This is not an exhaustive or a complete subject. It is likely to change over time, with edits, additions and deletions, and is simply a collection of my thoughts based on many years of experience. You should follow your instincts, and you must always seek your own professional advice.
To the general consumer, all building surveys and all surveyors are the same. This isn’t actually the case. In fact, it is very far from the truth.
My work in the heritage sector is very much a specialism which takes many years, decades perhaps, to really learn and understand. However, this point is sometimes ignored when consumers are seeking quotes and many will most likely just assume that a survey fee of £500 will lead to a considerable cost saving compared to a survey fee of £2000. The outcome will never be the same. I often use the analogy of a box of cornflakes. Whether you buy that box from any of the supermarkets of your choice, it will still be the same box of cornflakes. You might just save a little money. Surveys are not like this. There isn’t a defined product which is a ‘building survey’. The consumer can’t possibly compare a £500 fee with a £2000 fee.
In the last ten years, there has been a rapid rise in the ‘corporate’ surveying sector. Some firms are chasing volume of surveys and this comes at the expense of quality. The consumer can’t expect a high quality level of advice when only paying a low fee and getting the report the next day – sometimes the same day.
Low quality leads to low levels of customer satisfaction.
A high quality building survey will come with some investment into finding an experienced and competent building surveyor who is suitable for that specific property. Surveyors are not all the same and can’t all do the same thing.
Disclaimer: Anything posted in this Blog is for general information only and it is not in any way intended to provide any advice, legal or otherwise, on any general or specific matter that you can rely on. You should always seek your own legal and surveying advice.