At Lea Hough Chartered Surveyors, we are experienced in valuing a wide range of properties, including those that may be considered unusual or unique. We have recently had the opportunity to work on some interesting projects in the North West of England. In this blog post, we take a look at the details of these projects and highlight some of the challenges we encountered in surveying them.
Woodland at Buckshaw Village for pre-sale purposes
One of the unusual properties we recently valued was a woodland in Buckshaw Village. The client approached us for a pre-sale valuation of the property, which consisted of 35 acres of dense woodland close to a residential area. Our role was to assess the value of the land and identify any potential risks or issues that may impact its value.
Valuing an area of woodland presented its own set of challenges! We had to consider aspects such as the poor access to the site via a pedestrian footpath only, limiting how the site could be used, and the environmental liabilities that a potential buyer would be taking on.
By understanding the unique characteristics of the woodland, we were able to provide accurate and valuable insights to the client, enabling them to make an informed decision regarding the property’s sale.
Former Pub in Bolton for secured lending purposes (to be converted to offices)
Another unusual property we surveyed was a former pub in Bolton, which was destined to be converted into offices. The client required a secured lending valuation to assess the property’s suitability for a loan, based upon the proposed conversion.
The property was in a poor condition, affected by wet rot and in need of full refurbishment. We had to carefully consider the cost of the works required to bring the building into use as modern office space and advise the client accordingly, allowing them to make an informed lending decision.
Methodist Chapel in Ulverston
Our recent Valuation of a Methodist Chapel in Ulverston is a classic example of an unusual property that requires specialist surveying expertise. The client approached us for a valuation of the property ahead of a sale, due to the small number of churchgoers making the chapel no longer viable as a place of worship.
To comply with the relevant Charities Act legislation, we had to prepare our valuation in the form of a ‘Designated Advisors Report’. This involved providing an accurate valuation of the property and advice on how the property should be marketed for sale. The chapel was located in an awkward location with poor access and was of a particularly small size. We were required to rely upon our knowledge of planning regulations and our extensive experience in dealing with former churches to provide the client with the correct advice.
This project showcases our ability to value and survey unusual properties, particularly those with historical significance.
Scrapyard in Hyndburn
Another unusual property we had the opportunity to value recently was a scrapyard in Hyndburn for a lender.
In this instance, we had to consider how contamination issues would restrict future development of the site, balanced against the fact that the site benefitted from a specialist environment agency licence, allowing a specialist use which can be valuable to certain occupiers.
In conclusion, Lea Hough Chartered Surveyors is experienced in surveying a wide range of properties, including those that may be considered unusual or unique. Each property detailed here presented its own set of challenges, requiring expertise and knowledge of valuation techniques.
For more information or to obtain a quote for our Valuations and Building Surveys, please get in touch.
