If you own a historic property, or are considering buying one, you may need to engage with specialist heritage surveyors. We always strongly advise owners to use an experienced building surveyor, someone who deals with listed buildings every day and has the breadth of knowledge to understand and advise you on all the potential pitfalls and defects.

The Listed Property Owners’ Club are able to provide you a list of trusted historic building consultants and surveyors in our specialist Suppliers Directory. In our experience, using the right surveyor can save a lot of heartache and wasted time for potential buyers. Period properties have a lot of unique maintenance requirements, and a good heritage surveyor will be able to give you the best advice on preserving the special character of your building.

 

Listed building surveys for buyers

LPOC have built up a collection of contacts for listed building surveyors and consultants that we know and trust. These companies use practiced heritage surveyors who know listed properties inside and out. For future buyers, this exhaustive knowledge and dedication to scrutinising every detail of a historic building is extremely useful.

Arguably one of the most important jobs a listed building surveyor has is to identify and report on any unauthorised building alterations or extensions. When the house changes hands, the responsibility of such changes is also passed over and owners could be liable to fines and covering the cost of any repair work. Uncovering unauthorised work can have a huge impact on the early conversations around the cost of the property.

Specialist historic building consultants will also be able to talk to you about any future alterations you may want to make. Where plans do not look feasible, they can offer guidance and suggest alternative solutions. Years of study and a strong understanding of the legislation around listed buildings means that the insights provided during surveys are incredible valuable.

 

Listed building surveys for owners

For those already in the privileged position of listed property ownership, there are many reasons for seeking out a new listed building structural survey. From the desire to find out more about the history of your home to preparing to renovate or sell the property. A full structural survey will provide information on the materials and techniques used throughout the building, and give you a clear idea of the condition your building is in and whether or not there are any causes for concern.

Some types of historic building require a particularly high level of expertise and experience. If your property has a thatched roof or a timber frame you should take great care in finding a suitable heritage surveyor. These features are relatively rare and must be monitored and maintained with specialist materials. Any decay or deterioration should be spotted during the survey and reported in detail in the listed building survey statement.

The variety in construction, materials, and condition of listed properties in the UK spans across many centuries. It is hugely important to find a listed building surveyor with a specialist understanding of the era and build of your home, so that you get the best advice for your unique property.

Speak to LPOC today to find out more about when to get a listed property survey, and how to find the best people for the job. If you aren’t already a member, why not join today? Contact us on 01795 844939 or email us at membership@lpoc.co.uk