with the miracles they perform squeezing useful space apparently from nowhere and providing a seemingly clairvoyant insight into the future look of our homes.   Even the dullest and most awkward of properties can take on a completely different character with a little expert help!   Their ability to portray their skills onto paper is also remarkable.   Architects will then liaise as much as you ask with client contact throughout the planning application, building regulations process and eventually overseeing the phases of construction.