Building Surveys Before Renovation: Why They Matter

Why Understanding the Building Comes First

Let’s start right at the beginning – why do you need a building survey before you renovate? 

In simple terms – because you need to know what you’re working with. It’s no good jumping right to the fun design phase if you don’t know the condition of the building. It would be like trying to paint without seeing the canvas first. And then you discover it has a big hole in the middle halfway through. 

A proper survey can give you the full picture. It’s essentially a deep dive into your property’s health, with a detailed assessment of the materials, structure and any signs of wear, damage or failure. This stops you from doing things like trying to install new electrics into damp walls, fitting a bespoke kitchen under a roof that’s leaking, or spending thousands on flooring when the subfloor is rotten. But a lot of people do exactly that, because they didn’t have that pre-work survey done.

Defects First, Design Second

One of the key messages we want to get across today (so you’ll see it a fair bit) is that renovation isn’t just about improvement. It’s about repair, preparation and then enhancement. Renovating a building without a building survey is like painting over rust. The result might look good for a while, but eventually the problem will come back, and you’ll spend a small fortune fixing it. A building survey helps you identify problems that need fixing before you start renovating.

That could be:

• Damp or moisture ingress in walls, floors or roofs.

These are just a few of the things that would need fixing before you even think about installing new materials on top of them. If you don’t, you’re just throwing good money after bad, and setting yourself up for more expense in the future.

A Real-World Example

Let us give you a quick, real-world example of what can be uncovered in a pre-refurbishment building survey.

We’d previously completed a level 3 survey for a client who was planning to refurbish the property. Once we understood the details of the property and what they wanted to do, we did a focused and bespoke inspection. Our inspectors identified a number of key issues with the property, including:

If the builders had gone ahead as planned, they would have just plastered over the damp, installed brand new cabinetry and sealed the problem in. A few months later, bubbling paint, mould and rotting units would have had them questioning what on earth went wrong. 

By identifying the defects early on, the clients were able to get the repair work done first. Yes, it delayed the project slightly, but it saved them a small fortune in future work.

Compatibility

Another thing that often gets overlooked is compatibility. Building surveys tell us what the building is made from, which lets us know whether new materials or systems are compatible with the existing structures. 

For example, say you’re trying to insulate solid brick walls. You need to understand how those walls behave. If they’re damp or unventilated, adding insulation on top can actually accelerate decay. The same goes for new underfloor heating systems – they need to be designed in a way that works with the building age, materials and condition. It’s not just about spotting what’s broken – it’s about making sure the new work is appropriate, durable and aligned with the building.

Better Planning, Better Budgeting

Let’s talk about money for a second. Because surveys aren’t just about safety. They’re also about budget control. Once you’ve identified defects, you can prioritise them. Some might need attention right now, while others can be scheduled into later phases of the renovation. With a building survey in hand, you can make informed decisions instead of stumbling across hidden surprises halfway through the project that eat up a huge chunk of your budget. 

And let’s face it – every renovation project has a budget. So the more you know up front, the better you can plan and allocate your resources. 

Teamwork and Communication

Finally, having a building survey done before any work means that you, your contractor, your architect and anyone else involved in the project are on the same page. When everyone understands the existing condition of the building, it’s much easier to design appropriate solutions, avoiding clashes or reworks later on. 

At Harrison Clarke, we work directly with project teams to translate the findings of our surveys into practical steps. Whether it’s sequencing the work in the right order, or helping your contractor plan ahead for tricky areas. We see the survey as the foundation of the whole project – not just some report to stick in a drawer.

Taking the First Step

So if you’re thinking of renovating, especially in an older or previously altered building, make sure you start with a building survey. It really is the foundation for everything that follows, and helps you:

The overall success of your project relies on the groundwork you do beforehand. Your pre-renovation survey will help you plan properly, and make sure you don’t end up having to re-renovate in a few years because you missed a defect. 

So if you’re at the beginning of your renovation journey, or even halfway through and need some clarity, we’re here to help. At Harrison Clarke we have a team of experts in everything surveys, including before renovation surveys that can shed light on your upcoming project. Just get in touch with us on 02381 55 00 51, and we’ll be happy to help.

For more expert advice on surveying and property matters, check out our range of informative videos on our website or YouTube channel. Harrison Clarke Chartered Surveyors is here to guide you every step of the way!

At the time of writing, we have a total of 143 reviews across Trustpilot and Google. We are proud to say that the average rating is over 4.9/5.