Home Buyers Survey in Middlesbrough

We have made an offer for a home with a converted attic in Middlesbrough, but we are worried about the cost of roof repairs. What aspects of the loft will be considered in the survey?

Local properties that are otherwise ideal can often hide complications with the roof. All parts of the roof or loft, such as parapet walls, beams, tiles, or flashings, will be checked by the surveyor for their report. Problems can often arise in the case of flat roofs, caused by a slope of less than twelve to fifteen degrees.

Given the high cost of major roof repairs, like replacement of a failed dormer, some homeowners may defer maintenance indefinitely, which makes both the cause and the consequences harder and even more expensive to treat when repairs do finally take place. For assistance with quotes, you could contact a local contractor with accreditation Marton Roofing, 40 Grassington Road, Middlesbrough, TS4 3ET (Tel: 01642 850366), or Roofer Pro Middlesbrough, 27a Kings Road, Middlesbrough, TS3 6NG (Tel: 01642 931685).

For your free and instant Middlesbrough Home Survey quote, fill in a few short details in the form at the top of this page, or, if you would prefer to talk to somebody, give us a call on 08000327649.

There is a semi-detached house in the TS3 postcode area priced at £119,000. What things does a surveyor consider when calculating house prices in Middlesbrough?

A qualified RICS surveyor will go to the property as well as considering the wealth of area knowledge and factors that have a bearing on the value of property. There are a huge number of issues that could affect house prices (for example, the quality of nearby schools, or whether the garden is overlooked). It can help to benchmark selling-prices recorded for similar properties in Middlesbrough.

This means the average price of completed transactions for semi-detached houses in Middlesbrough in June 2018 was £115,881, which is £3,119 less than the asking price for the cited property. With regards to other types of property, the averages for the same month in Middlesbrough were:

Information © 2018 HM Land Registry. Retrieved from HM Land Registry website on 16 August 2018

An impartial way to get a formal house valuation is with a RICS Level 2 Survey, which includes a Property Valuation Report (PVR) as a core component. A qualified RICS surveyor will be part of the Valuer Registration Scheme, which reinforces professional standards.

If you need further guidance, why not try our online Home Survey Quote generator (scroll to the top of the page and fill in a few pieces of information) or call our team on 08000327649.

We are purchasing an 1870s cottage with stone walls in Middlesbrough, but what are the major potential issues?

If you are buying in Middlesbrough or anywhere else, you should be aware that stone walls can be much weaker than they appear, and the defects impacting a type of stone will vary according to its specific properties. Irregular stone often has a more rustic appearance, but the mortar used may be susceptible to a higher rate of decay, particularly in more polluted parts. The choice of stone will also impact the lifespan of a structure (for example, slate and granite are far more water-resistant than many other stones). Guidelines for better stone-wall upkeep include cleaning loose fragments and dirt before repointing or applying any treatment or fixative, to slow the rate of decay.

For more advice and assistance, why not call a member of Surveyor Local’s team of advisers on 08000327649?

There is suspected asbestos lagging in the building that we are looking to buy in Middlesbrough, but what exactly are the issues with asbestos?

Asbestos is a deleterious, fibrous material that comes in over sixty different varieties, although only three were regularly used in UK building before the outright ban in 1999: Chrysotile (white), amosite (brown) and crocidolite (blue). Before its significant impact on public health was fully understood, and because of its high-tensile strength and fire-retardant and sound-proofing qualities, asbestos was treated as a miracle substance, and, unsurprisingly, it found its way into many building products, including cement, lagging, and even paint.

Technically, all forms are carcinogenic and can lead to lung cancer or pleural disease if it is inhaled over sustained periods.

Should you find it, you must be careful not to displace or break it, and professional advice must be taken urgently. Because of the expense of removal, you might be tempted to try getting rid of it yourself, but it absolutely must be executed by trained experts.

Surveyors will not tell you whether there is asbestos present on a Middlesbrough home survey, but they will note any suspicions they have, and will suggest experts are consulted.

For more advice on what the survey can do for you, give Surveyor Local a call on 08000327649.

What is subsidence, and what can be done to remedy it if it is identified in our maisonette in Middlesbrough?

Movement of a building on a structural level is called subsidence, but there is a difference between settlement and subsidence, both of which may exhibit similar symptoms. In general, homes in Middlesbrough are constructed from a range of materials, each with a different shrinkage rate.

In areas of clay soil, a long period of dry weather will cause the moisture level to fall, drying it out and contracting the soil around the property as it does so, putting pressure on the structure, which can result in movement. Signs of potential subsidence include doors and windows that are more difficult to open.

Restoration work cannot begin until the original source of the movement is found. Removing or even pruning the trees causing subsidence may be enough to halt any further movement, although it may also exacerbate the problem, so it would be wise to call in an expert. Existing trees must be well-managed, and new trees should be planted at a safe distance from the exterior walls of the property. Place pine, birch and cherry trees, for example, at least 10m away from your and your neighbours’ houses. Even with professional help, a definite diagnosis of subsidence can take months.

For the most cost-effective choice for your survey needs, look no further than Surveyor Local. Call us on 08000327649 today to get the best chartered surveyors available.

Should we go for a full structural survey prior to investing in an extended, sixties, basement apartment in Middlesbrough?

The Full Structural Survey has been renamed by the RICS and is now known as the RICS Level 3 Survey, but it is essentially the same product. You should choose a RICS Level 3 Survey for the type of apartment mentioned in the question, because the RICS Level 2 Survey is only detailed enough if you are buying a non-period, unmodified apartment of standard construction materials (i.e. brick and tile). There are certain caveats that exist with any survey, because the surveyor will not, unless safe to do so, be able to force or open the fabric of the building, for example, or comment on efficiency of gas installations.

To find out more about which survey best suits your needs, give Surveyor Local’s team of survey advisers a call on 08000327649.

Can I get an independent and professional valuation and an estimate of rebuild costs for insurance purposes (including additional costs, such as reconstructing permanent outbuildings), and how will the surveyor in Middlesbrough calculate it?

A RICS Level 2 Survey on a Middlesbrough building will include a valuation by the surveyor, who is a registered valuer, which will also include a reinstatement cost estimate as a standard part of the offering. To fully consider the market value, your independent surveyor will combine their in-depth understanding of the Middlesbrough property market with other aspects of the property (e.g. style of architecture, or number of bedrooms), construction materials, key assumptions (such as there being no damaging materials used in its construction, or that there are no knotty legal issues affecting the sale), connection to mains utilities, access to amenities and transport links, and environmental issues (such as use of communal facilities or problematic roads and access).

A RICS Level 3 Survey does not include a valuation as standard, but one can be added for a small additional fee. Alternatively, a Property Valuation Report (PVR) can be commissioned.

To discuss your choice of survey to provide your valuation, why not call Surveyor Local’s waiting team of experts on 08000327649?

I am looking for advice on how to maintain Sussex bond brick courses on my terraced house in Middlesbrough, can your surveyor assist?

Brick has been the popular choice of construction product for centuries, so, unsurprisingly, many different approaches and designs for laying the courses of bricks have been developed over the years (for instance, Dutch bond, which is like English bond).

Brick-built homes demonstrate several benefits over those constructed with other materials, but equally they will also experience several common problems, which could be anything from thermal movement to lack of a damp-proof course. Such defects will be discussed in the report, identifying solutions or likely results if they are not resolved.

It may be appropriate to renegotiate the price of a property if a survey reveals even superficial brick wall problems. For repairs estimates, contact SL Building Services, 60 Wordsworth Road, Middlesbrough, TS6 9AZ (Tel: 07716 755369), or K Construction UK, 13a Stokesley Road, Middlesbrough, TS7 0NB (Tel: 07488 242249).

For your instant Middlesbrough Homebuyer’s Survey quote, try our online generator (scroll up to the form at the top of this page to get started), or give our team of advisers a call on 08000327649.

On a Middlesbrough RICS Level 2 Survey, what could a a green light rating mean for windows?

Aspects of the property in good or excellent condition are marked as 'green' with a condition rating of 1. Nevertheless, the surveyor may still recommend that regular upkeep is carried out. The RICS Level 2 Survey is designed to be user-friendly, with a minimum of technical jargon. Red, amber and green ratings give property purchasers indicate the impact on the property individual defects may have.

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. Deformation to a doorway or window frame is an example.

We believe this home is located on a flood plain. Is there a major flood risk? Would our RICS surveyor consider signs of flooding damage, or whether flooding has affected other properties?

Recent conflict between insurers has the government has caused a great deal of uncertainty, and the value of a home in an at-risk area may be impacted. It is easily possible to assess whether a house is susceptible to flooding via any of a number of routes.

Flood water can enter a home in Middlesbrough through several routes, including air bricks. Details relating to signs of flooding may be reported in Section J of the RICS Level 2 Survey. The surveyor may ask the property owner or occupier if the home in Middlesbrough has previously flooded. Note that the response to such enquires should not be exclusively relied upon.

Will there be any factors I need to look into when planning to buy a house in Middlesbrough near a conservation area ?

There are 9, 300 official conservation areas throughout England and Wales that are designated and monitored by local authorities. Surveyors in Middlesbrough are required by RICS to have knowledge of local issues and any effect they have with the building. Prices is, more often than not, higher than non conservation area equivalents as a result of them being largely unspoilt

Surveyors are trained to advise if the property is/might be in a conservation area and Section I of a Middlesbrough RICS Level 2 Survey will advise suitable questions are carried out during the conveyancing process. Unauthorised extensions to the property should be advised in your survey and these will be investigated in more detail by your conveyancer. Dobson and Sleeman are based in 29 Baker Street, Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, TS1 2LF might be able to advise further. Tel: 01642 231707