What makes this survey different
Most surveyors approach older buildings using the same framework that is applied to a modern conventional property. That works for identifying obvious defects, but it misses the issues that matter most in a historic property; how the building manages moisture, where traditional materials have been compromised by later interventions, and what the long-term implications of those changes are.
Tom Harris has spent over a decade working on historic buildings with traditional lime-based materials, and holds further conservation training from West Dean College. A Heritage Building Survey draws on that hands-on experience to give you something a standard Level 3 cannot: an assessment grounded in how the building actually works, not just how it looks on the day.
What the survey includes
A detailed external and internal inspection of all accessible areas, with particular attention to traditional construction, moisture behaviour, and the interaction between original fabric and later alterations. You'll receive a full written report with high-quality photographs, condition ratings for all principal elements, and clear recommendations on repair and maintenance. Once the report is issued, you're welcome to call and talk through the findings.
FAQ
Q: What is a Heritage Building Survey?
A: Russet and Sage's background is in practical building conservation. During that time we regularly worked to guidance provided by Level Three Building survey reports, and those reports were often found to be generic, with clear evidence of automatic report generation software. Where surveys had been carried out on listed buildings, key historic features were frequently missed, including the presence of apotropaic marks, and risks unique to traditionally constructed buildings were overlooked. Our Heritage Building Survey is our flagship product, designed to build upon the level of detail that should be expected from a competently carried out Level Three Survey. We carry out detailed desktop research, read the building carefully on site, identify varying construction types and phases of construction, and inform the client on the property’s condition as well as how alterations are affecting the property and its ongoing maintenance.
Q: How is a Russet & Sage Heritage Building Survey different from a standard Level Two or Level Three Survey?
A: Our Heritage Building Survey has been designed around a detailed understanding of how traditionally constructed properties function and how modern alterations affect the performance of the original building. Our background in practical building conservation informs how we read a property, and this is evident in our reports. We go beyond simple condition assessment and generic assessment methodologies to identify how different alterations and phases of construction affect the property, its ongoing management, and its repair requirements going forward.
Q: What qualifications should a heritage building surveyor have?
A: Thomas Harris is the founder and director of Russet and Sage and is a RICS-qualified building surveyor. The most important qualification a heritage building surveyor can have, however, is substantial experience in taking apart and putting back together historic buildings. Building surveyors too regularly rely on time served as a justification for surveying historic properties. Without grounding in practical building conservation, it is not possible to have a sufficient understanding of the ways in which traditionally constructed buildings perform, how innapropriate alterations affect them and how the property should be managed going forward.
Q: Do I need a specialist surveyor for a listed building?
A: Instructing a suitably qualified surveyor for a listed building ensures that defects are appropriately diagnosed based on a detailed technical understanding of how traditionally constructed buildings function compared to modern construction, including how traditional materials perform compared to their modern equivalents. A Heritage Building Survey from Russet and Sage ensures your property is assessed with proper consideration of its traditionally constructed elements, the effects of modern alterations such as extensions, and how these elements interact with each other. We go beyond surface-level condition assessment to advise on ongoing risk, maintenance requirements, and where appropriate, triggers for repair or remedial work, such as thatch replacement cycles. As part of our desktop research we examine the listed status of the property and compare this against available planning records and information gathered on site during inspection.
Q: Do I need a specialist surveyor for an unlisted pre-1919 building?
A: Yes, if you want the property to be read properly and you want your surveyor to understand how it functions. Too often, chartered surveyors assess traditionally constructed buildings using outdated methodology, such as protimeter surface readings, without any proper understanding of the hygrothermal performance and implications of traditional materials.
Q: How long does a Heritage Building Survey take?
A: Estate agents are often surprised at the time we spend on site. Our Heritage Building Surveys regularly take ~4hours. It is not possible to appropriately assess historic timber construction, load paths, and condition, alongside the main walls, floors, external elements, grounds, and outbuildings, in a couple of hours.
Q: How long does it take to receive my report?
A: Clients understandably want a quick turnaround, particularly given the number of simultaneous instructions involved in a property purchase and the fact that the survey is often carried out towards the end of the process. We turn reports around as quickly as possible, generally within two to three days. That timeframe reflects the detail and consideration given to the property. A very fast turnaround on a historic property survey should be treated as a red flag.
Q: What area do you cover?
A: We cover Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire, the Cotswolds, and the West Country. We travel nationally for clients seeking specialist building surveys carried out with a grounding in practical building conservation.
Q: What happens if the survey identifies significant defects?
A: When defects are identified, their causes and implications are clearly recorded and advice is provided for remediation.
Q: Will you talk me through the findings after the survey?
A: Yes. We value ongoing client care and can arrange to talk through the findings following receipt of the report.