Reports offering pre-purchase or pre-lease guidance, such as Commercial Building Surveys, Level 3 Residential Building Surveys, and Level 2 Homebuyer Reports, involve comprehensive inspection of the entire property.
SPECIFIC DEFECT REPORT
Building survey reports typically offer pre-purchase or pre-lease guidance. Examples include Commercial Building Surveys, Level 3 Residential Building Surveys, and Level 2 Homebuyer Reports. They involve comprehensive inspection of the entire property.
If, however, your concerns are targeted toward a specific aspect or defect of a property, then opting for a Specific Defect Report might be more suitable. This may be particularly relevant to individual concerns such as:
- inadequate or unusual construction
- structural movement
- decay and rot
- damp and condensation
The specific defect report provides detailed insight into the area in question so as to address and resolve concerns. However, such a report will not cover the many other elements of the property, which a Full Building Survey does.
Frequently asked questions
Can I just get a contractor to quote?
Clients often receive conflicting opinions from contractors, whereas a Specific Defect Report helps you identify the right solution as recommended by the surveyor.
Also, contractors often make work for themselves in a bid to win the job, whereas a surveyor acts independently and offers impartial advice. This could be particularly useful in making a decision regarding an insurance claim or legal dispute, which might be between client and contractor, landlord and tenant, or neighbours.