Browse through our blog posts for the latest industry news, discover more about surveying, Chartered Surveying guides and find out what the Harrison Clarke team have been up to.
You notice a hairline crack running across the wall. Then a door that used to close smoothly suddenly sticks. A few weeks later, the gap’s grown wider. At first, it feels like a small issue — maybe just an old house settling. But sometimes, those subtle shifts tell a bigger story. One that starts not […]
Do you get on with your neighbours? Do you talk to them regularly, or just nod and smile when you see them in the driveway? It doesn’t matter how well you know them or how friendly you are, it’s all too easy to end up in a heated dispute about bricks, boundaries and building works. […]
Whether you’re a commercial landlord or a tenant, a schedule of dilapidations is an absolute must. Landlords can use schedules of dilapidations to demand their tenants pay them tens, or even hundreds of thousands of pounds at the end of the lease. Unlike residential tenancies, commercial leases don’t have fair wear and tear clauses. This […]
Gather in folks, who’s ready for a story? Today, rather than tell you about an aspect of surveying, we thought we would share a client story with you, to show you just how important having a survey can be when you’re buying a home. This particular issue is something we come across a lot, and […]
Did you know that before we write a single word of your RICS Level 3 survey, the document already contains over 5,000 words of standard content? And when we do start writing, we can sometimes hit over 10,000 words on some properties? That means that your level 3 survey could be longer than many university […]
If you work in the construction industry, you must understand the tendering process. It’s a critical part of making sure you’re getting the best value for money and securing the best contracts. If you’re doing work on your own property then you need to understand it too, since it will give you the confidence that […]
As surveyors, we often get enquiries from building owners saying, ‘I need a party wall agreement, can you help?’ The answer to that is yes! But first, let’s clarify a few things. Surveyors are the ones who prepare that ‘agreement’, which is formally known as a Party Wall Award. A single surveyor can prepare it […]
There’s something that’s been on our mind a lot lately. Why is it that so many industries have been evolving at such a rapid pace, but construction is lagging behind? We’ve gone from landlines to smartphones, post to instant messaging, and taxis to ride sharing. But what about construction? In so many ways, it still […]
You’re planning a building project, and it’s all going well. Or maybe your neighbour is sharing their extension plans with you, and you’re happily nodding along and asking questions. When the term ‘party wall surveyor’ is thrown into the mix. You pause. Do you actually need one? When should you hire one? And what does […]
If you’re a landlord or a tenant in a commercial lease arrangement, then the chances are you’ll need to deal with dilapidations. This is usually a result of the tenant’s failure to adhere to their lease clauses, and is used to protect the value of the landlord’s asset. Usually, a landlord will instruct their surveyor […]
Is your business about to enter into a new commercial lease? Let us ask you a question. Do you actually understand what your lease means, or its implications over the course of the lease? After all, getting it wrong could cost your business tens of thousands of pounds. You can easily get swept up in […]
Renovations can be incredibly exciting projects. You get to take your home (or business property) and transform it into something new, adding value and utility at the same time. Whether it’s a light refurbishment or a full-scale overhaul, the results can be fantastic, and it’s tempting to jump in with both feet and get going. […]
