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Glossary of Building Terms

A - Z

 

1stAssociated.co.uk can provide help and advice with regard to building surveys; both for residential and commercial properties, structural surveys, independent valuations, home buyers reports, structural reports, engineers reports, specific defects report if you have a specific property problem, i.e. dampness or cracking, or any other property matters.

Please call us on free phone 0800 298 5424 for a friendly chat with one of our surveyors.

Free phone 0800 298 5424


What is an Architect / Building Surveyor / Designer / Project Manager?

All of these can deal with the design and management of properties.

What is an Architect’s Warranty / Surveyor’s Warranty / NHBC Warranty / Zurich Warranty?

All of the above warranties mainly relate to new-build work, but can also relate to extensions.  Please see our comments on the NHBC Warranty.

Are you Nationwide and how far would you Travel?

We will travel nearly anywhere, and have travelled nearly everywhere to carry out building surveys.

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B

What is a Building Survey?

A Building Survey is an in depth report which can be carried out on all types of property.  The most frequently asked question is ‘What is the difference between a Building Survey and a Homebuyers Report?’   In summary we would say that a Homebuyers Report often refers you on to other experts, whereas a Building Survey or Structural Survey is conclusive with an Action Required section and an Anticipated Cost section.

The Homebuyers Report was developed as an economical survey and as such often surveyors are tasked to do many of these, so the time they have available to do them is limited, whereas, generally speaking, a Building Survey takes a day and is carried out by a specialist Building Surveyor.

What is a Building Surveyor when Qualified and Suitably Experienced?

A Building Surveyor is a specialist discipline in surveying.  A Building Surveyor understands problems associated with properties.  This type of surveyor is typically used for Structural Surveys or Building Surveys, but they also frequently carry out design work, project management work, party wall work and facilities management.

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C

What is Contiophora Puteana – Wet Rot?

Wet rot is relatively common and can often be found in timber fascia and soffit boards and timber windows and door frames.  It is very common in 1970s properties when poor quality timbers were frequently used and also in older properties where there has been a lack of maintenance.  Where wet rot affects the structural timbers in a property, which are those in the roof and the floor areas, it is more serious.  Wet rot will be looked for when carrying out a Building Survey / Structural Survey.

What is Condensation?

Condensation occurs where warm moisture carrying air meets cold air, for example in a bathroom after a shower where the warm air meets the coldness of the glass window pane.  Condensation will be looked for when carrying out a Building Survey / Structural Survey.

Is the Building Survey / Report Confidential for the Client only?

We usually recommend that you meet us at the property at the time we are carrying out the building survey where we can discuss our findings with you; you can then either make the decision for us to discuss any particular issues with the owner / vendor at the time or ask us to carry this out at a later date if required.

What is a Surveyor?

There are a number of disciplines within the Surveyor profession.  Each type of Surveyor has their own specific skill:

  • Valuation Surveyor
    A Valuation Surveyor is what is often referred to when talking about a Surveyor.  This role can involve valuing properties, both commercial and residential, also the sale of properties via an estate agency or auctioning and also the sale of goods such as antiques and fine art.
     
  • Building Surveyors (also Project Managers, Party Wall Surveyors and Dilapidations Surveyors
    A Building Surveyor is a specialist discipline in surveying.  A Building Surveyor understands problems associated with properties.  This type of surveyor is typically used for Structural Surveys or Building Surveys, but they also frequently carry out design work, project management work, party wall work and facilities management.
     
  • Quantity Surveyors – Construction Cost Management
    C Quantity Surveyors are the accountants of the building world, working predominantly on larger projects providing cost management and they are also sometimes known as Cost Consultants.
     
  • Mineral Surveyor
    Mineral Surveyors investigate whether a potential mining or quarrying site or landfill area can be commercially exploited.  This type of surveyor can carry out feasibility studies, sort out the rights to the land, carry out site and deposit surveying, mapping and the geomechanics of the area.
     
  • Land Surveyor / Hydrographic Surveyor
    Land surveyors work on construction and civil engineering projects and gather information and map the sites using this information for site plans.
     
    The mapping of offshore and inshore features, such as canals and waterways, under sea mining, navigational charts, exploring for gas and oil or finding and salvaging ships lost at sea etc is known as hydrographic surveying.

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D

What is a Dilapidation Report?

What is a dilapidation report?  This is typically a legal notice served on a lessee of a property when the lease is coming to the end.

What is Dry Rot - Serpula lacrymans?

This is probably the worse thing that can happen to the timber in your property, although it is very rare.  Dry rot eats the timber from the inside out; often it can be identified by cubic-type cracking on the timber, which is fairly easy to identify once you know what you are looking for.  The difficult bit is establishing how extensive the damage is.  Remedial action means that you have to remove and replace all affected timbers.  A Building Surveyor will look for dry rot when carrying out a building survey / structural survey.

To give you an idea of the extent of damage that can be caused we were once called to look at a public house, which had dry rot; this extended into the adjoining buildings.  Ironically the public house was called ‘The Bitter End’.

Will you Discuss the Building Survey / Structural Survey with the Owner / Vendor?

We will only discuss the Building Survey / Structural Survey with the owner / vendor if you, our client, wishes us to do so.  We usually recommend that you meet us at the property at the time of the building survey where we can discuss our findings with you; you can then either make the decision for us to discuss any particular issues identified in the property with the owner / vendor or ask us to carry this out at a later date if required.

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E

What is an Engineers Report (also known as a Specific Defects Report)?

On a residential property an Engineers Report will often look at a specific defect.

On a commercial property an Engineers Report could relate to the structure of the property or often it would be the abbreviated term used for a mechanical and electrical engineers report on the services within a property.

What Equipment do you take with you to the Building Survey?

The equipment each surveyor takes to a building survey / structural survey varies slightly, but generally it consists of:

  • Powerful optical zoom camera (for the photos that go into the survey report).
     
  • Telescopic ladder to view roofs (where safe to do so).
     
  • Couple of torches to look inside the roof.
     
  • Chisel and hammer to lift manholes and floorboards if deemed necessary and if permission is given.
     
  • Screwdrivers and penknives to open up panels, if deemed necessary and if permission is given, and to check the condition of timbers.
     
  • Some specialist building surveyors also carry metal detectors (which I do), laser levels (again, which I do), electronic damp meters (these come in various different sorts; we now use the non evasive ones, i.e. the ones that do not make holes in the walls for everyone to see!). 
     
  • We also use a database that has been built up especially for our surveys over the past number of years, which helps to identify problems with properties by comparing them with past properties that we have looked at of a similar nature.

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F

What is a Feasibility Study?

A Feasibility Study looks at whether a project is feasible.  In the initial stages it can be looking at whether outline Planning Permission is obtainable or on larger projects it could also take in the implications of road and other infrastructure that will need to be built such as services, drains / gas supply / electricity etc and associated costs.  It can also be of great use on contaminated sites where soil investigations have to take place; a very common example is the building on sites with underground tanks, such as petrol stations; another common use is on refurbishment and alterations on older properties, for example from a commercial property to a residential property.

In a nutshell, it allows you to calculate the costs and the options, design and management-wise before the project takes place.

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G

What is Geomechanics?

Land surveyors and mineral surveyors will use geomechanics to carry out risk assessments on ground movement and subsidence which is a result of natural causes or the result of manmade activity such as a construction project.  They study rock structures and movement to prevent possible problems occurring.

What is Geomatics?

Geomatics includes the tools and techniques used by land surveyors to interpret site features by gathering, storing and processing data and using geographic information systems (GIS) and earth mapping techniques.

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H

What are HIPS (Home Information Packs)?

This report looks at the energy efficiency of a property.

Homebuyers Report

A Homebuyers Report is a basic survey generated from a tick list style form.  What we are most frequently asked about this is ‘What is the difference between a Homebuyers and a Building Survey?’  In summary we would say that a Homebuyers Report often refers you on to other experts, whereas a Building Survey or Structural Survey is conclusive with an Action Required section and an Anticipated Cost section.

The Homebuyers Report was developed as an economical survey and as such often surveyors are tasked to do many of these, so the time they have available to do them is limited whereas, generally speaking, a Building Survey takes a day and is carried out by a specialist Building Surveyor.

How Long Does it Take for a Building Survey / Structural Survey to be Written-up?

Typically we aim for three working days.  We feel we offer the fastest service available as once the reports have been checked they are uploaded onto our website and are visible for you to see and download by entering a password which we forward to you by email.

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I

What is an Independent Surveyor?

We are often asked what an Independent Surveyor is.  This is a Surveyor who works for a company that is not owned by an Estate Agent or a Mortgage Company, such as a bank or building society.  You can identify such surveyors as being part of the Independent Surveyors and Valuers Association (ISVA).  It should be noted that most surveyors are not independent, being ultimately owned by one of the above; such surveyors include Countrywide Surveyors, E-Serve Surveyors, Colley Surveyors etc.

What is an Interim Dilapidation?

What is an interim dilapidation?  This is a notice served on a lessee during the course of a lease.

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J

What is JCT (Joint Contract Tribunal)?

This is one of a number of standardised contracts that are used when building work takes place to establish the roles and responsibilities of the various parties involved.  Some Surveyors specialise in contract administration of this type of form, which can be a complicated matter, particularly on larger projects.

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K

What is Knotweed? (we were keen to find something for ‘K’ in the alphabet and are told Knotweed is getting more and more popular)

Japanese knotweed was introduced from Asia to Europe in the mid-nineteenth century as an ornamental and fodder plant and grows to a height of two to three meters.  Japanese Knotweed is one of the most extraordinary examples of an invasive plant known and it has spread quickly.   Because of the damage the plant can cause it is an offence in the UK to cause it to grow in the wild.

Specific problems caused by Japanese knotweed are damage to paving and tarmacked areas, damage to flood defence structures, damage to archaeological sites, reduction of biodiversity through out-shading native vegetation, restriction of access to riverbanks for anglers, bank inspection and amenity use, reduction in land values, increased risk of flooding through dead stems washed into river and stream channels, increased risk of soil erosion and bank instability following removal of established stands in riparian areas, accumulation of litter in well established stands and it is aesthetically displeasing and is expensive to treat. 

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L

What is the Land Registry?

Information held on the Land Registry is related to all registered properties.  If you go to www.landreg.org you should be able to get some more information.

Local Authority Search

A Local Authority search is carried out by a solicitor and identifies such things as whether extensions and other alterations on properties have been officially approved by the Local Authority.  This can also be carried out by a surveyor on an informal verbal basis if it is anticipated that there is a possible problem with regard to Local Authority approvals for Planning Permissions, alterations and improvements etc.

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M

What is a Market Appraisal?

A market appraisal is often, mistakenly, called ‘a Valuation’ by the estate agent.

When an estate agent comes to value your property you must be aware that he is also trying to sell his services and as such may value generously to ensure you use his services rather than another agents; this is sometimes known as ‘valuing the froth’.  This saying relates to a pint of beer, where the valuation can be anywhere within the ‘froth’, that only requires one person to like the property for it to obtain that value, but be aware that ‘value’ is far different to ‘market appraisal’.

Reports that we regularly receive show typically a five percent difference between market appraisal and valuation and more recently up to 15-20 percent difference, which can generally mean the market has a downturn.  If there is less than two to three percent it generally means the market is rising.

Are you a Member of the RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors)?

All qualified Chartered Surveyors are either Members of the RICS or Fellows of the RICS; designated by MRICS or FRICS.

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N

What is an NHBC (National House Builders Council) Warranty?

An NHBC Warranty relates to newer properties and is usually for ten years or the remainder of the ten years.

We would refer you to the ‘Which?’ article with regard to the NHBC Warranty, which identified issues in relation to the NHBC Warranty.

Are you Nationwide and how far would you Travel?

We will travel nearly anywhere, and have travelled nearly everywhere to carry out Building Surveys / Structural Surveys.

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O

What is an Oriel Window?

An oriel window is an upper storey overhanging window supported on brickwork or such like. 

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P

What is a Party Wall?

A Party Wall is a structure that both parties enjoy the use of or benefit from.  An example of this would be where both parties gain support from a wall or utilise a chimney or chimneys.

Any work to party structures, such as party walls or party chimney stacks, requires agreement under the Party Wall Act 1996.

What is the Pyramus and Thisbe Club?

This is the group of surveyors that deal with Party Wall matters, originally formed in London.

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Q

What is a Quantity Surveyor when qualified?

Quantity Surveyors are the accountants of the building world, working predominantly on larger projects providing cost management and they are also sometimes known as Cost Consultants.  Some Quantity Surveyors branch out into Project Management.

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R

What is Raking Cracking?

Raking cracking is diagonal cracking which tends to be quite severe.

What is a Record of Condition?

This is a property report carried out by some surveyors to record the condition of the property when the lease is entered into, also known as a Schedule of Condition.

What is a Residential Valuation?

What does a residential valuation involve?  This typically involves surveyors looking at the typical ‘sold’ prices in an area, using their general knowledge of the area, Land Registry prices etc and establishing what is known as the ‘market value’ (this used to be known as the ‘open market value’), which is what the property would sell at if it is marketed properly for a reasonable time. 

We would argue that to get a true market value on a property you need an Independent Surveyor. 

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S

What is a Schedule of Condition?

This is a report prepared by a leaseholder / tenant to protect themselves against a Dilapidations Report.

What is a Specific Defects Report (also known as an Engineers Report)?

A Specific Defects Report is often used where one problem has been identified within a property as being of concern and the report focuses on this one issue.

What is a Structural Survey?

A Structural Survey is an in depth report which can be carried out on all types of property.  The most frequently asked question is ‘What is the difference between a Structural Survey and a Homebuyers Report?’   In summary we would say that a Homebuyers Report often refers you on to other experts, whereas a Structural Survey is conclusive with an Action Required section and an Anticipated Cost section.

The Homebuyers Report was developed as an economical survey and as such often surveyors are tasked to do many of these, so the time they have available to do them is limited, whereas, generally speaking, a Structural Survey takes a day and is carried out by a specialist Building Surveyor.

What is Serpula Lacrymans - Dry Rot?

This is probably the worse thing that can happen to the timber in your property, although it is very rare.  Dry rot eats the timber from the inside out; often it can be identified by cubic-type cracking on the timber, which is fairly easy to identify once you know what you are looking for.  The difficult bit is establishing how extensive the damage is.  Remedial action means that you have to remove and replace all affected timbers.  When carrying out a Building Survey / Structural Survey your Building Surveyor will look for dry rot.

To give you an idea of the extent of damage that can be caused we were once called to look at a public house, which had dry rot; this extended into the adjoining buildings.  Ironically the public house was called ‘The Bitter End’.

What is Stepped Cracking?

This refers to cracking in a property that ‘steps’ following the courses of the brickwork or the stonework.  Your Independent Surveyor will look for stepped cracking to the brickwork when carrying out the Building Survey / Structural Survey.

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T

What are Terms of Condition?

All Surveyors should offer you their Terms of Condition prior to work being commenced.  Our Terms of Condition are available on the website or by request.  Free phone:  0800 298 5424.

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U

What is an Underlayer or Underfelt?

From the 1940s onwards felts were used underneath tiles/slates to stop wind damage and water penetration, these in more recent years have been replaced with plastic equivalents.  These are commonly known as underfelts but now the name is not really appropriate, as felt is not the only material used, so ‘underlayer’ is the common term now used.  When carrying out your Structural Survey / Building Survey your surveyor will try to identify what type of underlayer the property has. 

What are Universal Beams?

Universal beams are ‘I’ shaped beams that are often used where supporting walls have been removed to bridge a large gap.  When carrying out a Structural Survey / Building Survey, your Surveyor will check any areas where walls have been removed.

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V

What is a Valuation?

A Valuation typically involves surveyors looking at the typical ‘sold’ prices in an area, using their general knowledge of the area to ascertain the value; also, some surveyors will use Land Registry prices with a house price index (HPI) update, which is what we do, to establish what is known as the ‘market value’ (this used to be known as the ‘open market value’), which is what the property would sell at if it is marketed properly for a reasonable time.

How much does a Valuation Cost on top of a Building Survey?

This really depends upon how much work we need to carry out to provide you with a valuation.  Remember, we are providing you with an independent valuation, not a valuation that a mortgage company carries out, i.e. one to approve the mortgage.  We look at what the property would fetch in the ‘open market’.

What is Vertical Cracking?

Vertical cracking often can be found in render where the property has been extended or travelling through brickwork and stonework where it can be quite severe.  In your building survey report your surveyor will check for vertical cracking.

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W

What is Wet Rot – Contiophora Puteana?

Wet rot is relatively common and can often be found in timber fascia and soffit boards and timber windows and door frames.  It is very common in 1970s properties when poor quality timbers were frequently used and also in older properties where there has been a lack of maintenance.  Where wet rot affects the structural timbers in a property, which are those in the roof and the floor areas, it is more serious.  Your independent Surveyor will check the property for wet rot whilst carrying out the Structural Survey / Building Survey.

What is Woodworm?

Woodworm can come in many forms and can cause major damage to structural timbers; however it does take a lot of woodworm activity for this to occur.  You do need good independent advice, which we do not believe can be obtained from companies that are selling woodworm treatment products.  We would always recommend that you talk to an independent specialist that does not have a vested interest in carrying out any work and certainly does not carry out the survey for ‘free’.  During the Structural Survey / Building Survey, your surveyor will check for woodworm.

X

What is X-bracing (Cross-Bracing)?

Tie rods, tie bars or braces that cross from one column to the next to stiffen the frame and increase the load bearing capacity of the structure.

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Y

What does ‘Yield’ Mean?

Property investors sometimes talk about a property having a ‘yield’.  This is slightly different to the traditional ‘yield’ or ‘return’ you get when investing in a bank as, with property, the ‘yield’ can not only relate to the ‘return’ from the rent, it can also be an indication of how reliable that person or company is to pay the rent.  For example, a sought after area in a university town would have a high yield due to the ease of being able to re-rent the property.

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Z

What is a Zurich Warranty?

A Zurich Warranty is very similar to an NHBC warranty.  Please see our comments on this.

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