Desbruslais Chartered Surveyors specialise in pre-purchase surveys of residential homes throughout London and the home counties. Our clients include everyone from buying agents and law firms representing purchasers in prime central London, to private individuals buying their first home.
In the last year we prepared detailed reports on the condition of 650 properties, ranging from multimillion pound country estates and listed and period properties to city centre converted flats.
With over 25 years experience, Desbruslais offer a full range of surveying services and consultancy. See below for more details.
Listed Building Surveys
Preparing a Listed Building Survey can prove complex, and the advice provided by our reports is vital if you are to be fully informed of what you are taking on.
Historic England (the successor to English Heritage) says: “Listing marks and celebrates a building’s special architectural and historic interest, and also brings it under the consideration of the planning system, so that it can be protected for future generations.” Such buildings are not necessarily old, although there are few dated after 1945. If you buy (or lease) such a building you will not be allowed to carry out most forms of work to it without Listed Building Consent. Against this limitation, you may be acquiring a fascinating and pleasing building. You could, however, also be buying in to a catalogue of non-compliant changes made by previous owners.
A listed Building Survey is not just a report on the condition, but also provides advice on your potential liability to make good alterations that have no consent. This could mean making retrospective planning applications for listed building consent, and at worse, reinstating parts of the building to a previously consented form. Providing appropriate advice on such matters without potentially opening ‘a can of worms’ is a fine balance. We have special expertise in Listed properties, whether they be of stone, timber, brick, or unorthodox construction, and are well placed to understand and explain your future repairing requirements and liabilities.
Building Surveys
Choosing a home is an emotive decision and, increasingly, leads to a major financial commitment.
Our detailed building surveys explain the practical implications of your proposed purchase, whether the defects found are typical of the age and style of the building, and what repairs you should prioritise once you have moved in. Of course, no property is entirely without defect, especially those of an older type. Our experience and intricate understanding of construction and of period property means we can report effectively without causing unnecessary alarm.
While we do not carry out environmental searches (which your Solicitor will normally arrange), we will draw to your attention any relevant environmental issues which we may become aware of.
Our comprehensive inspections and succinct reports are essential reading for you, the buyer, and can prove priceless in the context of the commitment you are about to make. We will gladly liaise with your legal advisers over problematic issues that they may raise.
Archaeological Interpretative Survey
This is an investigation and recording of a building to establish its original character, dating and form, together with its numerous phases of alteration and addition through time.
The purpose for undertaking an Archaeological Interpretative Survey is typically to aid the formulation of a strategy for conservation, alteration or repair, as part of listed building or planning consent process. They are also carried out for interested property owners who wish to gain a better understanding of their building and have a lasting record.
The results of the investigation are produced in a report format which includes discussion of the findings, photographs and drawings. We provide varying levels of inspection and reporting, ranging from a basic record with brief commentary with or without sketches, to a comprehensive report with full discussion and measured drawings.
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Apartment Survey Report
Usually, the greatest liability for an apartment owner is the contribution toward the cost of maintaining the building.
Our bespoke Apartment Survey Report provides a detailed analysis of the apartment under review and a wider view of the condition of the building as a whole, with specific emphasis on the apparent standard of maintenance and management. This approach enables us to provide an overall opinion on your potential liabilities, even where large parts of the building are not accessible for inspection. For example, a clear lack of maintenance usually suggests the building is poorly managed, and insufficient funds are available for both routine and urgent works. The reports are illustrated, and required repairs are categorised in order of priority.
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Commercial Property Inspections
Whether you are purchasing an investment or acquiring for your own occupation we can provide a report tailored to your needs. If you are making a large investment you will require a full building survey and possibly specialist reports, which we can arrange.
If you are taking a Lease, we will check the appropriate clauses of the Lease, if available, to establish your repairing obligations. Standard Leases often do not take account of the variability of particular cases, which can give rise to later Landlord/Tenant disputes. In older town centres, you may be acquiring a Listed property. We can advise you on the specific issues arising.
Specifications
We can provide brief specifications for repair and maintenance work on blocks of flats, providing a description of works required based on a survey of the building.
Armed with this information, a building managers can arrange the repairs in the knowledge that works are prioritised and money is not wasted on unnecessary or inappropriate repairs.
Building Surveys
Choosing a home is an emotive decision and, increasingly, leads to a major financial commitment.
Our detailed building surveys explain the practical implications of your proposed purchase, whether the defects found are typical of the age and style of the building, and what repairs you should prioritise once you have moved in. Of course, no property is entirely without defect, especially those of an older type. Our experience and intricate understanding of construction and of period property means we can report effectively without causing unnecessary alarm.
While we do not carry out environmental searches (which your Solicitor will normally arrange), we will draw to your attention any relevant environmental issues which we may become aware of.
Our comprehensive inspections and succinct reports are essential reading for you, the buyer, and can prove priceless in the context of the commitment you are about to make. We will gladly liaise with your legal advisers over problematic issues that they may raise.
Apartment Survey Report
Usually, the greatest liability for an apartment owner is the contribution toward the cost of maintaining the building.
Our bespoke Apartment Survey Report provides a detailed analysis of the apartment under review and a wider view of the condition of the building as a whole, with specific emphasis on the apparent standard of maintenance and management. This approach enables us to provide an overall opinion on your potential liabilities, even where large parts of the building are not accessible for inspection. For example, a clear lack of maintenance usually suggests the building is poorly managed, and insufficient funds are available for both routine and urgent works. The reports are illustrated, and required repairs are categorised in order of priority.
Listed Buildings
Such buildings are not necessarily old, although there are few dated after 1945. If you buy (or lease) such a building you will not be allowed to carry out most forms of work to it without Listed Building Consent. Against this limitation, you may be acquiring a fascinating and pleasing building.
We have special expertise in Listed properties, whether they be of stone, timber, brick, or unorthodox construction, and are well placed to understand and explain your future repairing requirements.
Archaeological Interpretative Survey
This survey is an investigation and recording of a building to establish its original character, dating and form, together with its numerous phases of alteration and addition through time.
The purpose for undertaking an Archaeological Interpretative Survey is typically to aid the formulation of a strategy for conservation, alteration or repair, as part of listed building or planning consent process. They are also carried out for interested property owners who wish to gain a better understanding of their building and have a lasting record.
The results of the investigation are produced in a report format which includes discussion of the findings, photographs and drawings. We provide varying levels of inspection and reporting, ranging from a basic record with brief commentary with or without sketches, to a comprehensive report with full discussion and measured drawings.
Commercial Property Inspections
If you are taking a Lease, we will check the appropriate clauses of the Lease, if available, to establish your repairing obligations. Standard Leases often do not take account of the variability of particular cases, which can give rise to later Landlord/Tenant disputes.
In older town centres, you may be acquiring a Listed property. We can advise you on the specific issues arising.
Specifications
We can provide brief specifications for repair and maintenance work on blocks of flats, providing a description of works required based on a survey of the building.
Armed with this information, a building managers can arrange the repairs in the knowledge that works are prioritised and money is not wasted on unnecessary or inappropriate repairs.