Commercial Building Surveys
Commercial building surveying services for property acquisition, pre-lease surveys, schedules of condition, dilapidations, planned maintenance and defect diagnosis, providing clear, practical advice to support your property decisions.
We aim to respond the same day.
- RICS Regulated Firm since 2020
- 4.9 on Google and Trustist
- We aim to respond the same day
Surveying commercial buildings
Professional building surveying for the inspection, diagnosis and management of commercial buildings: offices, retail, industrial and mixed-use. Appropriate commercial instructions are undertaken across London, the South East and throughout the UK.
- Pre-acquisition and pre-lease surveys that set out the liabilities you are taking on
- Schedules of condition and dilapidations advice for landlords and tenants
- Planned preventative maintenance and defect diagnosis
- Reports written around the transaction or decision in front of you, with priorities and indicative costs
- Across London, the South East and throughout the UK
Our commercial building surveying services
- Pre-acquisition and pre-lease building surveys
- Condition surveys of commercial buildings
- Schedules of condition for leases and party wall matters
- Dilapidations advice, schedules and negotiations
- Planned preventative maintenance (PPM) reports
- Defect diagnosis and building pathology
- Repair and refurbishment advice
- Contract administration and project monitoring
Who we work with
- Investors and purchasers acquiring offices, retail, industrial or mixed-use property
- Tenants taking a lease who want to limit repairing obligations
- Landlords managing a portfolio, preparing for lease end or planning maintenance
- Occupiers with a defect that needs a diagnosis, such as cracking, damp, movement or material failure
- Solicitors and agents who need an independent RICS-qualified surveyor's opinion
Commercial Building Surveys explained
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Pre-acquisition and pre-lease surveys
- What you are taking on: structure, fabric, roof and services, defects and their likely causes
- The repair liabilities that will fall to you under the lease or on completion
- For tenants, the basis of a schedule of condition attached to the lease, so you are not asked to hand back a better building than you took
- Written for the transaction in front of you, with priorities and indicative costs
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02
Schedules of condition
- A detailed written and photographic record of condition at a fixed point in time
- Typically at the start of a lease, before neighbouring construction works, or for party wall purposes
- Prepared carefully, it removes argument later
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03
Dilapidations
- We act for landlords and tenants at lease end and during the term
- Schedules of dilapidations prepared or reviewed; repairing, decorating and reinstatement obligations explained
- Settlement negotiated on your behalf
- Early advice, ideally a year or more before expiry, usually saves money on both sides
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04
Planned preventative maintenance
- Likely maintenance and repair requirements over a chosen period, typically five or ten years
- Priorities and budget costs, so expenditure is planned rather than reacted to
- For single buildings and for portfolios
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Defect diagnosis and building pathology
- Cracking, dampness, movement, roof failure, timber decay, material deterioration
- We investigate the cause, not just the symptom, and advise proportionate remedial measures
- Where specialist testing or monitoring is needed we say so and coordinate it
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06
Contract administration and project monitoring
- Specifications prepared, tenders obtained, the building contract administered and works inspected on site
- Independent monitoring of works procured by others
- Smaller-scale contract administration sits within this building surveying service; for larger and more involved projects, our dedicated project management service is the better fit
Commercial Building Surveys: your questions answered
What is the difference between a commercial building survey and a schedule of condition?
A building survey is an inspection and report on the condition of the property with advice on defects, repairs and liabilities, so that you know where you stand before you buy or lease. A schedule of condition is a factual record of the condition at a point in time, usually attached to a lease or prepared before neighbouring works, so that there is a clear record of the condition to refer back to if it is later disputed. Tenants often commission both before taking a lease.
If I am taking a lease, do I really need a survey?
If the lease makes you responsible for repairs (a full repairing and insuring lease is common), you are taking on the building's defects as well as its use. A pre-lease survey identifies those liabilities so you can negotiate the lease terms, exclude items in a schedule of condition, or budget for them. It usually costs a fraction of the dilapidations bill it helps you avoid.
When should I get dilapidations advice?
Earlier than most people think. Tenants benefit from advice a year or more before lease expiry, when there is time to carry out works cost-effectively rather than settle a landlord's claim. Landlords benefit from an interim review to check the tenant is complying with the lease and from a properly prepared terminal schedule at lease end.
What is a planned preventative maintenance report?
A PPM report sets out the maintenance and repair likely to be needed on a building over a chosen period (typically five or ten years) with priorities and budget costs, so that expenditure can be planned in advance. It is used by owners, managing agents and occupiers for single buildings and portfolios.
Do you cover industrial and retail property as well as offices?
Yes. We survey offices, retail, industrial and warehouse units, mixed-use and residential blocks across Surrey, Kent, Sussex and London, as well as undertaking instructions throughout the UK. Tell us the address and what you need the survey for and we aim to reply the same day with a fee proposal.
What clients say
From clients across our surveying and building consultancy work.
4.9 from Google and Trustist reviews
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My experience with Huxley Surveyors more than met expectations. Mathew did our Level 3 pre-purchase survey of a flat in a Grade II listed property in Hove. His very extensive report was well presented, and upon receipt Mat proactively suggested a follow up phone call to clarify any points in the report and to answer any questions. All in all, a good experience. I can highly recommend Huxley Surveyors.
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The survey itself was exceptionally detailed and comprehensive, leaving no stone unturned. The report was clear, well-structured, and easy to understand, highlighting both major concerns and smaller issues that could have easily been overlooked.
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Fabulous service from Chris. We have used Huxley surveyors twice and would recommend without doubt. The service was professional, informed and really efficient. Following a survey, Chris offered follow- up calls to help with anything that wasn’t clear. A fantastic service.
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RICS regulated · 4.9 from Google and Trustist reviews · No obligation