Many targeted building inspections (i.e. for diagnosis of cracking or a specific known or suspected building defect) can be achieved remotely, by video call. One of our senior structural engineers (with over 30 years experience in crack diagnosis and building inspections) will talk to you via video link and guide you to show him the areas he wants to see. He will discuss the circumstances of the problem with you during the call and also carry out a desk study (of local geological survey maps etc.). A written report is then produced as normal.
The fee for a remote survey is much reduced at £175 + vat, and no fee would be payable if we felt unable to diagnose the problem for some reason.This service is not appropriate for general building surveys.
When structural movement has been fully investigated and repairs are required, this can be achieved in several ways such as traditional masonry stitching
Subsidence
Click here for the Association of British Insurers’ advice in relation to subsidence claims
“Cracking caused by foundation movement (i.e. subsidence ) is usually insured, and your buildings insurers may well be able to assist you in dealing with the matter. Very often they will firstly require you to submit to them a Structural Engineer’s report confirming that the problem is likely to be due to such an insured risk, before they are willing to log a claim and send their own expert to see you. We provide such reports for insurance claims, and can also continue to act for you throughout the claim. Our fees would normally be paid to us directly by your insurers in such cases (with your prior authority).
Our structural engineers who undertake the video surveys also have 20+ years experience in the field of loss adjusting (within the subsidence specialism), and are thus best placed to assist in the diagnosis of foundation movement problems and the reporting of such for the initiation of insurance claims.”