The Importance of Having a Structural Engineer Surveying Your Home Before You Buy

December 28th, 2011 by admin No comments »

Buying your dream home or even invest in real estate can be a huge financial effort that calls for careful planning and research. When buying a house, whether historical structures or new construction, there are a number of factors to be considered wise.

Structural integrity is an important aspect as it could have a bearing on how much you pay for the property and subsequent costs to be incurred. So, certainly it would be wise to ask for help from a structural engineer before you close the deal.

How can a building surveyor to help you?

A survey of the house requires a detailed analysis of each major area of the house and structural components. From the base to the pipe and the curls on the page to the HVAC system, it is possible to find a rented building surveyors in London for every part of the house.

However, it would make sense to start with a generic home buyer’s survey; this will include an overall inspection of the home including the plumbing, septic, and temperature control systems etc. This will usually be followed by a structural survey which is crucial regardless of the size, cost and the age of the building.

A building survey done by a structural engineer will help you to get a clear understanding about the strength and condition of the foundation of the structure. Foundation cracks can not only be extremely expensive to repair but they can seriously compromise the structural strength posing a hazard for the occupants of a home. So, it is imperative to get a chartered building surveyor to look at a home before buying it.

The benefits of hiring the services of a structural engineer in London

Assess the fair price of the property: The condition of the structure, including the walls, foundation, roof, various systems, doors, windows, wooden components and appliances can have a huge impact on the actual price of the house. With the report of a general home survey and the findings of a structural engineer in hand, you will be in a better position to bargain over the cost of the property.

Understand the repair efforts that will be needed: Also, when you get building surveyors in London to look at the property, you will get precise information on the nature and extent of repair that will be needed immediately and in the future. This will help you to further lower the cost of the property as well as to haggle on the quotes offered by contractors, when you undertake these maintenance efforts.

Calculate the actual cost of the house: Because you will know exactly what needs to be done in the house, you will be able to fairly assess the actual cost of the home. In fact, even when buying a property fit for demolition and reconstruction, you should get a dilapidation survey done. Often certain parts of the structure or even its components may be good enough for a second run.

Safe investment: Homes that have passed a structural engineer survey are 100% safe. So, you will essentially be safeguarding your investment and financial future by getting a home surveyor to look a t the property.

A house is a long term investment for most and a chartered building surveyor can help you to ensure that you are making a sound decision. Scrimping on this front can prove to be a disastrous error in the long run, so it would be best to get a property survey done before buying a home. For more details, please check this link: structural engineer

The History of Stone Masons

December 6th, 2011 by admin No comments »

Stone masons have existed since the early dawn of human civilization, building structures and sculptures just by using the stone mined from quarries. In the Neolithic Era people discovered the use of fire to create plasters, and mortars. They used mud, straw, or stone, to build homes, leading to the birth of masonry. The most impressive construction that proved to last over the centuries, were heavily relying on stone. The ancient Egyptians built the pyramids, in Central America were the step pyramids, Greece and Rome had their temples, and public works, all build from stone. Sophroniscus is one of the famous ancient stone masons worth mentioning. He was the father of Socrates.

As centuries went by, castle-building became a veritable industry, supported and relying on stone masonry. When the Roman Empire fell, masonry had to suffer as well because of the extent in popularity of timber-based constructions.

Later on, starting with the 9th and 10th century, masonry was again in high demand due to the increase in construction of impressive churches and cathedrals. Since their skills were at high demand, masonry developed rankings to differentiate their skills. This led to the rise of three classes: apprentices, journeymen, and masters. Apprentices were indentured as a price for their training by their masters while journeymen could travel to assist other masons. The masters were the highest in rank and were considered freemen who could work freely for their patrons.

In the Renaissance era the Society of Freemasonry was created. This society would accept into the guild persons that were not masons to observe the culture of stone masons. During this age, masons used to carve a personal symbol on their work to differentiate it from others. Also during the Renaissance, a return to the sophisticated and prominent classic style was observed. The nourishing center of this age was Italy. Even today, many renascent cathedrals and cultural buildings still stand tall, reminiscent of this wonderful era. Structures such as Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, the Laurentian Library and the Fountain of Neptune were all built by renascent stone mason Michelangelo Buonarroti.

During the settlement of Europeans on American soil, masonry was used to build structures as stone was the material of choice. At first, the building resembled European style but soon to be replaced by unique architecture.

Nowadays, stone masonry is very different then in the past. Modern machines and forklifts replaced the usage of animals and human muscle powered work.

Claire Jefferies is writing on behalf of Heritage Masonry, who have over 18 years worth of experience in the Stonemasonry and Hard Landscapes trade. They offer a number of services, including pressure grouting contractors and natural stone company