Articles
Guides & Advice
“Plain-English answers to the property questions we’re asked most, so you can decide with confidence.”
Practical guides on surveys and buying, building defects, leases and dilapidations, planning, development, energy and running a building project.
Written by a chartered building consultancy to help owners, landlords, tenants and developers make informed property decisions.
Property guidance from AXIOS
A growing library of straightforward guides on surveys, defects, leases, planning, development, energy and running a building project, the questions we are asked most often.
Surveys & buying a property
Pre-acquisition surveys
A building survey before you buy or lease commercial property, condition, liabilities and cost.
Read ArticleThermal imaging surveys explained
What a thermal camera can reveal about heat loss, damp and hidden defects.
Read ArticleWhich level of survey do I need?
The three RICS Home Survey levels, and how to choose the right one.
Read ArticleWhat to check before buying
A practical checklist: structure, damp, roof, services, consents and more.
Read ArticleBuying a property at auction
Why a bid is binding, what to check in the legal pack, and how a survey protects you.
Read ArticleWhat is a measured building survey?
What accurate scaled drawings are for, and how it differs from a condition survey.
Read ArticleReading your survey report
How condition ratings work, how to prioritise findings, and how to act on them.
Read ArticleReinstatement cost assessments
Why rebuild cost isn’t market value, and the risk of under-insurance.
Read ArticleWhat is a Schedule of Condition?
What it records, when you need one, and how it protects you.
Read ArticleBuilding defects & repairs
What happens in a defect investigation?
How a surveyor diagnoses the cause of cracks, damp or movement, and what the report gives you.
Read ArticleChimney and fireplace defects
Common chimney problems (flashing, pointing and flues) and why they cause damp.
Read ArticleRender, cladding & external walls
The common external finishes, the defects that affect them, and getting the finish right.
Read ArticleRising, penetrating or condensation?
The three types of damp and why diagnosis matters before treatment.
Read ArticleCracks in walls: when to worry
What causes cracks, the warning signs of subsidence, and when to act.
Read ArticleJapanese knotweed and your property
How to identify it, why it affects mortgages, and how it is managed.
Read ArticleFlat roofs: problems and lifespans
The main coverings, how long they last, and the defects to watch for.
Read ArticlePitched roofs: slates and tiles
The main coverings and the defects most often found on pitched roofs.
Read ArticleWoodworm, wet rot and dry rot
The main forms of timber decay, and why moisture is always the real cause.
Read ArticleDefects in older properties
Why period buildings behave differently, and the need for compatible repairs.
Read ArticleCavity wall tie failure
What wall ties do, how they fail, and the tell-tale cracking to look for.
Read ArticleDrainage problems investigated
Common drainage faults and how a CCTV survey pinpoints the cause.
Read ArticleNew-build snagging
What a snagging inspection covers and how warranties protect you.
Read ArticleLeases, dilapidations & party walls
Schedule of condition vs dilapidations
Two documents often confused, what each is, and how they relate across a lease.
Read ArticleParty wall awards explained
What a party wall award contains, and the surveyor’s impartial role in resolving a dispute.
Read ArticleBoundaries and boundary disputes
How boundaries are defined, why disputes arise, and how to resolve them.
Read ArticleCommercial service charges explained
What a service charge covers, how it’s apportioned, and keeping it fair.
Read ArticleA tenant’s guide to dilapidations
Interim vs terminal schedules, and how the Section 18 cap limits liability.
Read ArticleA landlord’s repairing obligations
Where a landlord’s duties come from, residential vs commercial.
Read ArticleFRI leases explained
What a full repairing and insuring lease means for a tenant.
Read ArticleDo I need a party wall surveyor?
When the Party Wall etc. Act applies and what the award involves.
Read ArticlePlanning & permissions
Do I need planning permission?
When permission is needed and what permitted development allows.
Read ArticleBuilding Regulations vs planning
What each controls, when you need one or both, and why it matters.
Read ArticleListed buildings & conservation areas
What listing means and the risks of unauthorised work.
Read ArticleDevelopment & feasibility
Is your project viable?
What a feasibility study covers and how it supports a go/no-go decision.
Read ArticleOffice-to-residential conversions
How prior approval works, and the pitfalls to plan for.
Read ArticleTechnical due diligence
What a TDD survey assesses before you buy, lease or invest.
Read ArticleRight to light
How a neighbour’s right to light can reshape a development, plan early.
Read ArticleBuilding safety & compliance
Asbestos in buildings
Where it’s found, the duty to manage it, and why never to disturb it.
Read ArticleFire safety basics for owners
Your responsibilities and the role of the fire risk assessment.
Read ArticleCDM: safety in construction
The duties CDM places on clients, and why they apply to most projects.
Read ArticleManaging building projects
What does a construction manager do?
How construction management works, and the construction manager’s role in cost, programme and quality.
Read ArticleWhat does a project manager do?
The role of a project manager and employer’s agent.
Read ArticleContract administration & JCT
What it involves and how JCT contracts protect both sides.
Read ArticleHave a question about your property?
Whether it is a survey, a lease matter or a project, AXIOS Building Consultants can give you clear, independent advice.