> Services
James Dean Associates are members of the Royal Institution Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) and have an experience in a wide range of services.
> RICS Level 3
Full Building Surveys
A comprehensive survey of a building’s condition, design, and construction, carried out by a chartered surveyor.
How can a building survey help you?
A building’s substantial renovation or the purchase of real estate can be both exhilarating and intimidating. You can learn more about the property’s state and identify any building defects that might not otherwise be apparent by ordering a building survey. So that the appropriate course of action can be followed, the findings will provide you a better understanding of the building you are about to take on. Also, a survey report can be an effective instrument for negotiating the purchase price.
The Building Survey is a thorough analysis and evaluation of a building’s structure and state. The survey will normally refer to the structure, fabric, finishes, and grounds as well as any evident flaws and the required repair advice.
To more accurately assess any prospective liabilities associated with the purchase of the property, advice regarding the building’s maintenance projection is also supplied.
> RICS Level 2
Home Buyers Surveys
A type of survey aimed at prospective property buyers.
What is a Level 2 HomeBuyer survey?
Areas that are adequately accessible are visually inspected during a Level 2 HomeBuyer survey. The survey does not examine the property’s structural soundness in detail; instead, it searches for major issues that are immediately apparent. Guidelines advise a HomeBuyer survey if your property is relatively recent, conventionally built, and appears to be in good condition.
Even saving money is possible when you know what you are purchasing. Your report will assist you in determining whether to move forward with the purchase and can be used to bargain for a lower price for the property. If you are selling, these surveys can be useful as well so that you are aware of any issues. By doing this, you might be able to avoid difficult negotiations or a sale that falls through last-minute.
Party Wall Services
Agreeing Party Wall Awards on owners behalf’s, regarding notifiable works to party walls, adjacent excavations and the construction of a wall to the line of junction.
Our Party Wall team focus on minimising conflicts between neighbours
Owners of a property are required to serve notice on their Adjoining Owners under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 prior to commencing Notifiable works under the Act. We work with Owners to ensure the relevant Notices within the correct statutory time frames.
Every time building work is done to a Party Wall, the Party Wall etc. Act of 1996 mandates that specific processes are followed. The Act also applies to excavations that are near to a neighbouring structure.
By requiring that a Party Wall Award agreed by surveyors specify the time and manner in which the works will be completed, the Act seeks to minimise conflicts between neighbours.
Before the start of the work, the surveyors typically create and agree on a photographic schedule of the relevant portions of the adjacent property, and this becomes a part of the Party Wall Award.
The building owner carrying out the notifiable work is responsible for repairing any damage to the Party Wall or neighbouring property as a result of the work.
Contract Administration Duties
Responsibilities and tasks of a Contract Administrator includes, chairing weekly meetings with the Employer and Contractor, issuing payment certificates, instructing variations after consultation with the employer and reviewing works on a weekly regular basis to ensure they are being undertaken as per the specification.
We represent individuals, businesses, and government-funded organisations during construction projects
Having professional representation in the form of a Contract Administrator to manage the contract and supervise the contractor’s performance can be beneficial during building construction, maintenance, or repairs.
Our team are uniquely qualified to represent individuals, businesses, and government-funded organisations during construction projects because of their extensive experience negotiating building contracts. Our Chartered Building Surveyors frequently take on the function of Contract Administrators thanks to their in-depth understanding of building construction and their proficiency in successfully project managing both large- and small-scale developments from beginning to end. clients ask us to work with them to make sure a high-quality project is completed in their needed timeframe at the lowest possible cost.
For the majority of our clients, we draft a Specification of Works and submit the tender documents for bids from contractors; as a result, we also prepare and manage the contract. This works for us because we have faith in the design work done and know it was done correctly.
Contrary to project management, we as contract administrators are obligated to act impartially and scrupulously adhere to the contract’s requirements. We have a responsibility to only implement the contract because we are impartial agents.
Specification Writing
Creating a document that outlines the detailed requirements, materials, and standards for a construction project.
We work with our clients to prepare specifications tailored to the projects requirements
To guarantee that any construction project conforms with building standards and industry best practises, we have experience producing accurate and detailed specifications. To ensure that the specification is suitable for the building and the demands of the client, we inspect buildings and have detailed conversations with our clients.
When asking contractors for competitive costs, specifications are necessary. A specification makes sure that the prices charged by the contractors are directly comparable so that the most competitive contractor can be chosen. Often, the specification needs to be supported by drawings.
The preliminary NBS (National Building Specification) documents created by James Dean Associates include materials and workmanship standards that outline the precise conditions and requirements to complete the project successfully. These cover things like project risk, safety, security, time, and facilities, among others, as well as subcontracting, planning permissions, workmanship, and building supplies. Importantly, they provide the contractor the freedom to incorporate all project-related expenditures in the price.
In order to provide our clients with cost and performance certainty throughout the project’s lifecycle, we work with them on design-build and typical construction contracts, preparing preliminary documents, work schedules, and specifications.
Reinstatement Cost Assessments
Estimate of the cost to rebuild a property in the event of damage or destruction.
What is a Reinstatement Cost Assessment?
A physical visit to a property is required for a reinstatement cost assessment in order to measure and evaluate the reinstatement costs. Often, they are based on a complete loss or significant enough damage that the entire structure will need to be torn down and rebuilt.
A final assessment figure will be provided when the property or premises have been measured and assessed. This figure will include the entire cost to reconstruct the property, demolition and debris removal costs, as well as professional and statutory fees. The declared value for insurance reasons will be made up of this.
In compliance with the most recent Practice Standards from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) (RICS Guidelines – Reinstatement Cost Assessments of Buildings), James Dean Associates conducts objective, professional assessments. We guarantee that we are using the most recent data by leveraging online cost data from the Building Cost Information Service (BCIS) in order to deliver an accurate Reinstatement Cost Assessments.
Our surveyors have years of experience inspecting a wide range of properties, from modest office buildings to substantial multiplex theatres and sizable residential portfolios. When you work with us, you can be certain that our insurance evaluation will assist you in setting up the appropriate level of coverage year after year.
Defect Analysis Reports
Detailed investigations of building defects and problems.
We thoroughly examine the property to identify any defects and ascertain their root causes
A defect Analysis Report can identify a specific defect within a buildings construction. The Report will make sure you have a thorough grasp of the defect, enabling you to address and remedy the defect.
Our responsibility will be to thoroughly examine the property to identify any defects and ascertain their root causes. Following the inspection, they will consolidate their findings into a report and provide unbiased, straightforward guidance on how to resolve the problem.
A Particular Defect Report can offer a more thorough study of an issue than a Homebuyer Report, but it is less expensive than a Building Survey (Level 3) of the entire property.
The issues of concern could be brought up by a client during a viewing, like a damp patch, or in a mortgage valuation report, like the adequacy of alterations, or prehaps by an environmental search that reveals the property is in a region with a high risk of structural ground movement.
A Particular Defect Report on problems identified in a survey by a buyer or potential tenant may be helpful to vendors and business landlords on the other side of the real estate transaction. This can serve as a helpful second judgement.
Capital Expenditure Plans
Long-term plans for allocating financial resources to invest in fixed assets, such as buildings, machinery, and equipment, are expected to have a useful life of multiple years.
A Capital Expenditure Plan allows an owner of a building to plan for capital expenditure over the period of a pre-agreed duration, to ensure annual collections are adequate for the optimum up keep of the building
Schedule of Conditions
Documents that outlines the current condition of a property at a specific point in time.
How can a Schedule of Condition help me?
A Schedule of Condition is a thorough record of a property’s condition that is typically kept and used afterwards to determine the property’s former condition. In order to confine the tenant’s repair duties to the state of the property at lease commencement, surveys are often included in lease agreements.
The term “Photographic Schedule of Condition” refers to a Schedule of Condition survey that uses mostly images and is sometimes prepared in a straightforward manner. Although they do have limits in that they solely rely on the visual image provided in each photograph, this can be a financially advantageous technique to construct a Schedule of Condition. Liability might not be restricted unless the contract is precisely structured to cover the regions that aren’t visible in the snapshot, and the photo wouldn’t capture problems like movement, wetness, leaks, crack breadth, or the severity of particular faults.
The team of Chartered Building Surveyors at James Dean Associates frequently completes Schedules of Condition on behalf of Tenants who are signing leases on commercial properties around the UK.
The unexpected number of tenants who choose not to complete a Schedule of Conditions is surprising given the onerous nature of commercial property leases. Regrettably, they may be forced to pay significant dilapidations claims for repairs relating to damage that existed when they first took control of the building at the conclusion of the lease.