Building condition surveys are a vital tool for commercial building occupiers and owners.  Key to any property strategy is understanding the building’s condition, as it will allow you to understand current technical risks, likely expenditure and avoid interruption of the building’s use.

A building condition survey looks at a property on an elemental basis, i.e. it will describe the construction type and condition of the principal elements and sub-elements:

• Roofs/balconies/canopies

• Rainwater goods

• Walls and cladding/facades

• Windows, doors and joinery

• Structural frame

• Substructure/basement

• Floors

• Internal walls, ceilings, partitions and doors, including compartmentation for fire safety

• Finishes

• Internal and external staircases

• Sanitary and welfare facilities

• Building services (HVAC/electrical/hydraulics/vertical transportation

• External areas

Building condition surveys do not generally involve discussion of legal and statutory compliance, in the same way that our technical due diligence surveys do. However we will note significant non-compliances – such as passive fire issues – where identified.

Typically, building condition surveys are used by clients to understand the overall condition of a commercial building, so as to decide whether to retain the property or dispose/redevelop it.  Many of our clients are therefore interested in the budget costs for undertaking remedial works, and we ensure each of our reports is written to suit our clients’ specific needs.