Independent Roof Surveys
Industrial and commercial property roofing is a specialist area requiring in-depth knowledge and experience.
For this reason, we now sub-contract all of our roof surveys and invite visitors to visit our partner directly at RoofSurveys.com.
For Industrial & Commercial Property
We recommend independent roof surveys on all types of commercial and industrial properties throughout the UK.
Few building surveying practices have in-house industrial roofing specialists on their team and whilst we do, we understand the benefits of using firms who operate solely in this area.
In addition to engaging specialist surveyors, you should also consider means of safe access to conduct high level roofing inspections.
Typically this will involve either one or a mix of the following methods:
Cherry pickers – these allow the surveyor to carry our inspections safely in a controlled environment. It’s the preferred method of access in most cases, though it does have some limitations.
Drone – several of our building surveyors are qualified, registered and fully insured drone pilots. Drones are useful for providing an overview of a roof and can be handy to obtain close-up images of defects, but are limited by weather, geographical and environmental issues.
Telescopic Pole – Our 9 metre telescopic camera pole provides considerable flexibility and allows access to the places where cherry pickers might not be able to reach. They are limited to building with a maximum 8 metre eaves height though.
On-Site Access – Many larger industrial premises have access from inside the building to allow for direct external inspection and repair. Our surveyors are harness trained and carry their own harnesses to use on their inspections and are happy to safely traffic suitable roofs, with the exception of fragile roofs, which should ever be trafficked).
Roof Survey Types
More detailed information on industrial and commercial roof surveys via our dedicated web site at roofsurveys.com.
You can view the relevant pages by clicking a link below, which will open a new browser window, enabling you to keep this page open at the same time.
Metal Roof Surveys | Asbestos Roof Surveys | Flat Roof Surveys
At the start of a lease
An independent roof survey is a vital component of a condition survey but can also be required and instructed at other times.
At the commencement of a lease, many in-going tenants will attempt to save money on their schedule of condition, by not having the roof inspected.
This saves on surveying time and also saves the cost of powered access.
Unfortunately, it’s a false economy.
At the end of the lease, the landlord’s dilapidations surveyor will go straight on the roof, regardless of the cost of access, because in most cases, the out-going tenant has to pay for both parties’ surveyor costs!
If the roof has been excluded from the condition survey, the tenant is defenceless against an aggressive dilapidations claim and at the mercy of the landlord.
Why Do I Need An Independent Roof Survey?
Because roofing contractors are more likely to make a recommendation based on their profitability, rather than your actual requirements.
Also, many roofing contractors are limited to the solutions they can offer because of commercial tie-ins with specific manufacturers or merchants, in which case, you’ll be offered a product that fits their requirement, rather than what is best for you.
A building surveyor has no such ties and is not governed by sales targets or other economical considerations. You pay for the survey and the professional advice.
A roofing contractor might offer you a “free survey” but you’ll soon discover that free is not free at all.
Leaking Roofs
Roof surveys can help identify the causes of your leaking roof.
The causes are not always obvious and leaks can be from a variety of places.
Lack of maintenance, insufficient gutters, poorly sealed roof lights, fixings and even broken panels, depending on the make-up of the roof could be to blame.
The real benefit of an independent roof survey is that a building surveyor won’t have a vested interest in recommending a particular solution.
Instead, you’ll be presented with a meaningful report based on expert knowledge, together with viable budget-cost options for repair, or even replacement.
With metal roofs, our surveyors conduct pressure tests on a random sample of fixings to ensure they are water-tight. This is important, because fixings are often to blame for the those small, annoying leaks that seem to come from nowhere.
Our expert surveyors can advise on matters concerning asbestos cement roofs, flat roofs and metal profiled roofs.
Roofing contractors will often provide you with free surveys, but their advice is often based on which solution makes them the most money.
Pre / Post Roof Works
If you’re planning roof works to a commercial property, it’s strongly recommended that you obtain professional advice.
This starts with the roof survey of course and if the building is attached to other properties, will generally include a schedule of condition taken of the adjoining properties, so that in the event of a neighbour claiming that your works have interfered with their building, you have a photographic schedule to refer to as evidence.
After your roofing project is complete, the surveyor will be able to inspect the works and identify any faults that might be present, ensuring that that any faults are corrected in a timely manner.
Drone Roof Surveys
Considering a drone roof survey?
We have qualified, commercial drone pilots with relevant CAA permissions on our staff and we own our own remote aircraft equipped with 4K quality, zoom-enabled video and still cameras to provide the highest possible quality images to support your report.
For your complete reassurance, Commercial Property Surveys Ltd is a member of the DroneSafe Register and carries full public and professional indemnity insurance for our drone surveying service.
Employing a non-licensed or under-insured drone pilot might look cheap, but it will prove very expensive if something goes wrong!
Our drone can easily deploy at relatively short notice and save the cost of hired access, if it’s appropriate and safe to do so.
In most cases though, we do recommend getting up close and personal, because a physical inspection is always better since it allows the surveyor to closely examine the substrate.
We don’t charge extra for drone surveys and can sometimes use the drone to supplement a full access roof survey.
View this example drone roof survey.
Drone footage can be supplied royalty free to clients for their own publicity purposes, especially for projects requiring before and after shots of roof works.
Drone roof survey costs.
For more information, or a competitive fee quotation, please contact us on 0121 711 7110
Conclusion
Only a paid survey can provide you with impartial advice.
We guarantee that you will receive an independent roof survey, free from any external commercial considerations.
We can help other building surveying practices, property managers and facilities managers requiring independent advice industrial roofing issues.
Don’t leave it to chance, call David Carter to arrange an impartial and independent roof survey today on 07800 790427.