ACE Building Surveys

09/08/2016

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bxew-WCg6_4&sns=em

Asbestos solutions NI are asbestos surveyors working in Northern Ireland. We have offices in Belfast & Coleraine. This video provides advice about asbestos i...

02/04/2016

Harland and Wolff Titanic Drawing Offices
It was our privilege to have been entrusted with the Asbestos Refurbishment Survey of this fabulous landmark building prior to its conversion into a luxury hotel

13/01/2016

12/01/2016

ARE YOU HOPING TO BUY A NEW HOME?

Home buyers often rely on a mortgage valuation commissioned by their lender rather than getting a professionally prepared Home Buyers Report or Structural Survey.

The amount of money involved in purchasing a house makes the argument for seeking a professional survey very strong indeed. If you rely solely on a mortgage valuation, you have no idea what risks you may be taking on, or how much you might be able to knock off the asking price when armed with a Report listing the defects and work needing done

A mortgage valuation report does not assess the buildings condition including damp or structural movements.

A Full Building Survey Report will cost in the region of £275.00 to £400.00 depending on the age and condition of the property - a relatively small outlay for peace of mind and avoidance of nasty surprises. Bad news can be good news for purchasers provided they are well-informed before completion... ‘fore-warned is fore-armed’

For more information or to arrange a survey of your property please get in touch
T:07702 332 333
E: [email protected]

30/08/2015

This is what we do at ACE Building Surveys...Please take a peek...and hopefully you will "like" what you see!!

02/05/2015

Home heating: Open fire versus wood-burning or multi fuel stove

The traditional open fire is a very popular concept here in Northern Ireland as a secondary form of home heating, and in some older properties it may be the main or only source of heating
An open fire is lovely to look at and does provide a very cosy feel to a room but the downside is that it is only around 15 -30% efficient with up to 80% of the heat literally going up the chimney. Plus it’s not really possible to regulate the heat output and if left unattended it will go out quite quickly.

A wood-burning or multi-fuel stove on the other hand can be 70% efficient and modern designs with secondary combustion can be up to 85% efficient. In addition there is some control over heat output with a facility to close down the appliance for longer periods if you want to leave it unattended. It’s also safer with less danger of flying sparks.

Another point worth making; if you don’t have an existing chimney it may be possible to fit a stove with a steel extract flue

If you are thinking of installing a new fire or stove and before making any decision it is important to seek professional advice and check that your chimney is in suitable condition for any proposed installation.

If you have any queries or would like further information or clarification on any building issues, or if you are seeking a property survey, please feel free to contact Philip Hobson at ACE Building Surveys. Tel: 07702 332 333 or Email: [email protected]

22/03/2015

Do you have a condensation problem?
When warm moist air comes into contact with a cold surface, the warm air condenses and the moisture is released onto the colder surface causing condensation, which in turn can produce black mould to form. Day-to-day activities such as cooking, washing and drying clothes, heating and even breathing produce water vapour.
Air in the majority of homes is usually around 50-70% relative humidity. Problems can occur within a building when the moisture content becomes too high. This can sometimes be caused by defects within the building. For example: old houses often have no damp-proof course which means moisture from beneath the house rises up into ground floor rooms which when combined with inadequate ventilation will result in condensation.
Here are a few ways you can control the problem of condensation: 1. Control the humidity in your home using extractor fans in wet areas such as kitchens and bathrooms. 2. Ensure there is adequate ventilation. Trickle vents in windows work well, but a more sophisticated option is a heat-recovery ventilation unit. These replace the air in your home by taking the damp air outside, and bringing fresh air back in via a separate grille, passing it over a heat exchanger to be warmed. 3. Additional insulation/ dry-lining to internal surfaces so that walls are kept at a temperature above the dew point of the air inside
If you have any queries or would like further information or clarification on any building issues, please feel free to contact Philip Hobson at ACE Building Surveys. Tel: 07702 332 333 or Email: [email protected]

22/03/2015

Do you have a condensation problem?
When warm moist air comes into contact with a cold surface, the warm air condenses and the moisture is released onto the colder surface causing condensation, which in turn can produce black mould to form. Day-to-day activities such as cooking, washing and drying clothes, heating and even breathing produce water vapour.
Air in the majority of homes is usually around 50-70% relative humidity. Problems can occur within a building when the moisture content becomes too high. This can sometimes be caused by defects within the building. For example: old houses often have no damp-proof course which means moisture from beneath the house rises up into ground floor rooms which when combined with inadequate ventilation will result in condensation.
Here are a few ways you can control the problem of condensation: 1. Control the humidity in your home using extractor fans in wet areas such as kitchens and bathrooms. 2. Ensure there is adequate ventilation. Trickle vents in windows work well, but a more sophisticated option is a heat-recovery ventilation unit. These replace the air in your home by taking the damp air outside, and bringing fresh air back in via a separate grille, passing it over a heat exchanger to be warmed. 3. Additional insulation/ dry-lining to internal surfaces so that walls are kept at a temperature above the dew point of the air inside
If you have any queries or would like further information or clarification on any building issues, please feel free to contact Philip Hobson at ACE Building Surveys. Tel: 07702 332 333 or Email: [email protected]

18/03/2015

Is a Mortgage Valuation enough when buying property?
Often, home buyers have relied on a mortgage valuation commissioned by their lender rather than paying for a professionally prepared Home Buyers Report or Full Structural Survey. This can often be a very short sighted decision. The amount of money involved in purchasing a house makes the argument for seeking a professional survey very strong indeed. If you rely solely on a mortgage valuation, you have no idea what risks you are taking on, or how much you might be able to knock off the asking price when armed with a Report which lists the defects and work needing done - particularly in the current weak housing market
A valuation report does not assess the buildings condition including damp or structural movements. For this information you will need a Full Building Survey Report. Such a report will cost somewhere in the region of £275.00 to £400.00 depending on the age and condition of the property - a relatively small outlay for peace of mind and avoidance of nasty surprises. Bad news can be good news for purchasers provided they are well-informed before completion. It is widely accepted that 75% of homebuyers who had paid for a Survey, were able to agree a reduction in the purchase price – ‘fore-warned is fore-armed’ - particularly in a buyers’ market!

01/03/2015

A FEW VERY COST EFFICIENT ENERGY SAVING TIPS
Loft Insulation: Topping up the insulation in your loft to around 270mm (10 inches) (uncompressed - not squashed down to 4 inches with flooring)) is the most cost effective energy saving measure you can make to your home. This could save you up to £150 per year if your loft isn’t insulated
Lighting: Most of the older light bulbs now have a low energy equivalent light bulb available. As well as the regular energy saving bulbs which are known as compact fluorescent lamps or CFLs, you can now get LED spotlights that are bright enough to replace your old halogen bulbs. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes and fittings. If you were to replace all of your old-fashioned bulbs with CFLs, and all of your halogens with LEDs, it would cost about £150 and would save about £40 per year.
Cavity wall insulation : If your home was built after 1930 the chances are that the external walls are cavity walls made of two layers of brick with a cavity between. Filling that cavity with insulation, keeps the heat in your home and helps save energy. The average installation cost for cavity wall insulation is between £500 and £700 and can save up to £170 a year. This measure could pay for itself in 3 or 4 years.
If you have any queries or would like further information or clarification on any building issues, please feel free to get in touch. Tel: 07702 332 333 or Email: [email protected]

20/02/2015

If your home was built or renovated before the year 2000 it will quite possibly have asbestos containing materials somewhere. Surveys start from around £165.oo and will provide a practical, plain English report on asbestos in your home. A valuable document keeping you and your loved-ones safe and giving you peace of mind
For more information or to arrange a survey of your property please get in touch
T:07702 332 333
E: [email protected]

21/11/2014

http://youtu.be/XikkaDPuEz4