Property Surveys for Structural Engineers

A RICS Level 3 Building Survey provides a comprehensive description of the building's construction type, materials and structural configuration in all accessible areas. It identifies and maps visible cracking, movement, deflection and signs of structural distress. It describes foundations where visible or where their type can be inferred, roof structure and condition, wall construction and thicknesses, floor construction and any signs of deterioration that could affect structural performance. It does not include structural calculations, load assessments or engineering recommendations. Those are your professional domain. What it provides is a verified, detailed factual baseline that ensures your engineering judgement is applied to the real building rather than to assumptions.

Yes, and this is one of the services we provide most often for structural engineers. A structural defect survey focuses on a particular concern: cracking that has appeared in a specific wall, suspected subsidence, deflection in floor members, roof spread or any other localised structural issue. The surveyor concentrates on that problem, documenting its extent, pattern and likely causes in detail. The output is a focused report on the defect you need to assess, without the broader condition information that a full building survey would include. This is often the most cost-effective approach when the structural question is specific and well-defined.

Yes. Our measured building surveys produce accurate floor plans, elevations and sections with verified dimensions including wall thicknesses, floor-to-floor heights, beam spans, column positions and openings. We use laser measurement technology and work to RICS professional standards for measured surveys, so the dimensional accuracy is suitable for structural calculations. We can tailor the output to include the specific dimensions and details that are relevant to your calculations, avoiding unnecessary information that you do not need.

A RICS survey is a non-invasive visual inspection, which means we cannot open up floors, ceilings or wall finishes to expose concealed structure. Where structural elements are hidden, we describe what is visible, note what is concealed and, where possible, infer the likely construction from the visible evidence and our knowledge of building types of that period. If invasive investigation is needed, for example opening up a ceiling to inspect joist ends or trial pits to examine foundations, we can advise on what would be involved and recommend specialist contractors if required. We are always explicit about the limitations of what we can observe, so you know where the certainties end and the inferences begin.

Absolutely, and this is one of the most valuable aspects of working with us. After you have received and read the report, you can call the surveyor who carried out the inspection to discuss any aspect of the findings. You might want to clarify an observation, ask about something that was not explicitly covered in the report, understand the reasoning behind a particular conclusion or get the surveyor's informal view on a possible engineering approach. These conversations often save time and help you reach a confident conclusion more quickly than working from the written report alone. There is no additional charge for this.

Yes. Our reports are produced by RICS qualified and regulated surveyors, meet RICS professional standards and are covered by full professional indemnity insurance. When you reference our survey findings in your own structural reports and recommendations, you can demonstrate that you have relied on a competent, regulated professional for the factual building condition data. This supports your own due diligence and professional indemnity position. We are happy to provide details of our qualifications and insurance on request.