One of the first questions clients understandably ask when purchasing a commercial property is:
How much does a Commercial Building Survey cost?
There is no single answer. A small retail unit is very different to a multi-storey office, warehouse or mixed-use investment property. The survey fee therefore needs to reflect the building itself and the work required to provide the purchaser with a meaningful report.
At Stokemont, our Commercial Building Survey quotations are based upon the particular property rather than applying a one-size-fits-all fee.
What Affects the Cost?
There are several factors that will influence the survey fee.
Property Size
Unsurprisingly, the overall size of the building is important.
A larger property will generally take longer to inspect and is likely to contain more building elements for the surveyor to assess and report upon.
However, size is not the only consideration.
Age and Construction
Older properties can require considerably more investigation.
Traditional masonry, historic roofs, timber structures, basements and previous alterations can all add complexity to an inspection.
Equally, modern commercial buildings with specialist façades, extensive flat roofs or complicated construction can require detailed consideration.
Building Type
The nature of the property is also important.
A warehouse will raise different surveying considerations from an office, restaurant, high-street retail unit or mixed-use building.
The report should reflect the particular property rather than follow a generic checklist.
Access
Access can have a significant effect upon the scope of the inspection.
Roof areas may require specialist access arrangements. Large industrial sites may contain extensive external areas. Multi-let buildings can require several occupiers to provide access.
Where important areas cannot be inspected, those limitations should be clearly recorded.
Are Specialist Surveys Included?
A Commercial Building Survey is principally a Building Surveyor’s assessment of the property.
It does not automatically include specialist testing of electrical installations, lifts, mechanical plant, drainage or other specialist systems.
What if I Am Leasing Rather Than Buying?
The required scope may be different.
A tenant considering a lease may benefit from a Commercial Building Survey together with a Schedule of Condition.
The survey provides advice on the building, while the Schedule records its existing condition.
That distinction can be particularly important where repairing obligations are being negotiated.
Is the Cheapest Commercial Survey the Best?
Not necessarily.
Commercial property transactions can involve significant financial commitments, and selecting a surveyor solely on the basis of the lowest quotation can be a false economy if the resulting inspection is insufficient for the property concerned.
When comparing quotations, we would recommend considering:
- What areas will be inspected?
- What will the report cover?
- Are photographs included?
- Will significant defects be explained?
- Will future maintenance liabilities be considered?
- Who will actually undertake the inspection?
The scope of service is just as important as the headline fee.
A Survey Can Save Considerably More Than It Costs
A survey that identifies a significant roof defect, historic movement, widespread water ingress or another substantial liability before completion can be extremely valuable.
Obtain a Stokemont Commercial Survey Quote
At Stokemont, we provide clear quotations based upon the property and required scope of inspection.
If you are considering purchasing or leasing commercial premises, request a Commercial Building Survey quotation and we can confirm our fee, anticipated timescale and proposed approach.
