20 Oct, 2023/ by Surveyor Local /News
In September, Surveyor Local published a piece about how Artificial Intelligence (AI) might benefit the chartered surveyors as they complete your report on the structural integrity of the building you are proposing to buy.
In this article, we look at the process of digitalisation - the strategy for adopting and adapting new technologies - and how that might assist with the surveying process and the creation of the report.
The current position
As highlighted in the earlier article, the chartered surveyor's job is primarily manual. The appointed surveyor has to physically inspect all aspects of the property under review, even to the point of driving some distance to a vantage point and looking at the building through binoculars in order to get a greater perspective on the least accessible parts.
The times are, of course, changing. The surveyor has a plethora of tools at their disposal, with meters to measure certain problems, such as dampness, but they still rely on manual intervention and a keen eye to identify specific problems such as the state of the electrical system, existence of woodworm, dry rot, wet rot, and infestations of insects and rodents.
Looking to the future
As pointed out in the Artificial Intelligence article, serious analysis of how this technology can be deployed is already under discussion.
For example, the speed of computational calculations and comparisons is far superior to the human capabilities, so there is real benefit to be gained from looking at ways of using Artificial Intelligence in ways to improve the customer experience and the service provided.
Other technology that is worth exploiting is the use of drones, fitted with powerful cameras. Sending up one of these machines is cheap and efficient. Moreover, it allows the surveyor to make sweeps over otherwise inaccessible places such as the roof and chimneys, taking clear pictures for more intense analysis - and a better overall picture for you. And, with Artificial Intelligence, the computers can be trained to look for evidence of problems that are harder to find with the human eye.
This next one may sound like something dreamed up for science fiction, but scientists are actively developing an ‘electronic nose', which can seek out specific smells and chemical signatures. This might be useful in detecting certain problems associated with latent gases (like radon, or specific problems associated to potential contamination), or the early stages of rotting problems within the structure.
And virtual reality, while the principal preserve of the gaming community currently, can be a very useful tool for teaching new surveyors, or to update them in new techniques.
Finally, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors produces an annual Digitalisation in construction report, which discusses how the construction industry can employ advances in digital technology. With that information digitised, it seems reasonable that this data on newly-constructed buildings can be accessed and checked and verified as part of the survey.
Some of this is a fair way off from being used, but the digital revolution will be coming to the world of home surveys, and it can only improve things for you as the buyer of a new home.
So, you'll want to employ a surveyor who uses the latest techniques and provides a quality service for the best cost available for your survey. You want to be assured that you'll receive the best service for your money.
And that's where it is really worth contacting Surveyor Local!
Not only will the surveyor work hard to find all the problems affecting the property, they will also be keen to adopt new and proven technology in order to give the best survey possible.
Surveyor Local will provide a quote that will not change - what you are quoted is what you pay.
You'll get one of over 100 fully-qualified RICS surveyors, who is local to the property you are buying so they will know the area and bring that knowledge to their assessment and their analysis of the issues with the new home.
Next-day bookings are usually available, and your appointed surveyor will look after arranging access to the property with the estate agent and the seller. Once the survey is complete, they will send you a PDF copy of the report by email.
Call to get your survey quote started, or to discuss your concerns with the acquisition of your planned property.
Or you can get a quick quote, using Surveyor Local's easy-to-use quote generator. Simply input your name, postcode, email address, phone number and an approximate value of the property (usually the agreed price), and we'll give you an instant quote for the work (with an email copy).
We'll do the rest once you confirm your acceptance of the quote.