Blogs from the team
20th Anniversary Cycle Challenge For Charity
In 2024, we are celebrating our 20th year in practice. As part of our celebrations, we have decided to set a challenge of a virtual cycle ride from Brighton to the North Pole over 100 days, starting on 5th February 2024. This will be a hard test for the 13...
Building With Bungaroosh: From France To Brighton
Call me sad, but the most interesting thing for me about going to another country on holiday is being able to investigate and compare differing methods of construction. I was in France recently and we rented a small house in the Dordogne. My first impression was...
Strengthening And Levelling Wooden Floors In An 18th Century Property
This article is part of a series I am writing about our fixer-upper: an 18th Century pub in the middle of the Sussex countryside. In each article I will explore another aspect of its restoration. The first in the series is: Restoration Of An 18th Century Pub. This...
Shared Ownership Schemes
We often provide valuations to help people who are part of a Shared Ownership scheme. What is Shared Ownership? Shared Ownership or ‘Help To Buy’ schemes are for people who can't quite afford a mortgage on 100% of a home. Through the scheme, you can buy a share of...
What To Check Before Designing A Loft Conversion
You may have exciting plans for the space you’re going to create on the new top floor of your property but before going ahead with the design of a loft conversion, there are three key areas to check: planning legislation, building control and the Party Wall etc Act...
Restoration Of An 18th Century Pub
Recently, I purchased part of an old pub, which dates from the late 18th Century. The property is in a dilapidated state and in need of many repairs, which include a complete new heating system, electrics, and addressing damp issues and cracks in the building....
Party Wall Act Questions & Answers
We are frequently asked the following questions relating to party walls and The Party Wall etc. Act 1996. If you have a specific matter on which you would like advice, please get in touch. What is a party wall? A party wall is a wall which sits on a boundary line...
How To Apply For A Dropped Kerb
If you need to drive over the pavement to access the front of your property, you will need to apply for a dropped kerb - this is officially known as a vehicle crossover application. It is illegal to drive over a footway where the kerb has not been lowered. This is...
Why Use A Surveyor To Design Your Loft Conversion?
Sad news for customers of DMB Solutions who say they have been left thousands of pounds out of pocket after the firm went into liquidation. (See: Brighton building firm DMB Solutions leaves dozens out of pocket). Deposits for a design and build service Some...
Flat Roof Problems: Silver Aluminium Paint
We recently inspected the flat roof of a large, 1950s, residential block of flats. Residents of the flats complained that the paint on their ceilings was flaking and dampness had started to appear. A quick inspection and the problem was clear. The contractors who...
When It’s OK To Plaster Over The Cracks
Would you be surprised to find cracks in a new building? When we're carrying out surveys, we often need to comment on cracks to internal surfaces in relatively new properties. These cracks generally appear where walls meet other walls or where walls meet ceilings....
Book Review: The Rising Damp Myth By Jeff Howell
This book on rising damp is well known in surveying circles, even though most surveyors have never read it. After many years of prevarication, I finally took the plunge and read 'The Rising Damp Myth'. In this book, Jeff Howell attacks the assumptions that have...