Property surveys are an important part of home ownership and commercial developments, whether you’re in the process of buying, selling, or even building from scratch.

Multiskill’s experienced team of knowledgable surveyors cover all types of properties in Yorkshire, from period to new build, and are specialists in damp proofing, insect or fungal attacks, cavity wall tie failure, and even total basement conversion. It’s important to understand when a survey is required, and to know that it’s carried out in a timely manner by a qualified professional, to avoid the progression of the issue.

In this blog post, we explain the importance of property surveys, and what to expect when you book a survey with Multiskill.

What types of survey are there?

Multiskill provide all manner of surveys, for all types of properties and clients. We offer peace of mind for home buyers with our specialist damp and timber surveys, which we carry out during the purchase process, as well as valuations for lenders.

In addition, we also prepare damp and timber reports on behalf of specifiers, structural engineers and building contractors. Assessing fungal and insect attack is also a speciality of ours, with many years experience dealing with wet and dry rot, and wood worm. Another essential part of our work is examining the condition of cavity wall ties, identifying the type of wall tie used and if any corrosion is affecting the stability of the walls.

Our surveys cover domestic, commercial and industrial properties in Leeds and Bradford and across the West and North Yorkshire area. We’ve recently welcomed a new member to our team, Nic Glover, who is a qualified CSRT and CSSW surveyor. Nic specialises in surveys for damp proofing in new builds and commercial developments.

Why are surveys important?

Any type of issue with your property needs to be assessed in a timely manner, both so that the problem can be curtailed and so that further complications can be avoided.

An issue we see on a regular basis is with cavity wall ties. The introduction of cavity walls in the early 20th century provided insulation and protection against water ingress. The inner and outer leaves of the walls are ‘tied’ together by wall ties (iron straps) and over the years the ‘ties’ can corrode, causing horizontal cracking, visible on the external wall. We use endoscopic camera equipment to examine the condition of the existing ties and identify the type of wall tie used in the construction. If the ties have corroded affecting the stability of the walls, we will provide you with a replacement specification using modern stainless steel tie bars. 

Fungal and insect attack is another common issue. Wood worm, wood weevil, and deathwatch beetle are the problematic insects we see mostly in the north. The common furniture beetle is the most prevalent wood boring insect in the UK and infests internal structural timbers. Our surveyors base their treatment plan on the type of woodworm (or other wood boring insect), the size of the timber and the life cycle and activity of the infestation.

Clients will often come to us after putting their foot through a floorboard, or noticing cotton wool type growths on woodwork. These can be signs of wet or dry rot, which need to be attended to as soon as possible.

Dry rot affects large surface areas of timber and can produce a mass of Mycelium. Hyphal strands allow the fungi to spread and contaminate adjacent areas, so fast and effective treatment is important. Signs include a damp or musty smell, deep cracks in the timber grain, brittle timber or timber that crumbles in your hand, and patches of reddish coloured spore dust.

By contrast, wet rot is confined to areas of damp timber and masonry. The Mycelium can spread widely in conditions of high humidity, and is rarely seen without dark strands on damp masonry and timber. Signs include dark brown staining on the timber, splitting or longitudinal cracking along the grain of the timber, timber that is damp to touch, localised fungus growth, and crinkled paint on woodwork.

Surveyor and Contracts Director Phillip Slater said: “It is essential that any timber decay is identified quickly and accurately to ensure the correct treatment and to avoid further damage. Timber replacement may be necessary using preservative treated timber, with any existing in-situ joists protected with membrane and/or a damp proof course.We have over 50 years experience of the treatment of dry rot and wet rot, so our Yorkshire-based surveying team will quickly identify the type of fungal rot and recommend treatments.

“Surveys also play a part in future proofing building projects and developments, as it is imperative to ensure robust damp proofing. We work in close collaboration with developers and contractors and enjoy longstanding associations with our partners in the construction industry across Yorkshire, having worked on many prestigious buildings to preserve and maintain their structure.”

How long will it take?

This depends on the size of the property, the type of survey, and the extent of the issue. As an example though, a full timber and damp survey on an average sized three bedroom family home takes around 30 minutes, but a larger property may take closer to an hour.

What happens during the survey?

Your surveyor will arrive with all the tools and PPE necessary to carry out the type of survey you’ve booked. This may be specialist tools such as endoscopic cameras or highly sensitive damp meters, telescopic ladders, or simply full overalls and knee pads.

Our team have the experience to understand any issues that may not be visible to the untrained eye, and will always carry out a detailed inspection of the full property or the affected area as appropriate. Depending on the available access and the issue to be looked at, the surveyor may even crawl under the floor boards to ensure no stone is left unturned. Rest assured that your surveyor won’t disturb any furnishings and will be careful not to affect any decoration so that they leave your property just as they found it. 

What happens afterwards?

A typical report will be sent to you about 48 hours after the survey is carried out. More complex surveys may take longer though, especially if more extensive costings are to be calculated and multiple specialists involved. 

Your report will start with a property description, detailing how the property is built, the materials used, the age, condition of windows and doors, and signs of water ingress etc. Next, there’ll be a concise list of observations and findings, from which conclusions and recommendations will be detailed. Any pre-works required by client will be described, then specifications for the proposed treatment will be outlined, followed by your quotation. Finally, details of our insurance-backed guarantee will be included, and relevant advice from the Party Wall Act, plus what (if any) dust and noise can be expected whilst the work is carried out.

Our knowledgeable surveyors, all Yorkshire-based, can advise you on the type of survey most suitable, and recommend specialist treatments as required, from damp proofing and treatment for woodworm or dry rot, through to replacement of cavity wall ties. We also offer surveys for those of you who are considering a basement conversion or waterproofing a cellar. 

A timely report can prevent costly mistakes later. Our customers know we can be trusted, and that’s why they rely on us for accurate, independent advice for problems with their property.