Surveyors in South Shropshire

[cazzz]

I'm thinking of making an offer on a cottage in South Shropshire. I usually just opt for a valuation report but in view of the age etc (c. 1480) I think a full structural survey would be sensible. Can anyone rcommend a suitable surveyor please? What's the likely cost?
Many thanks.

 

[Feltwell]

We used a Mr D Jasper at Countrywide Surveyors in Wellington, near Telford (01952 244529).

It was a couple of years ago, from memory a full structural survey was about £1200. Not the cheapest, but he did a good job and seemed to give very practical, real world advice. He stated he had a qualification in older building (DipBldgCons after his name as well as the usual MRICS) - and he seemed to know his stuff, as with our place he talked about:-

Spalling of faces of bricks due to re-pointing with cement, recommended lime re-pointing

Advised against chemical DPC on a damp wall, instead talked about re-pointing in lime and lowering level of adjacent paving

Advised that cracked stone lintels are unlikely to be an issue as they will most likely have long since locked in position

Advised on original windows and other features being better restored than replaced

As is normal with any survey, it's full of caveats, but I feel we got our money's worth. The previous owner said he spent over 5 hours going over a house that is fundamentally in quite good condition, and the report was quite comprehensive.

 

[Cloudscape]

Nock Deighton, Juniper House, Shrewsbury Business Park, Shrewsbury SY2 6LG - 01743 241251

I found that quite a few surveyors wouldn't touch a property of any great age. They all recommended Nock Deighton. The cost of a full survey (last year) was around £1000. We got a 32-page report, illustrated with colour pics. He looked at everything from peeling paint to wobbly chimneys, worked out where the drains were, lifted manholes, commented on age, settlement, movement, decor, old rot and/or infestations. He assessed the cost of all major repair work, and assessed the viability of bringing disused and/or delapidated parts of the house back into use (at my request). He even added a list of likely tradespeople and suppliers (as a starting point, not actual recommendations), including chimney sweeps. Basically, he wasn't phased by the house and seemed to understand older properties. Not all of his recommendations were in line with current thinking on period property restoration, but that's not what I wanted from him. I just wanted to know if the building was 'OK'.