BUILDING SURVEY GUIDELINES

(Copyright 2009 – Arch-Tekton)

Do you require plans for an old building that needs constructural changes or
renovation, then click here?

Do you want to buy a property, but are unsure of its condition, or suspect that
there might be latent defects hidden somewehere?

Are you buying a new property and need a defects report for retention purposes?

Architectural Building Survey is a profession and an art form of its own, that
can only be performed by experts and those who have many years experience in
the industry. It is th he art of knowing what goes on behind solid walls, what
defects are hidden behind wall cladding etc.

We provide a record of Existing Field Conditions to the construction industry

architectural / engineering professionals and the general public, at a very
reasonable price. We will measure any building anywhere, anytime.

There are two types of building survey services that we can provide:

Measuring up and drawing of “as-built” plans

If you’re interested in making structural changes to any building, this is where to
start.
It is especially recommended for older buildings, (50 years or more) those
constructed out of unconventional materials or constructed using unconventional
methods, and definetely those properties which have had lots of alterations or
additions over the years. In fact, a complete survey is always recommended for
any building which you intend to alter or renovate, as available building plans are
usually outdated, inacurate or incomplete, and the site conditions are rarely a
true reflection of the designer’s intentions on the original building drawings.
As these drawings are generally produced for the use of architects or engineers
as a baseline drawing for new additions and / or alterations, no condition report
usually goes with it.

So it doesn’t matter if you have existing plans that simply need to be verified and
converted into computer (CAD) format, or if you have no plans at all.

We will take horizontal and vertical measurements (levels), and then produce a
full set of professional quality drawings from scratch, which graphically represent
the existing physical conditions of the subject building in plan, cross section/s,
and elevation views, all 2-dimensional.
Our work generally starts at the perimeter skin of the building followed by a room-
by-room interior survey, verified against a complete set of interior and façade
photographs.

Architectural Building Survey is based on what is visible to the naked eye, and
even though we employ very accurate laser technology, measurements are
always taken from finished surfaces, and then reduced mathematically to the
correct design dimensions, so even though a double brick wall is shown on a
design drawing as 220mm, in practice, after being plastered, it may be measured
as 270mm. No hidden details will be revealed such as reinforcing etc.

We will sometimes have to return to the site to verify and check discrepancies.
Arch-Tekton strive towards maximum accuracy, and we warrant all our work. If
you ever suspect a discrepancy, we will re-survey that section free of charge.

Your package will usually conist of:

• One set of print – outs of the scaled drawings (additional copies may be
ordered)
• One set of digital photographs
• Electronic data in Adobe Acrobat (*.pdf) and in Autocad Drawing
Exchange Format (*.DXF)

Pre-Purchase / Leasing - Building Condition Survey

This kind of survey is like a ‘health check’ for buildings, and is highly
recommended for anyone who plans to buy a property, or even before making an
offer to purchase. This is a basic survey that will give you a general overview of
the condition of the property. It is also suitable for a pre-lease agreement where a
property is going to be let out to a tennant.
This survey is usually in the form of a comprehensive report, and doesn’t
normally include the preperation of any drawings.
We will carefully check and inspect everything that is visible or easily accessible
to examine the soundness of the structure, its general condition, listing all (major
and minor) defects, including a diagnosis and prognosis where possible.
The report will be extremely thorough, as we are morally obliged to inform you of
all the findings of the survey. So, don't be put off if it seems that the defects list is
endless. Every building has defects, even if it is still brand new. But we will
rather provide you with the worst case scenario, and recommend actions for
rectification, in order to put you in a position where you can make informed
decisions based on facts. Our report is designed to help you make a more
informed decision.
A proper survey will actually save you money. If serious defects are found, you
can often re-negotiate the sale price of the property to reflect the cost of
necessary remedial repairs, or you may even decide to call off the deal in total.

We will report on all the parts of the property that can be reached with
reasonabe ease. However, Arch-Tekton does not perform any probing, removal,
cutting, chipping, sawing or other invasive building inspection methods.

We don’t inspect under carpets or furniture. We don’t open up wall panelling or

remove any cladding material. We also don’t test the water supply, sewerage
flow or electrical wiring, as these should be done by specialists in those fields -
though we will comment on its condition.

Your package will usually conist of:

• One set of print – outs of the documents (additional copies may be

ordered)
• Digital photographs
• An electronic version of the report in Adobe Acrobat format (*’pdf) or
Msword.

What the client can do to keep costs down:

Measuring buildings is time consuming, very exhausting, and sometimes even

very confusing. We will make every effort to perform our work efficiently and
accurately, but there are a few things you can do to help us keep costs down.

1. Provide us with a base plan of the existing building, usually obtainable

from the local authority. Any existing drawings will be better than nothing
at all. Costs will be higher if the building must be surveyed and drawn from
scratch, as the survey procedure is then much more intensive.
2. Provide a Surveyor General diagram, obtainable from the SGO or local
authority, so that the exact perimeter dimensions of the property can be
established.
3. The building must be fully accessable. Locked doors will be by-passed if a
key is not readily available, and re-survey of these spaces at a later stage
will be at extra cost to the client.