We have over 30 years of experience in providing a consistent high quality of professional surveying services throughout South and West Wales. We are members of and regulated by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), and carry full professional insurances.
Our Services
Services List
Full Residential Structural Surveys
These cover more than just structure. They are a much more detailed survey than the Homebuyer Survey and we will advise on the structural stability of the building together with recommendations for remedial works. It will give a detailed description of the construction and inherent defects that may occur over a longer period of time. It will also offer long-term maintenance advice. A valuation is not normally provided, but can be if requested.
The Surveyor will inspect and report on the structural condition and adequacy of all the readily accessible load-bearing elements of the property (not just a particular problem area). The inspection will include the roof structure, floors, walls, lintels, and beams. It will also include the surrounding site in case there are any factors that could suggest a risk to the foundations. The report will recommend what needs to be done to rectify the problem or what further investigations may be necessary.
Planning Consultants / Planning Applications
Our professionals have an established working knowledge of national and local planning policy. We are able to provide comprehensive pre-application advise that aims to ensure your project has every chance of success before you commit large sums of money. We are able to research policy and liase with other authorities such as County Highways or the Environment Agency, to aim to meet their requirements from the outset reducing the likelihood of a contested application.
With outline or full planning permission, change of use or approval on reserved matters, G C Rainsbury Chartered Surveyors are able to assist you in the preparation of your application.
We are professionals who know the planning and development sector, its organisation,
methods and standards. We can advise and guide you through the rules and regulations
connected with planning and building.
Planning to build, extend or alter your property represents a substantial financial commitment. We aim to work closely with clients to understand their requirements and create detailed designs and drawings that meet both these requirements and also comply with the planning and building construction needs.
The Party wall Act was brought into force on the 1st July 1997 and provides a framework for preventing and resolving disputes, which can arise between neighbouring owners in respect of party walls and similar matters.
Examples of the Party Wall Act in Action:-
New construction on or close to the boundary
If an owner intends to build a wall either at or astride the legal boundary a “ Party
wall” then Notice should be served one month before starting the work. He can put
any necessary projections of his foundations on his neighbours land and has a limited
right of access to undertake this work. Without this legislation, there is no automatic
right of access onto a neighbours land for work of construction no matter how necessary
or urgent the access is. However, this right of access should not cause unnecessary
inconvenience or the adjoining owner may be entitled to payment in compensation.
Excavation
close to an adjoining building
Where an owner is planning to excavate within 3 metres or 6 metres of his neighbour’s
building and any part of the excavation will go below the depth of the adjoining
neighbour’s foundations or impinge on an area below a 45 degree angle from the bottom
of the foundation he must inform his neighbour one month before the works start.
Repairs to party walls or shared party fence wall such as a “garden wall”
The Act gives rights to both owners to use the wall as if each of them had exclusive
ownership of it, not legally, but in effect including the rights to demolish and
rebuild, underpin, raise, thicken, repair and cut into it, insert a damp proof course
(DPC) etc, as long as the neighbour is notified.
Where an owner wishes to carry
out repairs or alterations to a wall under section 2 of the Act a “Party Structure
Notice” must be served with any relevant information about the proposed works at
least two months prior to undertaking the work.
Where an adjoining owner has objected or deemed to have objected to the notice a
dispute has arisen which should be resolved by the appointment of surveyors under
Section 10 of the Act.
For simple works it is hoped a single “Agreed surveyor” can
be appointed to act for both parties. However, if the parties cannot agree then each
should appoint their own surveyor with a third surveyor to arbitrate where necessary.
The surveyor or surveyors draw up a legal agreement called a “ Party wall Award”
which describes the work to be undertaken. It is normal practice to record the condition
of the neighbouring building before works start to avoid issues regarding damage
or claims for damage. Any damage caused by the work will need to be made good or
agreed by the surveyor(s) with the costs being paid by the respective owner.
Building Regulations Specifications
A good knowledge of building regulations is essential from the point of initial design.
New building work must be completed to these statutory standards, which may affect
window placement, floors, roof pitch and other major structural factors that will
determine design suitability.
In order to ensure compliance we prepare detailed drawing
and specifications for contractors. We are able to ensure your building complies
with the regulations.
A Design and Access Statement is required for all Planning Applications (outline or full). Design and access statements ARE NOT required for the following types of planning applications:
a) A material change in the use of land or buildings, unless it also involves operational development.
b) Development of an existing dwelling house, or development within the curtilage of a dwelling house for any purpose incidental to the enjoyment of the dwelling house, unless the proposal includes conversion of a garage space.
A design and access statement is a report accompanying and supporting a planning application to illustrate the process that has led to the development proposal, and to explain and justify the proposal in a structured way. They provide an opportunity for developers and designers to demonstrate their commitment to achieving good design and ensuring accessibility in the work they undertake and allow them to show how they are meeting or will meet the various obligations placed on them by legislation and policy.
The level of detail required in a design and access statement will depend on the scale and complexity of the application and the length of the statement will vary accordingly.
G C Rainsbury Chartered Surveyors are experts in the preparation of Design and Access Statement reports to compliment your planning application.
© G C Rainsbury Surveyors.
