Employing contractors Surveyors

A surveyor is useful if you are considering a loft conversion, extension, re-roofing your property or doing any work that may affect the structure. You will need a specialist surveyor for this, often called a structural surveyor. They can advise you about what is required from a building regulations perspective.

Surveyors can give likely costings for the work

Contacting a surveyor is particularly helpful if you are using a package company, having plans produced without any ongoing architectural support or carrying out the project yourself. They can help you to achieve what you want and ensure that the result is a safe structure that abides by the regulations.

A party wall surveyor will assist if you are carrying out any work to a wall shared with a neighbour or where your project could affect the foundations of another property. They can advise on the legislation involved and help ensure an independent survey is carried out so that your home improvements don’t do any damage to other properties.

What surveyors do

A surveyor will come and visit the property, go through your plans and advise on what issues the changes create. He or she will also be able to give you likely costings for the work and some will have contacts that can carry out the work for you.

Choosing a surveyor

Surveyors carry out many different kinds of work. Much of it is for commercial buildings and surveys for people buying or selling a home, so you will need to find a local surveyor that has experience, the time and is happy to carry out the kind of work you want.

More information

See the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors’ website www.rics.org.uk.