Building Regulations: Here’s What The Law Says You Can (And Can’t) Do
If you’re building a new property, renovating, or planning a home improvement, it’s important to know the legal elements. In the UK, building regulations ensure that structures are safe, sustainable, and suitable for the people who use them. They come from the Building Act 1984, and cover everything from fire safety to energy efficiency. If […]
What Is Subsidence and How Do You Spot It?
It’s a homeowner’s worst nightmare. You look at your walls one day and see cracks that weren’t there before. You tell yourself it’s the house ‘settling’, but in the back of your mind there’s one word going around – subsidence. But what exactly is subsidence? What causes it, and what should you do if you […]
How Much Does A House Survey Cost In 2025?
Buying a house can be a very expensive process. Most people need to save up a large amount for a deposit, and on top of that, you’ll need to pay solicitors’ fees, mortgage brokers’ fees and even estate agents’ fees. And that’s all before you’ve commissioned a professional building surveyor to inspect your new home. […]
Things You Need to Know When Buying a Flat
You’ve put an offer in on a flat, and you’ve just got the call to say it was accepted. Yay! Celebrations all round. You’ve been round the flat twice with the estate agent and the place looks like it’s in good nick.You’ve decided where to put your furniture, and have even convinced yourself that the […]
Planning an extension under the Party Wall Act
Our specialist Party Wall team of chartered surveyors at Southampton-based Harrison Clarke helps clients with Party Wall matters every day. In this article, we briefly explain what the Party Wall Act is, why it is needed, how it affects you when you are planning an extension, what your responsibilities are and why it is important […]
What Are LADs? Liquidated and Ascertained Damages
Let’s face it, the surveying world is full of acronyms, and we absolutely love using them! It’s mostly because a lot of the things in our world have very long, or overly complicated names – sometimes both! So we shorten them down to acronyms so that our conversations don’t last hours. Just one of those […]
Budgeting for Party Wall Works
In all our years of surveying, there is one thing that every single client we’ve worked with has talked about as a priority – money. Specifically, not spending too much of it! Whether you’re building an extension or converting your roof space, you need to make sure that you’ve budgeted for everything involved in the […]
An Update on Spray Foam Insulation
In the last few months there has been a lot of information, updates, and talk in the news about spray foam insulation. The government published reports, and this has sparked a lot of debate both in the public and in professional circles about materials and application, as well as spray foam methodology as a method […]
Help! There Are Cracks In My Building
What does it mean and what do I do about it? The first thing you need to do is not panic! There are numerous reasons that can cause a building to crack, and it is unlikely that cracking needs to be dealt with immediately, as most houses are very robust. The Building Research Establishment categorises […]
How to Spot and Stop Condensation in Your Home
As the milder weather of autumn fades and the cold snaps of winter make themselves at home, it’s pretty common to see more issues with mould and condensation inside homes and commercial properties. Condensation issues can affect properties of all ages and types – it’s not fussy – and the damage can be devastating. But […]