Expert advice, before you commit to the property
Purchasing a commercial property can represent a significant financial commitment.
Whether you are buying an investment property, acquiring premises for your own business or purchasing a building for redevelopment, understanding its condition before exchange is essential.
Stokemont’s Commercial Building Surveys provide a detailed assessment of the property before you complete your purchase.
Our surveyors inspect the building, identify defects and areas of concern, consider future maintenance liabilities and provide practical advice on the likely implications and costs.
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What is a Commercial Building Survey?
A Commercial Building Survey is a comprehensive inspection of a commercial property undertaken before acquisition.
Unlike a residential home survey, commercial buildings can present significantly wider considerations. Larger roof areas, plant installations, extensive external façades, commercial drainage, structural alterations, previous tenant fit-outs and long-term maintenance liabilities can all have substantial cost implications.
Our survey is designed to identify these issues before you become the legal owner.
Following our inspection, you will receive a comprehensive report setting out the condition of the property, defects identified, recommended actions and areas where further investigation may be required.
This enables you to make an informed decision before exchange and, where appropriate, use the survey findings during negotiations with the seller.
What Commercial Properties Do We Survey?
Our surveyors inspect a wide range of commercial and mixed-use properties, including:
- Offices
- Retail units
- Shops
- Restaurants
- Warehouses
- Industrial units
- Mixed-use buildings
- Commercial investment properties
- Converted buildings
- Development opportunities
Every commercial property is different, which is why our surveys are tailored to the specific building rather than approached using a one-size-fits-all checklist.
What Does a Commercial Building Surveyor Inspect?
Depending on the building and the scope of instruction, our inspection will typically consider:
- Roof coverings, roof structures and rainwater goods
- External walls, façades, brickwork, render and cladding
- Structural movement, cracking and signs of settlement
- Internal walls, floors and ceilings
- Damp, water penetration and condensation
- Windows, doors and external joinery
- Basements, vaults and lower-ground areas
- Drainage and visible above-ground services
- Mechanical and electrical installations from a building surveying perspective
- Previous alterations and extensions
- Fire separation and visible fire-safety considerations
- Access arrangements and common parts
- External areas, yards, boundaries and hardstanding
- Evidence of deterioration, disrepair or inadequate maintenance
- Areas where specialist investigation may be advisable
- Likely future maintenance and repair liabilities
Common Issues We Identify During Commercial Building Surveys
Roof Defects
Commercial buildings often have large flat, pitched or composite roof systems. Ageing coverings, defective detailing, blocked outlets and poor historic repairs can result in significant water ingress and replacement costs.
Our surveyors assess the visible condition of the roof and identify areas requiring repair, further investigation or future replacement.
Damp and Water Ingress
Water penetration is one of the most common defects encountered within buildings.
The cause can range from defective roofs and rainwater goods to failed pointing, external ground levels, defective waterproofing or plumbing leaks.
Rather than simply identifying that damp exists, our surveyors aim to provide an opinion on the likely cause and appropriate next steps.
Structural Movement
However, where cracking or movement is present, it needs to be properly considered.
Our surveyors assess the pattern and nature of visible movement and advise whether monitoring, repair or further structural engineering investigation is appropriate.
External Façades
Defective brickwork, failing render, deteriorating pointing, corrosion, damaged cladding and poorly maintained windows can all result in significant expenditure.
Understanding the condition of the external envelope is therefore an important part of the Building process.
Previous Alterations
Commercial properties are frequently adapted over their lifetime.
Walls may have been removed, openings formed, mezzanines installed, plant added or previous tenant fit-outs undertaken.
Our surveyors will consider visible alterations and highlight areas where further documentation, approvals or specialist input may be appropriate.
Services and Plant
Commercial buildings can contain extensive mechanical, electrical, heating, ventilation and other plant installations.
A building survey is not a specialist mechanical and electrical survey. However, our surveyor will consider the visible condition of installations and advise where specialist testing or further investigation should be obtained before purchase.
Stokemont’s Cost Ratings
To help you gain an informed understanding of cost in respect of each defect and issue our Surveyor’s locate. We include a cost rating chart setting out likely cost in an easy to follow: Low, Mid & High rating system.
We’ve classified these ratings as follows:
Low Cost
These are costs towards the lower end of the spectrum. We’d classify these as less than £1,000.00.
Mid Cost
These are costs towards the mid end of the spectrum. We’d classify these as £1,000.00 – £5,000.00.
High Cost
These are costs towards the upper end of the spectrum. We’d classify these as more than £5,000.00.
Commercial Building Surveys Condition Rating System
Whatever the condition rating is, here at Stokemont you will be sure to get reasoned and practical advice to best address and overcome the issue.
Condition Rating 1: Green
This means that there is no repair currently needed – It’s the best outcome!
Condition Rating 2: Amber
This means that the item being inspected has a defect that requires repairing or replacing. However, it is worth noting that the defect is not considered to be serious or urgent. – This is a medium rating confirming that the item may need attention at some point in the near future.
Condition Rating 3: Red
This means there are defects that are serious and/or need to be repaired, replaced or investigated urgently – This is the worst rating possible and will mean urgent attention and likely cost is required.
Commercial Building Surveying Costs
Here at Stokemont, we believe that Commercial Building Surveying costs should be transparent and clear.
We have an Instant Quote Feature that will enable you to get a fixed cost quotation, confirmation of timings and will enable survey booking.
Using the Survey to Renegotiate the Purchase
A Commercial Building Survey can provide important information before exchange.
If the survey identifies significant defects or maintenance liabilities that were not apparent when the purchase price was agreed, you may decide to raise these matters with the seller.
Depending on the circumstances, the findings may assist with negotiating a reduction in the purchase price, requesting that works are undertaken before completion, agreeing a retention or other contractual protection, obtaining specialist reports, or reconsidering whether the acquisition remains commercially viable.
Our Commercial Building Survey Reports
No generic report creator tools
We don’t use automated software to create our reports. Each and every report is dictated on site from start to finish by the Surveyor. While this takes longer to do, we believe it is the only way for Surveyors to truly complete a thorough and bespoke survey based off the facts that they find.
We don’t rush the inspection
We take our time during our surveys. Our Surveyors’ diaries are structured off the task at hand ensuing that they aren’t having to rush the inspection to move onto the next job. We don’t overload our Surveyors with consecutive inspections, this ensures they have the time to complete a thorough inspection and survey every time.
Attention to detail
We take great pride in ensuring our approach to the inspection and subsequent Surveyor report is detail driven. We will advise you of each and every aspect of the property that will result in cost for you as an incoming owner. This ensures you’re fully abreast of the facts, risks and costs.
Why Choose Stokemont for a Commercial Building Survey?
A building survey should form part of the wider due diligence undertaken when purchasing commercial property.
Depending on the property, our findings may identify matters that should subsequently be considered by your solicitor, structural engineer, mechanical and electrical consultant, environmental consultant, asbestos consultant or other specialist.
Where specialist input is required, we will make this clear within our report.
Our role is not simply to identify problems. It is to help ensure that you know which questions need answering before you commit to the purchase.
Commercial Building Surveying Experience
Commercial properties require a different approach from conventional residential surveying.
Our surveyors understand that the purchaser needs advice not only on defects, but also on future expenditure, repair liabilities and the practical implications of taking ownership of the building.
Detailed, Property-Specific Reports
We do not believe that commercially important property decisions should be based on generic observations.
Our reports are prepared around the property inspected and the issues identified during the survey.
Practical Advice
Identifying a defect without explaining its significance is of limited value.
Our surveyors provide practical advice on likely causes, remedial requirements and where further specialist investigation may be appropriate.
We Take the Time Required
Commercial properties can be complex, so we allow sufficient time for a thorough inspection.
Once the report is issued, we are also happy to discuss the key findings with you and your professional advisers.
See us in Action! These are some Commercial Building Surveys we have been involved in:
Team Qualifications
Our team of surveyors are not only highly experienced but importantly they are also qualified.
We’re proud to confirm our surveyors hold membership status and accreditation to some of the world’s leading professional governing bodies including; the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb), The Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE) and the Pyramus and Thisbe Club (P&T).
Here are some Commercial Building Surveys we’ve done in the past:
Holloway Road, North London, N7
The Stokemont Surveying team were pleased to assist one of our clients with the purchase of this ground-floor retail unit, located on Holloway Road in North London.
Timeline: 4 days
Praed Street, Paddington, W2
The Stokemont Surveying team were pleased to assist an investment client with the purchase of this mixed-use property on Praed Street, Paddington, W2, just a stone’s throw from Paddington Station.
Timeline: 3 days
Hook Road, Surbiton, Surrey, KT6
The Stokemont Surveying team were pleased to assist a fellow property professional with the purchase of this commercial unit, which included land and a garage workshop, on Hook Road, Surbiton, Surrey, KT6.
Timeline: 3 days
Commercial Building Survey FAQs
Closed
Why do I need a survey when purchasing a commercial property?
Commercial buildings can contain defects and future maintenance liabilities that may not be obvious during ordinary viewings. Understanding these before purchase allows you to assess the acquisition with the benefit of professional building surveying advice.
Will you inspect the entire building?
Where areas cannot be accessed, this will be identified within the report together with any recommendations for further investigation where appropriate.
Will you inspect the roof?
The extent of the inspection will depend upon safe access and the configuration of the building.
Where areas cannot be closely inspected, we will explain the limitation and advise whether further investigation is recommended.
Will you identify structural problems?
Where the findings warrant specialist structural calculations, opening-up works or engineering analysis, we will recommend that a structural engineer is appointed.
Can the report help me renegotiate the purchase price?
If significant defects or expenditure are identified, the report can provide supporting information when you discuss the purchase with the seller or your professional advisers.
Whether the purchase price is subsequently renegotiated is ultimately a commercial matter between the parties.
Can you speak with my solicitor or purchasing agent?
What happens if the survey identifies major problems?
This may include obtaining quotations, carrying out further investigations, appointing specialist consultants, seeking additional information from the seller or reconsidering the commercial terms of the acquisition.
What if I decide not to purchase the property?
Does the survey include mechanical and electrical testing?
We will visually consider accessible installations from a building surveying perspective. Where their age, condition or complexity warrants specialist investigation, we will recommend obtaining appropriate M&E advice or testing.
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