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Having done everything correctly yourself and your neighbour having done nothing you would think that you could appoint your surveyor as ‘Agreed’ and save yourself a few pounds but unfortunately the Act states that the adjoining owner has a right to their own surveyor unless they agree otherwise. Surveyor’s fees are also an issue that can cause friction. Under the Act it is the surveyors that decide who pays their fees although in all normal circumstances, that will be the party planning the work which is only fair as your neighbour was quite happy with the way things were. The exception will be if the actions of your neighbour cause unnecessary expense. An example would be if they called out the surveyors to inspect some damage that was shown to pre-date the works.

Party wall issues? Here are some advices: Party walls usually separate buildings belonging to different owners but could include garden walls built astride a boundary – known as party fence walls. Where a wall separates two different size buildings often only the part that is used by both properties is a party wall, the rest belongs to the person or persons on whose land it stands. The “etc” within The Party Wall etc Act 1996 is so included because the provisions of the Act are not limited to party walls, they also include party structures and party fence walls. Section 20 of the Act defines each: “party fence wall” means a wall (not being part of a building) which stands on lands of different owners and is used or constructed to be used for separating such adjoining lands, but does not include a wall constructed on the land of one owner the artificially formed support of which projects into the land of another owner; “party structure” means a party wall and also a floor partition or other structure separating buildings or parts of buildings approached solely by separate staircases or separate entrances;

Plants and any other large object present on windowsills should be removed, as these will also be assessed by the surveyor. This saves the surveyor from having to move things around themselves. Mould is one of the most obvious signs of damp in a home and must always be dealt with as it can thrive if left alone. Make sure you scrub away any mould that is present in your kitchen or bathroom, fix dripping taps by replacing the washers.

Likewise your property may be scouted by buy-to-let investors who are looking for a quick sale without too much trouble, or who are looking for a ‘ready’ home that they can move tenants into straight away. Try to put yourself in the shoes of your next potential buyer. Ask yourself these questions; can I move in here straight away? Will it cost me to make immediate repairs? Are these issues easily fixed? Am I willing to conduct any DIY or have repairs made by a technician?

The most comprehensive report currently available from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) suite of building surveys, based around what was formally known as a Full Structural Survey and is now known as a Level 3 survey. A RICS Building Survey is a through internal and external investigations of all the assessable areas of a building. This is then reviewed with information about the construction of the building and any information about extensions, modifications that need to be addressed. This is all then assessed in the RICS Home Surveys Suites traffic light system with each item given a rating based on its current condition and a detailed description will be given as well as advice from your surveyor on how and when to address them appropriately. Discover more info on Building Surveyor Canterbury.

The Party wall act, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 act to give its full name is a piece of legislation that was mainly transferred from Part VI of London Building Acts (amendment) Act 1939, it applies in England and Wales. The main purpose of the act is to provide a framework for amicably preventing and resolving disputes between neighbours in relation to Party Walls, boundary Walls and Excavations near neighbouring buildings. Building owners are given statutory rights that did not exist in existing common law, when undertaking certain types of construction as defined by the Act. As well as these rights it obliges Building owners to give appropriate notice and for the relevant notice period if they intend on carrying out the defined work.

The Party Wall Process: This process is all based around the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. The main purpose of the Act is to provide a framework for amicably preventing and resolving disputes between neighbours in relation to Party Walls, boundary Walls and Excavations near neighbouring buildings. Building owners are given statutory rights that did not exist in existing common law when undertaking certain types of construction as defined by the Act. A property survey is a key stage during the the conveyancing process for any buyer. The results help you decide whether you should proceed with the purchase at the current asking price, negotiate with the seller due to defects or even pull out from the whole deal all together. As one of the most comprehensive surveys available, more often than not a building survey will be requested by potential buyers of your property. It is a wide range inspection of the entirety of a property done in more specific depth than a Homebuyers Report or a Mortgage Valuation. A Building Survey’s purpose is to give a detailed report of the condition of the property in question.

Home and building survey tips and tricks : Check the Roof First! It might seem an odd pastime, but next time it rains, don’t stay indoors, put your waterproof coat on, take the kids to help you if you can, and play ‘spot the hole in the roof!’ Check for things like missing tiles, cracks near chimneys etc. Check the Guttering! While you are out and about checking the roof, also check the guttering for leaks which will either be from the joints or because there is a blockage, in which case get the joints sealed and/or the blockage cleared. Electrical and Gas Safety, I don’t know why, but every home I’ve ever bought has had a really useless boiler! As a result I’ve had to fork out between 1,000 to 2,000 to get a new one fitted. So, after having this happen twice, I now make sure I ask the surveyor to have a quick look and then I get a Gas Safety Registered plumber to check it out – albeit at an extra cost of up to 75. However, this has saved me over 10,000 due to the number of properties I’ve bought over the years! Read additional info on www.home-heroes.co.uk.

Granite products and services Colorado Springs? While we’re still seeing stained and painted woods, we’re also seeing it in its natural state. Try adding a kitchen island—or just the topper—in a pretty, grainy wood. Brown wooden shelves that feel original to the house are another way to test the waters with wood. It will bring a warmth to any kitchen space, especially those trending bright white ones! Open shelves allow you to showcase your beautiful kitchenwares among other heirlooms and antiques. The ability to see through your storage also means everything is easy to find. Just don’t forget to clean your items often since they will be open to the elements that might be floating through your kitchen. It’s also helpful to keep every day items on the lowest, most accessible shelf.

On the other hand, granite is an igneous rock composed of grains of compressed quartz, feldspar, mica and similar materials. This means that granite is slightly harder than marble, but both offer reasonably good durability. Comparing marble and granite head to head in important categories will assist you in deciding which stone to use in your building or renovation project. Appearance: These are both beautiful options for countertops. Granite shows the grains we mentioned. They appear as specks that are varied in color, so a granite slab might contain a variety of hues – blue, green, orange, pink, red, etc., typically in medium to dark shades.

Both granite and marble are heat-resistant. Both types of stones were formed through heat, either through volcanic activity or enormous amounts of heat and pressure. Typically, hot pots will not bother either stone, and neither will discolor when used near heat. Always use caution with hot pots in the kitchen, regardless of how well your stone handles the heat. Decomposing granite, which is found in soil, has been known to give off radon 2 gas. So naturally, some people are concerned about using granite counters in their home. There is no evidence, however, that either granite or marble slabs give off radon 2 gas in the home. If you are concerned, radon 2 test kits are available, which can detect the gas.

Marble and Granite both have their own unique properties and qualities. In the end, it all depends on the aesthetics and where you are going to use this stone. If you are willing to devote some of your time in maintenance of tiles for a more beautiful and elegant design then go for marble. However, if you want a natural stone with more durability, scratch resistant properties and less wear and tear ability then granite is the best option for you.

We offer a wide variety of marble, granite, and quartz slabs imported from Brazil and custom fitted to any project such as fireplaces, bar tops, bathtubs, jacuzzis, marble stairs, table tops, and of course kitchen and bathroom countertops. Our installation crews are highly trained professionals who specialize in stone. We are committed to craftsmanship of the highest quality; we do not skimp on any stage of our work. Discover extra details at Marble counter tops Colorado Springs.

Sealant is needed for whatever finish you have on your countertop. The most common marble finishes are either polished, for a high-gloss surface, or honed, which produces a softer matte surface. “These days, ninety percent of marble kitchen countertops are honed,” says Bruno. “That doesn’t show scratches as much as a polished surface, but it does leave the stone more susceptible to stains.” Applying a penetrating sealant is simple. “Make sure the surface is clean and dry, and just wipe the sealant on with a soft cloth,” Bruno says. Ann Sacks uses Miracle Sealants Porous Plus, but Michael says other products are just as good.

Every year, millions of homeowners replace their roof, either because it has reached the end of its lifespan or the last storm really did a number on it. But even though everyone eventually needs to replace their roof, there are several maintenance tips for shingle roofs you can use to avoid tearing it off sooner rather than later.

1st important step is to maintain your gutter properly. Inadequate ventilation can cause mold, ice damming, and a host of other issues with your roof. As the moisture in your home rises to your attic, if it can get out, it’ll start to build up and condense, causing problems throughout your home. The Federal Housing Administration recommends at least 1 square-foot of ventilation per 300 square-feet of attic space to properly ventilate your home — a standard most homes don’t actually reach. When you have your roof inspection this year, have the inside of your attic and your vents looked at to guarantee that your house is moving air as it should. Check your exhaust and intake vents to make sure they’re free and clear of all leaves, sticks, and seeds.

Lets write about Professional roofers for all repairs. Clear the roof and gutters of leaves, branches and other debris. Down spouts should not discharge onto roof surfaces, but should be extended to the eaves-troughs of the lower roof. Backed up gutters can cause damage to shingles, shakes or tiles along to the edge of your roof, so be sure to keep them cleaned out. Clear out any debris that may accumulate in the valleys where two roof surfaces join. Debris holds moisture and can cause mold and moisture to being eating away at your roofing material.

Your roofer may use roofing cement and nails to replace metal flashing around chimneys, roof vents or other installations if the flashing has become loose or rotten. If installing the flashing against brick, it’s advised to use copper or galvanized steel, because the lime in brick mortar may corrode aluminum. Your roofer may use gutter caulking, a gutter patching kit or roofing cement and patches to repair leaky or corroded sections of the eavestroughs or downspouts. If they are sagging, he will use a level to determine proper pitch and rehang them so they drain properly.

Leaves are easy to remove and there’s no excuse to have them on your roof. Leaves collecting in roof valleys or near the chimney will collect and retain moisture, something you don’t want for your roof’s lifespan—not to mention your house beneath it. Clear the leaves off with a leaf rake or leaf blower, and again, make sure a friend is spotting you from the ground below. There are some jobs that are best left to the professionals, and in this case, it’s an annual roof inspection. While there are definitely things you can do on your own to maintain your roof, like check for obvious physical damage, clean your gutters and keep debris off of your roof, there are other aspects of a roof that to an untrained eye can go amiss. A professional roof inspector will be certified in certain tests and examinations of your roof that can detect underlying damages. You can hire an inspector by calling your trusted, local roofing company, searching online for certified inspectors, or even asking your friends and family who they use. Read extra details at Roofing services in Colorado Springs.

How much does it cost to fix the foundation of a house? The average cost to repair a foundation is about $4,000. Of course, it depends on the extent of the damage. Major repairs can easily cost upwards of $10,000, whereas repairing a few cracks may cost only $500. If the damage is extensive and the entire foundation needs to be replaced, it could cost close to $100,000. Ask the home inspector for a rough estimate. If you want to get more specific, you can get an estimate from a contractor.

When it comes to repair methods, trust that we have every known solution in our industry available to us such as foundation piers, helical piers, wall anchors, helical tie backs, epoxy crack repair, perimeter drainage systems, basement waterproofing in all forms and crawl space encapsulation. Providing you and your family a healthy stable dry home is our goal. Doing it cost effectively is your goal. We understand the balance between the two.

At first, a minuscule crack in the wall or the slight buckling of the foundation might not seem like an immediate problem for your home. Minor issues are often overlooked and neglected—until the problem becomes much larger and compromises the overall stability of your home. The best defense against escalating expenses is to scan for potential signs of foundation damage and address these issues as soon as they appear. Many of these signs often manifest in other parts of the home, usually several levels above the underlying foundation.

If I discover a foundation issue, how fast do I have to act? Timing on making repairs is critical if the issue is a serious one that involves rebuilding any part of the foundation wall. The structural integrity of your home could be impacted and that’s a safety issue for everyone inside. Those repairs should be done as soon as possible. In other cases the situation is less dramatically dire. Though it might not sound less dire. Because many homeowners will see cracks within days of a new foundation being poured or constructed! A drier or wetter concrete mix can take more or less time to cure but a typical cure happens in about 10 days. Mother Nature can do some interesting things during those 10 days. Remember, water plays a big part in your foundation for better or worse. See more info on Foundation contractor Colorado.

Party wall problems? Here are some advices: You must tell your neighbours if you want to carry out any building work near or on your shared property boundary, or ‘party wall’, in England and Wales. Party walls stand on the land of 2 or more owners and either: form part of a building, don’t form part of a building, such as a garden wall (not wooden fences). Walls on one owner’s land used by other owners (2 or more) to separate their buildings are also party walls. Party structures: You can also have a ‘party structure’. This could be a floor or other structure that separates buildings or parts of buildings with different owners, eg flats. Party wall agreements are different from planning permission or building regulations approval.

Party wall matters can cause a delay to the project, so this should be considered reasonably early in the design stage. Depending on the notice required you may need to inform your neighbours up to 2 months prior to your proposed start date. If the project is complex it may take some time for the surveyors to come to an agreement, or several awards may be required. The act does provide various mechanisms for non cooperation including non communication of adjoining owners and their surveyors, however there are also rights of appeal and referral to a third surveyor if necessary.

As the party planning the works, you will have complete control over whom the surveyor you appoint and what they charge. You will either agree a fixed fee or an hourly rate. The same cannot be said of your neighbour’s surveyor (if you cannot agree on an Agreed Surveyor) as he is chosen by your neighbour and is not required to state his fee until just before the award is published. If you or your surveyor consider the fee demanded to be unreasonable, it should be referred to the ‘Third Surveyor’ for review although this will incur a further fee and take another couple of weeks. The Third Surveyor is selected by the two appointed surveyors at the start of the process to resolve disputes.

At Home Heroes we provide a professional service, we are very competitively priced and you can be sure you award will be handled by qualified and experienced Party Wall Surveyors. We are a small company with a dedicated and qualified team of building surveyors on Party Wall Matters. We can deal with all types of project no matter how complicated and are able to offer a service that is both efficient and meticulous. See extra info on Party wall surveyor.