News & Features
All the latest news, articles, features and tips
Welcome to our blog page, where we share our years of experience as chartered surveyors to provide you with valuable articles, features, and practical tips about homes. Whether you’re a homeowner, buyer, seller, or investor, our blog offers expert insights on everything related to the housing market. From property inspections and valuations to renovation and repair, our blog covers it all, providing you with the information you need to make informed decisions about your home.
Why do some timber-frame houses have their beams exposed while others don’t?
Half timbering is an English phrase originating from an 1820s novel and is used to describe a load bearing wood frame, exposed externally, with infill panels. Romanticism aside, it is entirely likely that many [...]
What would you do if you had to replace your beautiful period home?
Insurance reinstatement valuations on period and listed homes are vital. Most historic and listed buildings are unique national treasures yet home owners and insurers are often unaware of the complexities involved in insuring them [...]
As Autumn arrives, an Aga cooker may begin to appeal!
In the mind’s eye, the iconic enamelled Aga cooker seems to be as much a part of country living as the obligatory Land Rover. Understanding the wonderful attributes of this cooker, along with some [...]
Dealing with Wasps and Hornets
Social wasps are often seen in British gardens where they can become something of a nuisance when food and drink are present. There are several species found in the UK including the common wasp [...]
Oil Storage and Safety
It is still common, especially in rural areas, to discover old, single-skin, metal oil storage tanks in at-risk locations such as close to garaging or in outhouses. Bearing in mind that oil tanks are [...]
Rats! Are they getting too close for comfort?
An old urban myth suggests that you are never more than six feet away from a rat, but they might well be getting closer. Experts suggest that with climate change and long warm winters, [...]
Dealing with a damp cellar!
Water is the prime cause of most cellar problems and in winter this can be uncomfortably obvious. In many unconverted cellars, the evidence of excessive water penetration is all too evident from discolouration, mould, [...]
The poisoners lurking in your garden!
It's surprising what you might find in your garden! Here are a few of the fairly common poisonous plants you should know about – especially if your children play outdoors! Many of the most [...]
Is it OK to buy an older property without a survey?
“Four out of five homebuyers don’t bother with a survey.” FT Weekend, 2016. “20% of people who bought a home without a survey found sufficient defects to make them wish they had not acquired [...]
