Choose the right starting point
A survey and a defect investigation answer different questions. Pre-acquisition surveys assess the building as a whole at an agreed level of detail; building pathology focuses on the cause, extent and consequences of a particular failure. The service pages below explain scope, while the guides address common decision points.
Questions to resolve before appointing
Use these distinctions to describe the building, the decision and the required output clearly when requesting advice.
Define the property decision
Start with the decision the report must support: proceeding with a purchase, renegotiating after defects are found, planning maintenance, diagnosing one recurring failure or recording condition before works. That decision determines whether a broad survey, a focused investigation or a scheduled condition record is the appropriate first commission.
Describe age, construction and alterations
State the approximate age, property type, known extensions or conversions, occupancy and any visible concerns. Period fabric, concealed structure, non-standard construction and extensive alterations can change the inspection scope. Photographs and prior reports are useful context, but they do not replace access to the relevant parts of the building.
Separate symptoms from causes
Damp staining, cracking, roof leaks and movement are observations rather than diagnoses. A suitable brief asks what evidence is needed to identify likely causes, what remains concealed and whether monitoring or specialist testing may follow. This avoids treating a whole-building survey as if it guaranteed a conclusive diagnosis of every defect.
Agree the usable output
Confirm whether you need priorities, repair advice, budget context, photographs, a defect schedule or questions for the seller and legal adviser. Also identify access limits and decision deadlines. A clear output brief makes quotations comparable and helps the surveyor distinguish immediate findings from further investigations that require separate authority.
Related professional services
Open the service that best matches the required scope and outcome.
Read the supporting guidance
These existing guides explain common choices, processes and technical distinctions in more detail.