SR Surveyors

I've had a few clients query my survey fees lately, as they are finding cheaper alternatives elsewhere.

You really do pay for what you get with a survey, you are paying for knowledge and experience and the extent of the survey and information you receive in a report will differ vastly between surveyors, and may be the difference between expensive treatment recommendations that may not actually be required, a report full of caveats and the need for numerous 'further inspection' , and a report which identifies the problem, cause and gives straightforward advice. The difference in this can equate to huge sums of money spent in the long run.

Before commissioning a survey, I would advise on speaking to the company/surveyor to ask exactly what is included in the survey and report and about the individuals qualifications and experience, as this also varies greatly in the industry.

If you are requiring any surveys undertaking and would like to speak to me about my services, I would be happy to go through details over the phone or email.

All of the information and contact details can be found on my website at

Home SR Surveyors Damp and Timber Surveyor are regulated by the Property Care Association (PCA, formerly BWPDA). Our surveyor is qualified to CSRT and CSSW.

Further testing and clarification on spray foam insulation in a roof space!
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/moisture-risk-of-spray-foam-insulation-applied-to-timber-sloped-roofs?fbclid=IwAR2GD79Wql8O86IjTXXDU1YeVyyAAflyKRz4q9SaOjEfjguBVsw7WxHTq9E

Moisture risk of spray foam insulation applied to timber sloped roofs An investigation of moisture risk when spray foam insulation is applied to timber sloped roofs with different resistance underlays.

Beautiful sunny day, with Spring fast approaching. This is always the month that property sales activity seems to pick up. If you're thinking of buying or selling your property and need any surveys or advice on the survey types please get in touch. Some of the surveys I offer are as follows and can also be combined:

*Homebuyers level 2
*Damp and Timber
*Condensation/mould assessment
*Cavity wall tie survey
*Heatloss, insulation and thermal assessment
*Spray foam insulation assessment

There's been a lot of recent press reports about health concerns surrounding damp and mould in homes, mortgage restrictions on spray foam insulation in roof spaces and making your home more energy efficient by reducing heat loss. If you have been worried about any of these issues, feel free to get in touch and I will help/explain the issues. I also offer surveys and home reports on all of the above, which will advise on causes, defects, recommendations and budget costs.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-63607793.amp

There are instances that can be deemed 'low risk' and these can have mortgage approval. If you need an assessment on spray foam insulation, please get in touch.

People warned not to use 'cowboy' foam insulation firms Homeowners should check carefully that companies are reputable before hiring them, says Nationwide.

Cancellation appointments have become available this week, due to delays on building works on two of the sites. If anyone is wanting a survey or consultation, I have availability this week, any surveys booked for the rest of the month will receive 10% discount on all survey types 😊

Yorkshire Prestige Awards Prestige Awards

Can't wait for the awards weekend at Hazlewood Castle in York 🥂

New business cards 👩‍💼

We are available to work nationwide, with surveys in Surrey, Hertfordshire, Grantham, Newark, Hull and Richmond in the next couple of weeks and enquiries from Northern Ireland...

These are mainly specialist surveys inc borescope inspections, speedy carbide testing and spray foam installation intrusive surveys, where surveyors are limited.

If you are requiring a survey anywhere in the country please get in touch via the website and please share 🙏

I have recently carried out an intrusive survey on a roof with spray foam insulation, working to the PCA protocol (March 2023). Following the survey, I deemed the installation low risk and provided a report with the factual findings of the survey and reference to all pre-installation checks and documentation that had been provided by the installers. The mortgage was approved. Whilst there is a lot of controversy around this, I do not believe that it should always result in unmortgageable unless removed and/or re-roofed, if installed as per guidelines and with the pre checks and correct documentation. The PCA recently held a very informative and practical course around this, which gave a logical view of how to give a reasonable risk rating, which I have seen that some mortgage lenders are taking on board. So if you do have a client with nowhere to go on this, there may be this option for them with the right lender and if it meets with correct protocol.

This weekend I am working on a report following an assessment of a roof space, after having spray foam insulation installed. The report is required by the mortgage lendor and the inspection includes external roof condition, internal roof condition, insulation type and installation quality, roof timber condition and moisture content and humidity/ventilation assessment. If you have had spray foam insulation installed into your roof space and require an assessment of this please get in touch via our website at www.srsurveyors.co.uk

House surveys can be a bit of a minefield when deciding on which level to choose or whether to have specialist surveys carried out.

In some circumstances a valuation report which is carried out by the lendor may request surveys Inc damp and timber and cavity wall tie inspections as a condition of the valuation.

In other cases you may prefer to have a homebuyers survey carried out which looks at the whole property and lists any defect with the property. However, these will usually request further inspections from other specialists Inc separate damp and timber surveys and cavity wall tie surveys.

We differ from other surveying companies in that we can offer all 3 of the type of surveys mentioned (along with others, as listed on the website). Surveys generally take 2-3 weeks to arrange from booking to receiving the report and each one can be in excess of £300-£500, by combining the surveys we can save you time, hassle and money.

If you need any help or advice on any surveying services you require for your property or a property you are in the process of buying, please get in touch.

Home SR Surveyors Damp and Timber Surveyor are regulated by the Property Care Association (PCA, formerly BWPDA). Our surveyor is qualified to CSRT and CSSW.

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Yorkshire Prestige Awards Winners 🥳🏆

We will be needing assistance over the next few months to work with our surveyors, at the moment it is only short term but may extend on sub-contract basis, but it would involve some working away. Please message me or email at [email protected] if interested.

The cost of living crisis and rise in energy bills has made everybody more aware of the energy we use and as a result of this many of us are seeing greater problems with damp and condensation within our homes, this is also widely reported on the news, with mould becoming a problem and health hazard.

Over the past year we have been undertaking assessments and borescope inspections to check the type, condition and effectiveness of cavity wall insulation and providing an assessment of properties in order to make recommendations on improving the effectiveness of a property retaining heat, meaning less heating bills.

As with the airtightness page I am going to be adding some information to the website, but in the meantime, if anyone would like to know some more information on insulating your property or on the types of wall insulation, here it is...

Cavity wall insulation
Most properties built in the last 100 years have been built with two layers of wall, the outer-facing wall and an inner masonry block wall. In-between these two walls is a cavity. The purpose of this cavity is to prevent rainwater from seeping from the outside into the property.

In properties built in the past 20 years you would expect this cavity to have been filled with an insulator of some sort.

To reduce the amount of heat lost from a property it is recommended to have the cavity walls insulated. Filling the cavity with a material that stops heat transfer will do this, giving you reduced heating costs.

Cavity wall insulation could reduce your heating bills so much that it will pay for itself over a short period of time.

Types of cavity wall insulation:
Polystyrene Beading is the most popular choice of wall insulation. An advantage of using this method is that the equipment used in the process has a long nozzle that shoots the beads into hard-to-reach areas.

Potential problems can occur if the beads are ‘over-bonded’ or ‘under-bonded’. Pressure from over-bonded beads can cause cracking to the external wall allowing water to pass through to the internal wall via the hardened glue. To fix this problem you could be faced with removing the external wall of the property.
If under-bonded, insects can create nests between the beads which can cause dampness that can seep through the masonry wall. If any alterations are made on a property with under-bonded beading cavity, that requires removing bricks, the beads will escape (like opening a thousand bean bags!) and the cavity will partially empty.

Blown Mineral Wool is made from slag rock or glass which is broken down and spun into a fibre. It is then coated with a silicone making it water resistant.

There are potential problems with this type of insulation as whilst it is ‘water resistant’ it is not waterproof and if the property is exposed to heavy driving rain over long periods of time the chances are this water will seep into the property.
If the property is not insulated correctly when using a blown mineral wool you have the potential for large areas of the cavity not being filled sufficiently. It is injected into the cavity under a certain pressure to ensure full coverage, but if this is not carried out by recommended/registered installers you can’t guarantee the quality of the insulation. The cavity walls would have varying temperatures throughout the property enabling condensation/mould to form in areas not suitably filled.
Also, as with beaded insulation, insects can also nest amongst this type of insulation too.

Injected Urea Formaldehyde Foam is an insulation that many homes will have in their already insulated cavity walls, but it is no longer used.

Problems with this type of insulation are associated with the fact that when the foam comes into contact with moisture it disintegrates. This, as like the wool insulation, will cause the cavity to have varying temperatures.

In summary, all these types of cavity wall insulation have potential problems, that can be extremely costly. By insulating the wall and loft spaces within a property you are creating a humid box that is filled with moisture created from living and breathing, with no means of escape unless you correctly heat and ventilate your home. If the property is not suitably heated and ventilated when the cavity walls are insulated you are highly likely to have mould growing inside cold dead air spaces, such as cupboards.

Most properties that have had cavity wall insulated by a guaranteed installer will probably have a 25 year guarantee backed by CIGA (Cavity Installers Guarantee Agency). If within that 25 year period you require cavity wall ties replacing it could invalidate the guarantee. If your walls have slightly recessed joints or the rendering looks like it needs painting and you have damp caused by insulation, you stand little chance of any form of compensation.

Conclusion: Cavity wall insulation in the form of a loose fill should be avoided.

So how should you insulate your property?

To avoid causing a ‘bridge’ between the outer and inner walls, thus preventing water to transfer, the following methods are recommended:

Insulated Plasterboard
This is a great way to insulate your home, if a new build/full renovation, as all walls will be filled exactly the same ensuring an even coverage and temperature throughout.

Exterior Insulated Render
If the property is already rendered, this is an ideal insulator. Although it cannot be used on listed properties or properties within a conservation area.

Masonry Water Repellent Cream
This can be used on unpainted surfaces. The cream will keep external bricks dry meaning the bricks will be a slightly higher temperature than that of wet bricks. This insulator wouldn’t save you huge amounts of energy but it does help slightly.

Note: Heating and ventilation is required in all properties to reduce the risks of humidity and mould inside.

New services and web pages will be added this week following recent training in pulse airtightness training, so I thought I'd share a little information (this might need tweaking before adding to the main website, but here goes...)

We have trained surveyors in both the blower door method and the pulse test method, pulse test being the preferred due to the accuracy, efficiency and least disruptive method. The pulse method is now recognised as an approved method for both new build and existing dwelling.

Airtightness testing is something we will be hearing of more and more in the housing and building industry and is beneficial and productive for both new and existing buildings.

Landlords and Homeowners:
From April 2023 all let properties will require a minimum EPC rating of E and in 2025 this will move to a rating of C, at the moment an EPC is produced on an estimated score, usually giving a poorer rating than actual. Airtightness testing will allow the landlord to know to how the property is performing in terms of air leakage and therefore heat loss and this can be improved by undertaking an assessment of the property to find the areas of suspected air leakage whether this be due to ineffective or lack of insulation or physical gaps in the fabric of the building usually around utility inlets, windows and doors or around draughty floors and roofs. The tests should be carried out prior to an assessment being made and then again following the undertaking of recommended steps to improve airtightness of the building. This should then show how the property has been improved by providing a score of air leakage, with the aim to reduce the air leakage score significantly from the first test to the current test. This will subsequently improve the EPC rating of the property, improve the housing performance and reduce energy costs for the tenants.

Retrofit Installers:
In order to show the effectiveness of retrofit insulation, window and door improvements, roof improvements and general sealing up of a property it is imperative to conduct an airtightness test to prove the reduction in air leakage within a property.

New Build:
New build properties require airtightness testing which is now required on 100% of the new build stock, all new build properties should be achieving a score of 3-5 and would fail above 8. The pulse airtightness test provides an accurate report on the airtightness of a building within minutes and is the most efficient way of testing properties, particularly on larger housing plots.

If you think you would benefit from an assessment to improve your property and ultimately reduce your energy use and costs then please message or email for more information!

https://youtu.be/32tnGbsM6VU

We have had a tender awarded for Pulse Air Testing and this is a service we now offer as it is now an approved method under Building Regulation (Part L1a), for use in new builds.

The new building regulations have also stated that the tests must be carried out to all dwellings and no longer on a sample basis, with this method being more efficient than the blower door method.

For more information please call or email. Further information is also on the website.

Pulse Air Leakage Measurement Find out more about Pulse, Build Test Solution's innovative air permeability measurement system developed in collaboration with the University of Nottingham.

If your property generally suffers from problems with condensation and mould during the winter months, this is likely to become worse with the rise in living cost, as heating is turned down and electrical ventilation switched off.

If you would like a survey carrying out prior to winter to check for possible leaks, defects, problems with cavity insulation and a general energy check to ensure your property is more energy efficient, please get in touch. These are all factors that affect levels of damp and condensation.

www.srsurveyors.co.uk

Updated website with all surveying services and fees - www.srsurveyors.co.uk

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I will be working on the website over the next couple of weeks, after realising that there are many services we now offer that aren't yet listed on the site. In the meantime, I'm listing the services here, (so please share);

* DAMP SURVEYS
* TIMBER SURVEYS
* HOME SURVEYS
* CAVITY WALL TIE SURVEYS
* BORESCOPE INSPECTIONS
* EXPERT WITNESS REPORTS
* PHOTOGRAPHIC SCHEDULE OF CONDITION
* AIRTIGHTNESS TESTING
* COMMERCIAL SURVEYING
* LISTED/HERITAGE SURVEYS
* SPEEDY CARBIDE TESTING
* THERMAL IMAGING

Due to the cost increase on fuel, wages and general expenses, we are having to review the surveying fees, which will be shown on the website from this week. Any surveys booked before April 1st will be charged at the current rates, despite the date of the survey.

8 x Damp & Timber Reports to try to get through today followed by coursework prep for next week's Airtightness testing - if anybody is wanting an Airtightness test carrying out I will need 3 example properties to do for my final assessment 😀

With the full stamp duty holiday coming to an end yesterday, let's see if the housing market starts to come back to normal levels, as it's been non-stop lately.

Today I'm finalising a report with 597 photos to document the cavity findings on a commercial property, following last weeks borescope inspection and preparing fee proposals for commercial timber specialist reports, in the South. Whilst also programming works in for a local school and university campus.

We carry out RICS and mortgage approved home surveys incl specialist PCA damp and timber surveys, as well as commercial surveying for cavity surveys including for energy improvement works and wall tie condition and damp and timber infestation and decay reports. If anyone needs any further information, get in touch with all details on the website

www.srsurveyors.co.uk

Home SR Surveyors Damp and Timber Surveyor are regulated by the Property Care Association (PCA, formerly BWPDA). Our surveyor is qualified to CSRT and CSSW.

Working on my 100th report of 2021 💯 before the gym opens this afternoon 🤸‍♀️

One of the projects we surveyed has been entered into the Constructing Excellence Awards 🏆 Good luck to The Coach House, Gosforth. Amazing building and outstanding finish to the completed project ⛪ www.coachhousegosforth.com

The Coach House Gosforth The Coach House Gosforth, luxurious flats and houses located in the heart of Gosforth