As from September 2013 CIL will be charged on most new developments (new build

or extensions) that will take the form of a charge per square metre of additional floor space. There are exemptions for charitable organisations and affordable housing, together with some size thresholds for non-residential uses. Domestic extensions, together with non residential development resulting in the creation of less than 100 sq m of net additional floor space, are not liable for CIL.

The introduction of CIL is seen as necessary in part because, from April 2014, the ability to pool planning obligations under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended), will be restricted. It will therefore become difficult to deliver larger scale items of infrastructure such as schools, swimming pools and transport schemes, where pooling of numerous individual planning contributions is often necessary. Section 106 agreements will continue to be used to deliver some infrastructure (as will Section 278 for highways), but this will largely be restricted to site-specific mitigation and for providing affordable housing.

The amount payable under CIL will vary from Local Authority to Local Authority but is likely to be in the region of £100 – £140 per 100 sq m of floor space. CIL is likely to be higher in rural areas with possible exemptions in Town Centres and regeneration areas.

As you can see this will result in an unwelcome considerable extra cost for almost anyone carrying our development. Time is short and if to avoid paying these charges planning applications will generally need to have been registered with the Local Planning Authority by July this year.

As a Practice we offer a full in house planning and design service and would be pleased to hear from you if you considering any development for which a planning application would be required to take advantage of the short window of opportunity before this legislation comes into force.

For some years now there has been a steady flow of instructions to inspect and report on all kinds of property across the south west but more recently whilst the commercial sector has been active residential property instructions have reduced to a trickle with the increased competition driving prices down to ever lower levels.

To my mind price should not be the only factor. It takes a few years to establish good local knowledge of vernacular architecture and the type of construction and building materials used along with the likely defects found in these period properties and taking the correct advice is paramount.

Did you know for example that for Victorian houses in the Bridgwater area the roof structure will generally comprise structural tiling battens rather than conventional rafters ?

Thatch is a misunderstood material with differing advice given on how it should be treated. Our local climate is not best suited to this organic material that will suffer from the moisture. The water reed used in the south east is more longlasting than the local wheat reed the local authority insist is used on local period buildings but an even shorter life expectancy is provided by the thatch harvested in places like Turkey. Could you tell the difference and be able to estimate the remaining life?

I have long found derelict buildings fascinating. I think it’s the imagination it stirs and desire to see them restored or converted to an alternative use. Having the understanding of what is involved in restoring buildings like this can indicate whether this is likely to be a rewarding challenge or a nightmare of endless expenditure. We welcome the opportunity to inspect and set out budget costings for the works involved and to additionally prepare detailed plans of the building for the proposed alterations.

The use of the correct materials is essential with a period structure. Typically lime was used for mortar bedding, pointing, render and internal plaster. This is a much softer material than modern cement or gypsum plasters that have replaced it that has the advantage of allowing the structure to ‘breathe’. I have lost count of the number of exposed west end walls to farmhouses where dampness has been accentuated by the application of a hard cement render to the stonework that has subsequently cracked allowing and trapping moisture that cannot evaporate away.

Lime is also more resistant to cracking, this being a common non structural defect in modern property. The reuse of fragile clay roof tiles is often allowed for by it being possible to knock these off a lime mortar bed where they would have inevitably cracked if cemented in place.

Unsuitable building practices are also commonly encountered such as the use of foam insulation sprayed on the underside of roof tiles in the mistaken thought that this will stop the water penetration that occurs in the absence of any felt, insulate the roof and prolong the roof covering by making up for the corroding fixings. The reality is that by placing insulation in the wrong place ventilation is restricted causing condensation in the roof. Any water getting through the tiles sits above the insulation and rots the battens. Worst of all, when inevitably the covering has to be renewed anyway the tiles cannot be reused and decay will be found to the supporting structure!

The roof space in any property can be a forgotten and ignored place. It cannot be argued that the roof covering is probably the most important element to a building as water ingress here will inevitably cause a number of problems such as timber decay and invariably significant damage to ceilings and internal decoration.

Horizontal valley gutters formed at the base of where

two roof slopes  abut above a building are vulnerable areas where leaves can build up impeding water flow or the lead lining split from age and expansion and contraction. Due to access difficulties these areas are often neglected with sometimes serious repercussions. The damage to wall plaster and decorations here occurred over just one winter season after the building became empty.

Leaks through defective chimney flashings will normally be apparent by staining on the chimney breast where I have actually seen running water. Correct repair will involve renewal or resetting of the lead or replacement of the cement fillet often found to older properties that invariably cracks, along with repointing of any defective joints to the brick or stonework which can, in the absence of the now fitted damp proof course through the base of the chimney, allow water to percolate through.

Patch repair with foam from the inside is not a satisfactory solution!

Over recent years the need to save energy has placed increased priority on insulating the roof space which is the place where the greatest loss of energy occurs but carrying this out without due regard to ventilation can lead to serious problems of condensation. Invariably we see insulation quilt packed into the eaves void which blocks the all important air flow at the edge of the roof which should always be left clear.

Additional moisture from bathroom fan ducts discharging into the roof space is an unwelcome addition leading to potential further damage from condensation.

Of course should you not want to spend money insulating your roof you can always heat the space to protect the pipework from freezing!

J P Gainsford Associates is a Taunton based Building Surveying Practice specialising in building pathology, commercial and residential surveys and planning and design work. To talk about similar ‘property horrors’ or arrange for a survey on any type of building  Chartered Surveyors Jeremy Gainsford or Dan Raymond would be pleased to hear from you.

J P Gainsford Associates Ltd – tel. 01823 288388

A building can be very complex and to produce a useful and informative report the inspection needs to be carried out by someone with suitable experience and knowledge of the construction and likely building defects that relate to the type of property concerned.

Not all surveyors understand cob construction, the implications of cracking and movement or the life expectancy of certain building materials and building pathology is a skill developed after years of experience following initial training and qualification.

Our reports may not be the cheapest but will always provide specific and relevant information on the property in hand with no standard phrases or blanket descriptions. The defects observed will be described with practical advice given on how to resolve and repair with budget costings given if required.

Where defects cannot be seen but are assumed to exist, such as the risk of decayed beam ends in period stone cottage construction, reference would be made so that an informed decision can be made whether or not to purchase or adjust an offer made.

Whilst we do not test service installations on inspection a lot can be determined by a visual inspection to establish whether further investigation or repair is required. Where possible the drains are checked and we have regularly found issues with private drainage systems and water supplies for example that are not immediately obvious.

All our reports are accompanied by a detailed schedule of photographs that are useful for reference purposes.

In this current market with mortgages harder to obtain it is even more important not to get saddled with a property that may prove difficult to sell or more costly to repair than envisagad as there is no longer the same potential growth in value once enjoyed almost whatever the condition.   

 Our surveys can be tailored to meet your individual requirements with specific advice given on matters of concern such as nearby trees or cracks with opportunity to check on the feasibility of proposed alterations or to provide insurance reinstatement valuations and market appraisal advice and we would be pleased to discuss matters with you as required.