BSC (Subsidence Consultants and Party Wall Surveyors)

Description

Subsidence Consultants (structural engineers, building surveyors, and other building professionals specialising in subsidence);

We offer crack diagnosis and subsidence investigations (UK-wide), either by in person visit or by remote video link with a senior Subsidence Consultant (Structural Engineer / Building Surveyor). We have a network of subsidence surveyors across the UK who can visit you within 1-2 weeks, to discuss the matter and view the damage. Reports are then made by our office-based Subsidence Consultants following desk-studies.

Even if you don't think the minor cracks you have are due to subsidence, it will still be useful to get an independent professional diagnosis report. Firstly for peace on mind, but also because most buildings insurers are now requiring any cracks to be disclosed to them (at inception or renewal) and many pre-purchase surveyors who spot cracks (of any sort - even just minor ones) will require your buyer gets a professional diagnosis report before they are able to proceed with a mortgage. Having such a report already in advance (confirming that that the cracking is not structurally significant) enables sales to proceed without delays, and enables you to disclose the cracking to your insurers (backed by the report) without fear of jeopardising your insurance cover. These days many insurers dealing with claims (of any sort - fires, water damage etc. as well as structural damage) who discover old cracks will immediately look to void the policy from inception if they were not disclosed at inception or renewal. To fail to disclose cracks to insurers when requested makes paying insurance premiums a complete waste of money as the insurance could prove useless when you try to claim for anything.

Many targeted building inspections (i.e. for diagnosis of cracking or a specific known or suspected building defect) can be achieved remotely, by video call. One of our Subsidence Consultants (with many years experience in crack diagnosis and building inspections) will meet you via video link and guide you to show them the areas they want to see. They will discuss the circumstances of the problem with you during the video call and also carry out a desk study (of local geological survey maps, and borehole records etc.). A written report is then produced as normal.

The fee for an in-person survey is £395 + vat, and a remote survey is reduced at £295 + vat, and no fee would be payable if we were unable to diagnose the problem for some reason (i.e. poor signal). Both include a written report.

PLEASE NOTE - this service isn't suitable for purchasers.

In London and some surrounding areas our Subsidence Consultants may be able to visit in person (including if you are a purchaser). The cost of this service (again including report) is £475 + vat

We also offer Subsidence Risk Assessments (for people without cracking or subsidence looking for property-specific advice on how to avoid it happening) - see www.bandsc.co.uk/subsidence/risk-assessments/

You might also be interested in looking at the Facebook group UK Subsidence (clay shrinkage and trees) which we run to share subsidence concerns / experiences - members can post questions and tap some experts up for tips and free advice. See www.facebook.com/groups/subsidence

Party Wall Surveyors;

We are also experienced Party Wall Surveyors, Bob Gibson being a senior Fellow of the Faculty of Party Wall Surveyors, and having been a PW surveyor for over 30 years. Many people don't realise that Party Wall Notices don't need to be served in cases where the risk is minor. We offer a Party Wall Risk & Applicability Assessment (remote) at a cost of £295 + vat (for details www.bandsc.co.uk/party-wall-risk-applicability-assessment/). If we subsequently prepare a Party Wall Award for you, this cost is offset against the cost of the Award. This is a written advice and if we assess the risk as too minor to trigger the Party Wall Act, then an adjoining owner may be reassured to know that, and that they still enjoy common law rights anyway.

Ad ID: 8451770368