Welcome to Cockrams Surveying Blog

Service quality: 5 Stars Value for money: 5 Stars Cockrams Surveying Limited 5 Ann 14/05/2011 I was thrilled to bits with this firm, Colin was really great and Simon who did the survey did a smashing job, we really enjoyed the cd with pictures of the property we are buying, we didn’t really take in … Read More »

Colin our Company Director and Surveyor always goes that one step ahead of other surveyors! Last week Colin was going through deep dark holes to inspect a property! Now that’s what I call a surveyor! It was lucky he did as he found that there was traces of Fras (the refuse and excrement of boring … Read More »

“Thank you so much for a great job done, we were really impressed how you put yourself out to do the job quickly and efficiently, and also thank you to Simon Buchanan who did the survey, we received the report via e-mail yesterday and a hard copy AND cd disc which was really great, we … Read More »

The word ‘listing’ is a short-hand term used to describe one of a number of legal procedures which help English Heritage to protect the best of the country’s architectural heritage. When buildings are listed they are placed on statutory lists of buildings of ‘special architectural or historic interest’ compiled by the Secretary of State for … Read More »

Before starting work, it’s worth considering whether Building Regulations will apply to the work you are doing. They first came about as a result of the Fire of London in 1666, and are constantly being updated, so they are something you need to know about. If you ignore them, the issue may cause difficulties when … Read More »

Depending on the type of work you are intending to do, you may or may not need planning permission. It’s worth getting it right, because in a worse-case scenario, your local council might demand that you demolish the work you have done and get you to put things back as they were. The following are … Read More »

When you come to tackle your renovation project you will need to call upon the services of builders, plumbers, electricians and other tradesmen. If you are planning to undertake a large project, and / or have enough spare cash, it may be worth employing a project manager to oversee them. If not, you will need … Read More »

It’s always a good idea to research the area before going ahead with buying a house in it. There are a number of elements you need to keep an eye out for, the importance you attach to each one will depend on your priorities, and who you ultimately decide to sell on to when you … Read More »

It’s worth doing your sums before embarking on any renovation project. There are more costs than you might otherwise imagine. House-buying fees Stamp duty bands Renovation costs House-buying fees Your buying costs include more than just the cost of the house. For example, the typical fees on a purchase of £250,000 are as follows: Survey: … Read More »

How much should you pay for a renovation project? A useful indicator is how much houses sold for in the area you are looking in. It is now much easier to research these prices thanks to the Land Registry who publish this information on the internet. All you have to do is input the postcode … Read More »