01-8430267
087-2371984
Prior to the purchase of a property, clients will be advised by their solicitor or their bank to have a pre-purchase house or apartment survey completed.
We conduct surveys and prepare written reports from as little as €350 incl. vat.
We are fully insured with professional indemnity, and public liability insurance.
Survey Reports can affect the asking price of a property if a large volume of remedial/repair work is required to be done.
We will normally turn reports around within four to five working days of the date of the inspection.
A pre-purchase house survey report which we prepare will typically be from 20-30 pages in length and include photographs to emphasise key points or issues of interest or concern.
We also include all the photographs taken on the day of inspection in a separate file as a visual record of the survey.
The report will typically comment on the following items:
Outlined Work – A bullet point summary of the works we feel are required to be carried out to bring the dwelling up to a good standard of accommodation.
Energy Efficiency
Subsequent Improvements, Extensions, Renovations and Energy Audits
The report will be in the format below, and will cover points under the following headings:
(Wet, dry, windy, sunny, cold, warm, hot, raining, snowing etc.)
Hot sunny, or cold weather can indicate how well a dormer roof is thermally insulated.
Wet weather can indicate leaking rain water gutters or rainwater pipes or other leaks visible internally.
This indicates how many bedrooms the property has, whether it is single storey, two storey, multi storey. It also indicates if it is detached, semi-detached, end of terrace, mid-terraced.
Other details will include the construction of the boundary walls(if present) whether they are masonry(block/brick/stone) or timber and an indication of the surrounds to the dwelling such as buildings to either side, roads, laneways, footpaths to side/rear, and other structures which may overshadow the dwelling or create excessive noise (dwelling possibly adjacent to an industrial estate).
This will also indicate the approximate age of the property.
Location in geographical terms – address, and/or if rural location, information sufficient to locate the dwelling. Comment on level of site (level/sloping/tiered site front to rear).
Description of number of bedrooms, presence of hall, stairs, kitchen, dining rooms, living rooms, bathrooms, en suite bathrooms, w.c.’s, sunrooms, conservatories, extensions, attic rooms, attic bedrooms.
This is a comment on any additional structures such as extensions, attic conversions, or obvious visible alterations to the original structure of the dwelling.
We will also query whether Certificates or Opinions of Compliance may be required via your solicitor from the vendors for same.
In some cases this heading will also comment on buildings/structures in adjacent dwellings which are excessive in size/over-shadowing, or overlooking from adjacent windows into private open space areas of the property such as the rear garden.
This comments on the condition of the Chimney Stacks, Flashing & Soakers from ground level.
This comments on the type of roof (or roofs) on the building, if they are pitched, hipped, flat-roofed. It will also comment on the finish, (slate, tile, concrete tile, torch on felt, mastic asphalt) and the general condition of same. This heading will also comment on the fascias and soffits of the building, whether they are timber, Upvc or other material such as brick or masonry corbelling and their general condition.
This comments on the material these are constructed from, their state of repair, if there are any visible leaks from same and/or missing sections of piping.
Comments will be made relating to the roof type (pitched/hipped/flat). Whether the attic space has been converted into a habitable room (e.g.bedroom). Levels of attic insulation(where visible) the type of cold water tank(Upvc, galvanised steel), and whether these and associated plumbing pipes have been correctly
thermally insulated. We will also comment on the possible presence of rodents and/or wasps nests.
This will observe the location of the attic hatch(es) whether they have been draught sealed, and/or thermally insulated, and whether the attic is accessible via a conventional stairs, stira fold out/sliding stairs or by an independent ladder.
A description of the main exterior walls of the dwelling and construction type –
Brick, Block, Stone, Render, dash render, nap plaster etc. It will also comment on any visible signs of ground heave, or visible cracking to walls which can be cosmetic, or structural in nature.
A comment will be made on the apparent functionality of the damp proof course in the walls, and whether sub-floor ventilation(generally required for raised timber floors) is present and/or effective.
Older dwellings will typically require a perimeter rising damp survey. Cills can also be checked to monitor the performance of cill damp proof courses. Perimeter damp checks are performed with damp levels being been taken just above skirtings and are indicated in percentage terms at the location of their reading. There is always moisture in the air, and all plaster walls will absorb moisture to some degree. When moisture levels move
in to the orange and red bands on the meter then this indicates additional moisture in the form of rising damp, leaking pipes, leaking roofs, leaking downpipes, failing damp proof courses/membranes etc.
A description of the type of external windows, and external doors throughout the dwelling(timber, timber sash, Upvc, metal, aluminium). Are they single/double/triple glazed. A comment on their state of repair, and whether the draught seals need to be repaired/maintained/replaced.
A description of the general appearance of the exterior of the building, if there is any cracking/holes etc. evident and whether the walls, or portion of walls need to be repaired/repainted.
A comment on the floor to ceiling heights of each respective floor in millimetres, and the finish to the ceilings, walls & partitions (painted plaster, stipple plaster, painted lined paper, wallpaper) and a comment on the quality and repair of finish to same, structural or cosmetic cracks evident (damage, holes, cracking, previous poor repair work, presence of damp/mould (checked with meter))
Number of visible fireplaces in dwelling to include general state of repair, additional fittings such as back boilers, gas fuel effect fires, heating systems where visible.
Floor type to ground and subsequent floors (concrete, raised timber) and floor finish to each room (solid or laminate floor, carpet, tile, linoleum etc.) and the general state of repair to floor finishes.
Comment on the quality and finish of internal fitted units in the kitchen, bedrooms, living room, bathrooms etc. Comment on the finish of Internal doors, door frames, skirting boards, and sundry joinery.
Amount of room vents, mechanical vents to kitchen, and bathrooms (or window trickle vents) visible at the time of survey. All rooms require ventilation, and room vents should be fitted (where required) to meet appropriate ventilation standards, with mechanical ventilation to all bathrooms, and kitchen, all extracting to the exterior of the dwelling.
Comment on general standard of decoration very bad/poor/reasonable/good/very good/excellent and suitability for Short/medium/long term occupation in current condition.
Comment on location of E.S.B. meter, and E.L.C.B. or fuse board and general condition of same.
Description of heating system(gas/oil fired/solid fuel/back boiler, and location internally/externally in outhouse to include comment as to whether the system was operating on the day of the inspection.
Description of number of bathrooms, en suite bathrooms, and w.c.’s throughout dwelling to include internal description of same(number of baths, toilets, wash hand basins, and showers/bath showers.
Location and number of internal/external soil vent pipes serving same. Comment on type and location of hot water cylinder within dwelling. Comment on condition of associated piping and if cylinder requires maintenance / repair.
Comment on external drainage connections.
Comment on number, location, construction material and state of repair of outbuildings to include boiler houses, general sheds and timber Barna type sheds.
Overall comment on condition of dwelling taken in its entirety.
Outlined Work
A bullet point summary of the works we feel are required to be carried out to bring the dwelling up to a good standard of accommodation.
For a sample dwelling (a single storey end of terrace dwelling with raised timber floors, single storey flat-roofed extensions to rear constructed c.1900 – a dwelling in a poor state of repair) these would typically have included:
The Site
Comment on the site, the construction of its boundaries, on, or off street parking and whether we feel the building is structurally sound.
Please see some other examples of defect – damage reports below:
We offer a full suite of services that compliment the conveyancing procedure
being conducted by your solicitor including:
Maps . Legal Maps . Land Registry Maps . First Registration Maps – from €250
Certificates of Compliance . Opinions of Compliance – from €250
Building Energy Rating Certificates – from €250
Planning Retention permissions – from €1500
Please contact our offices on 01-8430267 for a quotation
Give us a call or fill out the form on the left and we endeavour to answer all enquiries within 24 hours on business days. We will be happy to answer your questions.
Bell Associates,
Executive House,
Whitestown Road,
Rush,
Co. Dublin. K56 KW99
01-8430267 | 087-2371984
