- FAQ's
SNAGGING
Snagging is the process of picking up defects (snags) within a property. Generally referring to new build homes.
Customers get the best results if the survey is carried out before completion. However, for the best results it is better that the building developer has finished and has carried out their own inspection and have completed their own snagging list. This will give the building developer plenty of time to fix the snags before the property is moved into. Snagging can happen before or after completion. Some developers do not allow access to the property until the process is complete. If this is the case, we recommend that the survey is completed just after your completion.
New home owners have up to two years to complete snagging as this is within the warranty.
In 2022 the New Build Ombudsman elected a board called the NHQB – New Homes Quality Board – who created a checklist for us to follow. This Pre Completion Inspection (PCI) cannot deviate from the standards the NHQB has set.
We charge depending on the size of your property and it depends whether you are having the Pre Completion Inspection or Snagging Survey. See our page Snagging fees
The duration of a snagging inspection survey relies on several factors, namely the property’s size and the build’s quality. Typically, a 4-bed house takes approximately 3-4 hours to inspect, while a 2-bedroom apartment requires around 1.5 – 3 hours. It’s important to note that we do not charge per hour, and the cost remains fixed, regardless of the time taken to complete the inspection.
The extent of defects identified during a snagging inspection largely hinges on the size and level of quality of the property. Typically, for a standard 4-bed property, we identify an average of 150 – 250 defects, both minor and major. That being said, we have previously come across as few as 50 and as many as 300+ defects during an inspection.
We provide a personalised service to independent builders who desire to guarantee that their properties meet the highest standards of quality. Please contact us.
PARTY WALL
The Party Wall Etc Act 1996 makes provision for dealing with works that are likely to affect Party Walls and has been extended to include excavations within close proximity to neighbouring structures. The Party Wall Etc Act 1996 exists to protect both the building and adjoining owners from potential issues that may arise from the proposed works.
We always advise that if you are at all unsure if your works fall into these categories please give us a call on 020 7050 0690 so we can give you peace of mind.
You must tell your neighbour if you want to :
- Build on or at the boundary of your two properties
- Work on an existing party wall or party structure
- Excavate below and near to the foundation level of their building or structure
Where work falls under the provisions of the Act you must inform all Adjoining Owners by giving written notice, normally at least two months before the planned start on site. The notice is only valid for a year, so it is also important that it is not be served too early.
We always advise building owners to speak to their neighbours before serving a formal notice. Neighbours that feel they are being consulted and kept informed are far less likely to immediately appoint a surveyor when a notice is served. This can avoid running up a large bill for surveyor’s fees.
Follow the link for more information on the types of Party Wall Notices and when to issue them.
We charge depending on the size of your project. Please See our page Party Wall Fees
A Party Wall Notice will cease to have effect if the work to which it relates has not started within twelve months of the date on which the notice was served.
A Notice must be served at least two months before work will begin.
A Notice must be served at least two months before work will begin.
For a quick Party Wall Quote for your project send us the details of your planned project.
If Adjoining Owners have given their agreement within 14 days, you can order a schedule of condition (if needed) and commence building works once the notices period expire.
If Adjoining Owners have dissented, the process of reaching an amicable agreement via the production of an ‘Award’ begins.
If after giving them a further 10 days, the Adjoining Owner hasn’t confirmed either way, they are deemed as dissented and a surveyor can be appointed on their behalf to produce the Award.
Usually the Building Owner will pay all costs associated with drawing up the award including the adjoining owner’s surveyors’ fees, if the works are solely for the Building Owner’s benefit. It is therefore important that the whole process is managed efficiently to keep to keep adjoining owner’s surveyors fees to a minimum.
Adjoining owners’ surveyors are not required to quote in advance so their fees are calculated by reference to an hourly rate with the final figure being agreed with the building owner’s surveyor.
Should the two surveyors fail to agree upon a reasonable amount the matter can be referred to the Third Surveyor who has the final say.
Follow the link for more information on the types of Party Wall Notices and when to issue them.
Failure to comply with the Party Wall Act can result in significant legal consequences.
If a dispute arises between you and your neighbour due to non-compliance with the Party Wall Act they have the right to initiate legal action against you. When such matters come before the Courts they often take a dim view of anyone failing to comply with the statutory obligations of the Party Wall Act.
One of the most significant consequences of facing legal action is the cost. If a Building Owner has failed to follow their obligations under the Party Wall Act they are likely to be held liable for all the costs of legal action to stop work and resolve matters which will include both parties solicitors and court fees. This is likely to far exceed the cost of complying with the Party Wall Act in the first place, by issuing notice and appointing surveyors. In a recently reported case the Building Owner was found liable for costs and compensation estimated to be in the order of £100,000.
The court can order an injunction to halt any work until the matter is resolved, causing significant delays and financial losses. Injunctions can be granted swiftly and stop the works immediately, until the Party Wall Act process is followed with the appointment of surveyors etc. Ignoring an injunction is normally punishable as a contempt of Court and can lead to imprisonment.
It is also possible for an Adjoining Owner to apply for a mandatory injunction. If granted by the Courts such an injunction could require the Building Owner to remove the structure that had been unlawfully constructed.
The Party Wall Act is very clear that either written consent to the work or a ‘Party Wall Award’ must be in place to allow works to go ahead.
This means not a single piece of work, even preparing the land or the surfaces, can go ahead before this happens or the Adjoining Owners may have a claim against you.
A party wall agreement is a legal contract between property owners who share a wall or boundary. A Party Wall agreement is more properly described as a Party Wall Award. An Award defines the rights and responsibilities of a Building Owner who wants to undertake construction or renovation work that could affect a shared structure.
The agreement outlines details like the proposed work, working hours, and precautions to protect the neighbor’s property. It also covers costs, wall maintenance, and liability for damages. The purpose of a Party Wall Awrad is to ensure fair treatment and resolve disputes related to the construction work in a legally binding way.
If an Adjoining Owner has said they agree to works without being served a party wall notice and officially consenting in writing, this won’t hold up.
The Adjoining Owner/s must issue a written consent within 14 days of being given a party wall notice.
ENERGY PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATE (EPC)
An EPC refers to an Energey Performance Certificcate, a document that is legally required every time you buy or sell prperty in the UK.
The purpose of the EPC is to clearly summarise the energy efficiency of a building, providing you with the estimated heating, lighting and hot water costs and carbon emissions released in one year. The document also gives you recommendations about how you can reduce energy use and costs.
With an EPC you can compare the energy efficiency ratings of homes across the UK and the document is generated following an EPC assessment.
If you are planning on selling or renting out your property then it is a legal requirement that you have a valid (and with a passing rating) EPC for potential buyers and tenants, who have the right to request an EPC if you do not provide one immediately.
If you are planning on renting the property then, due to MEES legislation, you must have at least an E rated EPC
All EPCs are lodged to the national register on which you can search via postcode to check whether your property has an EPC or not.
Both domestic and commercial EPCs are valid for 10 years from the date of the certificate, unless superseded by a more up to date certificate. Commercial recommendation reports also last for 10 years.
Domestic
For domestic properties up to four bedrooms it will take approx 15-45 minutes on site for the assessor to collect all of the necessary data for the calculations, and after the site visit the assessor will need to process the data and finalise the EPC certificate at the desk. Here at Easy EPC we aim to have the documents ready 1-2 working days after the date of the appointment.
Commercial
For commercial properties the amount of time spent on site varies largely depending on the size and complexity of the property, we advise asking the assessor when planning your appointment for a rough estimate. After the appointment, the assessor will need to build a 3D model of the property and run the calculations at the desk to complete your EPC certificate. We aim to have the documents ready 2-3 working days after the date of the appointment.
When putting your home up for sale, it is a legal requirement to have a valid EPC. Even if you’re not thinking about selling just yet, having an up to date EPC can still help you to identify ways that you could:
• Reduce your environmental footprint
• Help save money by reducing your monthly energy bills
RETROFIT ASSESSMENT
Retrofitting is the process of making improvements to your home so it becomes more energy efficient with lower emissions.
- It often involves improving insulation of walls, floors and lofts.
- and, the upgrading of windows and doors
- It may include renewing services such as heating, hot water and lighting
Our homes use 35% of the UK’s energy and emit 20% of our carbon dioxide emissions
Improving their energy efficiency not only makes things better for our environment, it makes your home more comfortable to live in and more cost effective to run.
Every home that is to be subjected to energy retrofit work must first be assessed by a Retrofit Assessor.
Their main role is to provide information to the Retrofit Coordinator about the dwelling.
Assess your home
A qualified retrofit professional will assess your homeA bespoke plan is produced
It can be carried out in stages to suit your budget, lifestyle or needsQuotes are obtained
from approved retrofit contractorsWork begins
A preferred contractor is chosen, contracts are signed and work beginsWork is completed
On completion, the work is checked to ensure it’s delivered to all required quality standards
Our assessors do their best to minimise disruption and work efficiently. Generally speaking, a standard property can be completed in around 1-2 hours, however larger or more complex buildings that might require a bit more investigation can take a little longer.
The survey is intrusive and is purely visual. You don’t have to prepare or move anything for us, we will work around you and your home.
PAS 2035 has been introduced as the new comprehensive document in the retrofit standards framework. PAS 2035 outlines a detailed specification for the energy retrofit of domestic buildings, and provides comprehensive best practice guidance for domestic retrofit projects. In essence, it serves as a critical tool in ensuring the quality and effectiveness of energy retrofit projects across the country.
The Standard Assessment Procedure is the Government’s preferred method for energy assessment of dwellings. It
is an implementation of BREDEM (BREDEM 9) in which the heating calculations are simplified and some of the flexibility of the inputs is removed. SAP is used for demonstrating the compliance of new dwellings with the Building Regulations, as well as for assessment of existing dwellings and the evaluation of improvement options. SAP uses a standard occupancy pattern and assumes that all dwellings are located in the East Midlands region.
The Reduced Data Standard Assessment Procedure
(RDSAP) is a “cut down” version of SAP for use in surveys and assessments of existing dwellings. “Least unlikely” default data are used for items that are difficult or costly to collect on site (eg ground floor insulation, window areas). Consequently RDSAP is less accurate than the full SAP. RDSAP is used to generate Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) and to identify and evaluate basic improvement options.
