In this blog, we take a closer look at the role of Commercial Building Surveyors, the types of work they get involved with and how to choose one that’s suitable for the advice you need.
What is a Commercial Building Surveyor?
Commercial Building Surveyors are trained property experts that provide professional advice to clients about the economic viability of the purchase or lease of a commercial property or land. Chartered Building Surveyors can help to limit exposure and liability to costs by offering a range of expert reports and consultancy services.
What services does a Commercial Building Surveyor offer?
Commercial Building Surveyors assist commercial property owners, prospective buyers, landlords and tenants with a wide range of services relating to commercial properties.
This frequently includes undertaking investigations on a property/properties and thereafter compiling reports and recommendations.
Typically, the types of advice Commercial Building Surveyors offer include:
- Commercial property surveys
- Dilapidations advice
- Pre-acquisition surveys
- Schedules of Condition
- Party Wall Surveying
- Project management
- Planned Preventative Maintenance
What to look for when choosing a Commercial Building Surveyor
First and foremost, it’s important to choose a firm of Surveyors that employs professionally-qualified individuals. Surveying firms that are ‘Regulated by RICS’ means that the firm must adhere to the strict code of conduct that is required by the RICS.
For individual surveyors, the qualifications to look for include: AssocRICS (Associate), MRICS (Member) and FRICS (Fellow) – all of which ensure that the people you engage are highly qualified and trained, also being required to follow strict rules and the best practice as set out by the RICS.
Surveyors will often have an area of specialism – and where a commercial risk is being taken, it’s important to select a professional that has the relevant experience to advise. Therefore, you should look for an individual who specifies that they regularly conduct commercial work – and are able to demonstrate a range of jobs they have recently acted on.
When transacting on a commercial property, it is rarely a standalone effort and advice from a team of professionals is often required. Choosing a surveyor that has strong connections with other commercial professional advisers and is able to liaise directly with other parties that are involved will make the process easier and often benefit the client.
Lea Hough Chartered Surveyors are proud to have developed an excellent reputation within the area of commercial property work, particularly within Lancashire, having worked alongside businesses of all sizes and sectors, for over thirty years. To speak to us about any of our services or to obtain a quote, please get in touch.
