SR Surveyors

For home owners it is a good idea to have a survey carried out during/prior to carrying out any redecorating, refurbishment or new building works when existing problems can surface, or new problems arise. This is also the ideal time to open up enclosed areas (such as plaster boards, wall panelling or floor coverings) for a more in-depth inspection.

We are also available for property developers involved in commercial property and recommend that a full survey is carried out prior to purchase as repairs can be costly especially if dry rot is present. We have recently carried out a full damp and timber survey at a large public house in the centre of the town, the property comprised of a large cellar, bar area and two storeys for domestic dwelling use – following the survey our findings uncovered various issues which amounted to over £100,000 worth of damage – the property could not be developed without these works being carried out and therefore our survey had a major impact on the planning stage and ultimately prepared our client, saving them a lot of money in the long run. Please see services and fees page for more information about damp and timber surveys to commercial property.

Damp or timber infestation can occur at any time due to physical and environmental changes. For instance, if a property has had a damp proof course installed and then at a later stage has a driveway, pathway or garden wall added externally, the change in levels may cause the dpc to become breached causing the damp proofing to become ineffective, other types of damp proofing can break down over time such as bituminous dpc and membranes can fail if punctured/torn.

Rot causing spores exist in the air and can only thrive when there is a source of food (different types of rot affect different types of timber). Rot and beetle infestation occur when environmental conditions allow – this can be altered by changes in temperature, amount of airflow and moisture content.