News and Blogs

6 November 2023
Do I need a buildings surveyor or a commercial surveyor?

By Zoe Clarvis, Senior Chartered Surveyor

When people are looking for property expertise and advice they are often unsure as to whether they need the help of a building surveyor or a commercial property surveyor.

They are jobs with many similarities – but each offering specific areas of expertise.

A building surveyor primarily tends to focus on the technical aspects of a building and its compliance to many laws.

Common tasks dealt with by a building surveyor include;

• Condition Assessments - Assessing the condition of buildings and structures, building surveyors are often called upon for property inspections and surveys to identify defects, maintenance issues, and potential risks.
  
  
• Building Inspections: If you are purchasing a property, a building surveyor can conduct a thorough inspection to provide you with a detailed report on the property's condition, which can help you make informed decisions.
  
  
• Renovation or Restoration: When you are planning to renovate, restore, or adapt an existing building, a building surveyor can provide guidance on compliance with building regulations and preservation of historic or architectural elements.
  
  
• Dilapidations: Building surveyors can help with dilapidation assessments, which are often used to determine the condition of a property during and after a lease term.
  
  
• Party Wall Matters: If your project involves shared walls with neighbouring properties, a building surveyor can assist with party wall matters and ensure compliance with relevant legislation.

Commercial surveyors

Commercial surveyors tend to focus more on valuations and the operations, management and maintenance of properties.

Common tasks dealt with by a commercial surveyor include;

• Property Valuation: To determine the market value of commercial properties, which is important for buying, selling, leasing, or financing commercial real estate.
  
  
• Lease Negotiations: A commercial surveyor can help assess rental values, lease terms, and other aspects to ensure a fair deal for landlord or tenant.
  
  
• Investment Advice: If you are looking to invest in commercial real estate, a commercial surveyor can provide advice on investment opportunities, property selection, and market trends.
  
  
• Landlord and tenant matters: Commercial surveyors can assist with various landlord and tenant matters, such as rent reviews, lease renewals, and leasehold improvements.
  
  
• Feasibility Studies: If you are considering a new development or redevelopment project, a commercial surveyor can conduct feasibility studies to assess the viability and potential returns of the project.

All the above are all major aspects of our commercial property management, professional services and lease advisory work here at Garness Jones.

Our team provides dedicated asset management, facilities management, service charge management and manages tenant relations for landlords, taking care of all issues from property maintenance to rent collection and reviews.

The above tasks are all part of the daily duties of our chartered surveyors, who work to maximise the returns on investment, and the long-term value of portfolios for landlords and owners.

Depending on the complexity of a property-related project, the services of both types of surveyors may be required, and as we pride ourselves at Garness Jones on providing a full property solutions service to our clients, we work closely and have many longstanding relationships with local building surveyors to ensure all technical and legal aspects are considered for our clients.

This ensures they benefit from a complete service, providing the best commercial property expertise – and complete peace of mind that everything is considered and taken care of on their behalf.