A Pre-Purchase Survey, sometimes called a 'structural survey', is a thorough internal and external inspection of a property to determine its condition. A Pre-Purchase Survey is normally conducted prior to a property being purchased and offers the potential purchaser peace of mind by identifying any defects or compliance issues which could incur substantial expense to remedy. Our reports are carried out by qualified Building Surveyors, experienced in inspecting a wide variety of residential properties. The final report describes the condition of the property, under separate headings, which summarise the overall condition of each building element and make recommendations to remedy any defects or areas of disrepair. A summary at the end of the report will provide a list of budget costs required to remedy all significant areas of disrepair or regulation breaches. The main areas covered by our surveys include:

• Planning & Building Regulation Issues - particularly important of the property has been extended or altered.
• BER (Building Energy Rating)

INTERIOR Walls & Ceilings Moisture Meter Readings Floors Stairs Roof Space Insulation Roof Felt Party Wall(s) Roof Vent Connections Doors & Windows Plumbing & Heating Sanitary & Welfare Facilities Drainage Electrics Room Air Venting

EXTERIOR Roof(s) Roof Eaves & Air Venting Chimneystack(s) and Parapet Walls Walls Rainwater Goods & External Piping General / Maintenance Deleterious Materials i.e. asbestos or lead piping Conclusion Costings

If required, we can carry out an inspection of a property without providing a detailed Building Inspection Report. The advantage of such a service is that a verbal summary of the main shortcomings of the property can be provided immediately after the inspection has been conducted thereby speeding up feedback to the client. A reduced fee for such a service applies.

Purchasing a property is one of the biggest investments most people will make. Our surveys will provide you with an independent, critical evaluation of a property's condition and inform you of the extent of any remedial works.

Certificates of Compliance are required for all new build work and for any alteration, addition or extension work to an existing property to ensure that all works have been carried out in accordance with any planning permission granted and the Building Regulations. Our Certificates are prepared in accordance with the formats recommended by the Law Society of Ireland Conveyancing Handbook.

As part of our Pre-Purchase Surveys, we identify where Certificates of Compliance with the Building / Planning Regulations will be required to be produced by the Vendor of the property.

A mortgage valuation is required by your lending institution to apportion a current value to the property you are purchasing. It also contains other information such as the reinstatement cost of a property should it, for example, be destroyed by fire and a basic appraisal as to the condition of a property. It is not the same as a Pre-Purchase survey which is a far more detailed in scope. Kelleher & Associates work with a professional valuation company very experienced in valuing residential properties. We can provide a competitive, combined service where the mortgage valuation and pre-purchase survey can be prepared at the same time. If you require further information on this service, call us or fill out our 'Contact Us' form.

This service is used by Clients who require building works to be monitored in stages and to have a Certificate of Compliance provided at the end of the construction work. Frequently, Clients will also require Certificates of Payment to be forwarded, usually at three stages, to their lending institution if a loan or mortgage is funding the building works being carried out. Typically, we carry out 4 site visits at stages agreed with the contractor, inspecting all building work to ensure that it complies with the Building Regulations and any Planning Permission granted. Common stages of a residential building project when inspections would be undertaken would include:

1. Foundation level.
2. Completion of sub structure, including rising walls.
3. Completion to roof level.
4. Practical completion of building works.

Snag lists are carried out on newly built residential dwellings and should not be confused with a Pre-Purchase Survey. A snag list is a detailed report, itemising incomplete or poorly constructed work and any visible breaches in the Building Regulations.

Snag lists are normally undertaken when the purchaser has been notified by the builder/developer that their property is fully complete. It is our experience that the vast majority of newly built residential properties presented by builders/developers as complete, have numerous areas of incomplete or poorly finished work which, if left unnoticed prior to signing of final contracts, can cost the purchaser a substantial amount to remedy.

Following completion of our snag list on site, a report will be forwarded to the client and builder. A follow up inspection will be carried out when we have been notified that the findings in the initial list have been completed.

There are many individuals providing snagging services, often at very low prices. We have viewed a number of these lists and they fall well short of what we would consider an acceptable standard. Such lists often contain a dozen items or less whereas Kelleher & Associates lists often number one hundred or more items. Additionally, most snaggers are unqualified, uninsured and are frequently working informally. If you want a list that will stand up to scrutiny with a firm of independent surveyors who will represent your interests, contact Kelleher & Associates for a competitive, realistic quote.

As qualified Town Planners, we provide advice on all aspects of the planning application process. Our in-house design service provides drawings in AutoCAD. Our full turnkey service provides the following main services:

• All types of planning permission, applications prepared including retention and outline permissions.
• Preparation of planning objections.
• Preparation of Certificates of Compliance / Exemption with Planning.