Harding Chartered Surveyors — Hertfordshire Office

St Albans combines a historic city centre with Victorian and Edwardian terraces, inter-war family houses, post-war development, converted flats and modern apartment schemes. Elsewhere in Hertfordshire, the mix includes village cottages, commuter-town housing, listed buildings, purpose-built blocks and recent estates. A useful survey must respond to the age, construction and alterations of the actual property rather than give every building the same treatment.

In older homes, the inspection may need to pay particular attention to solid-wall construction, roofs and chimney stacks, dampness, timber floors, drainage, historic movement and unsympathetic alterations. Extended houses can raise questions about structural changes, workmanship and approvals. Flats require consideration of visible common parts and the wider block as well as the individual accommodation. For modern homes, defects in finishes, ventilation, weatherproofing and incomplete work may be more relevant.

Properties in conservation areas, or buildings that are listed, can also carry constraints that affect repairs and alterations. Your solicitor or planning adviser should confirm the legal position, while the survey helps you understand the building’s physical condition and maintenance needs.

For a wider overview of our work in the county, visit our guide to building surveyors in Hertfordshire.

Executors, separating owners and people disposing of a second property may each require a valuation prepared on a particular basis and date. We also assist eligible clients with shared ownership staircasing, Help to Buy redemption and Right to Buy. A RICS Registered Valuer will first confirm the purpose, intended user and evidence required.

A formal valuation differs from an estate-agent marketing appraisal. It is prepared for a stated purpose and valuation date, based on an inspection and relevant comparable evidence, in accordance with the applicable RICS standards. See our RICS valuation service for more information and tell us at the outset who will rely on the report.

Extensions, loft conversions, work to a shared wall and excavation close to a neighbouring building can fall within the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. The Act is procedural, so obtaining advice before work starts is important. Late or incorrect notices can create avoidable delay and disagreement.

We advise the person commissioning the building work as well as neighbours asked to consent to it. The surveyor’s duties depend on the appointment; they can include checking the proposals, administering notices, making a photographic record of adjoining areas and settling an Award. Read our local guide to party wall surveyors in St Albans or our overview of party wall matters.

We can also advise on boundary surveys where the physical features and available documents need careful review. A boundary instruction is different from a party wall appointment, so contact us with the background before selecting a service.

Harding Chartered Surveyors also undertakes commercial building surveys, schedules of condition and dilapidations advice. We agree a scope around the building, lease and client’s intended use so the resulting report focuses on the relevant repair, maintenance and liability questions.

1. Set out the decision you need to make. Share the address, property type and reason for commissioning the report.
2. Receive a written quotation. The scope, fee and any important limitations are set out before instruction.
3. Access is arranged. For a purchase survey, we can normally liaise with the selling agent or occupier.
4. The surveyor inspects. The inspection is carried out in accordance with the agreed service level.
5. Review the report. You receive a clear written report and can ask questions about material findings.