Home Buyers Survey in Hinton St George

Should I go for a Full Structural Survey, Building Survey or HomeBuyer Report for a home in Hinton St George and which one would be the cheapest?

The Full Structural Survey has been renamed by RICS as a Building Survey and is effectively the same.

If the Hinton St George property is an apartment, or is an older property, or has been extended or modified, or is of non standard construction, then RICS recommend a cheaper HomeBuyer Report.

If you are thinking about whether to do any alterations, you should you choose a Building Survey. This survey is not as cheap as a HomeBuyer Report however it will give an in-depth analysis of the Hinton St George property's general condition as well as including advice on defects , repairs and maintenance options .

For more details why not obtain an instant Hinton St George Home Survey Quote on our site or call us 0800 038 6667 to speak to one of our advisers.

The estate agent stated there is a danger of flaky asbestos roof tiles in existence at the building. What is asbestos?

Asbestos is a carcinogenic material. There are over 60 types, 6 of which were used in the UK and may be in building materials including home appliances. Its use is widespread, for example - as it has a range of useful characteristic heat resistance properties, it may be found in cooker insulation.

All forms are ultimately hazardous and may lead to lung cancer if inhaled over sustained periods.

If discovered, one must be careful however, on no account to remove the asbestos and expert advice should be sought without delay.

Surveyors do not test for asbestos as part of the survey. However they will report on the risk of asbestos and will suggest further investigation.

What should I be wary of when buying a maisonette near to a refuse landfill site

Sites used for landfill are used for a variety of waste e.g. inert refuse disposal. Nobody really wants to live near one (most people do live near one). Concerns include methane gas generation. Health issues for example congenital birth defects have been associated to landfill sites .

Homebuyer reports in Hinton St George will note any structural problems connected with the landfill. Your conveyancer will conduct environmental searches of the Environmental Agency data sets as well as South Somerset Local Authority and advise you .

In the HomeBuyer Report, what impact can a Condition rating 2 have on windows?

The home buyer report is intended to be easy to read and understand, with a minimum of technical jargon. Colour coded ratings are used to communicate the severity of defects uncovered during the survey. A condition rating of two means that the element covered will need work at some point, but this may not be urgent. One example issue could be a damp, rotten door frame. Where practicable, all windows are to be opened and closed, but not forced open, and vulnerable areas closely examined. The surveyor should make notes and advise the client whether it is possible to operate the window transoms/openings satisfactorily.

We are planning to buy a property and the owner has stated that it has been built with Clipsham stone. Are there specific factors to consider, and will the surveyor offer any advice?

Repair costs for stone-built properties can be higher than for more standard. Faults common to poorly maintained stone walls can include erosion of pointing joints.

Regular stone walls are built with prepared or cut stone, called ashlar, and are often easier to maintain than irregular walls.

Regular courses of ashlar (cut stone) are often used as a finish to irregular stone walls. A survey will include a range of suggestions or requirements for maintenance, such as. If you are planning to renovate, consider that a stone matching service is operated by the British Geological Survey. Locally mined or quarried stone may also be available.