Hourican Associates Ltd |
When you are planning a complete redevelopment of a large four-storey townhouse in Little Venice, London, a professional Schedule of Condition (SOC) survey is one of the simplest and most effective ways to protect your project, your budget and your relationship with neighbouring owners.
What to Expect from a Professional Schedule of Condition Survey in London – A Property Owner’s Guide
As a building owner preparing for major works – whether you are adding a basement, inserting steel beams, reconfiguring internal layouts or refurbishing the entire structure – a detailed Schedule of Condition survey sets the factual baseline for your project. Hourican Associates, specialist Party Wall surveyors in London, regularly carry out SOC surveys on substantial period properties and high-value homes in areas like Little Venice, Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster.
Why a Schedule of Condition is essential for major London redevelopments
A Schedule of Condition is a comprehensive photographic and written record of the condition of an adjoining or neighbouring property before any work starts. Existing cracks, hairline settlement, damp patches, distortions and defects are all documented in detail so that there is no uncertainty later about what was pre-existing and what may be new. This record is particularly important when your scheme falls under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 and you are serving Party Wall Notices as a building owner or responding as an adjoining owner.
For a full internal and external redevelopment of a four-storey townhouse in Little Venice – with delicate stucco façades, original cornicing and historic sash windows – the potential for movement and cosmetic cracking during works is higher than on a standard modern property. Including a professional Schedule of Condition within the Party Wall Award gives both sides confidence that any alleged damage can be checked objectively against the baseline record, rather than relying on memory or opinion.
What Hourican Associates do during a full Schedule of Condition survey
When Hourican Associates are appointed to prepare a Schedule of Condition, you can expect a careful, methodical process from start to finish. Our chartered surveyors will typically:
- carry out a full walkthrough of all accessible areas that may be affected by your works, including external elevations, party walls, internal rooms on each floor, staircases, landings, basements and roof spaces where access is available
- take a large number of high-resolution, time-stamped photographs of every relevant surface, junction and feature
- record written notes describing the location, extent and nature of each crack, defect, area of damp or distortion, using consistent references so that the images and text can be cross-checked
- pay particular attention to historically sensitive or high-risk elements such as stucco mouldings, ornate plasterwork, chimney breasts, original joinery and structural junctions
- where appropriate, supplement the inspection with drone roof surveys in London to capture chimney stacks, parapets and roofs that cannot safely be inspected from ground level.
All of this information is then compiled into a structured Schedule of Condition report. On Party Wall matters, this report is usually attached to the Party Wall Award for your project, whether we are acting as your building owner’s surveyor, your neighbour’s adjoining owner’s surveyor, or as an agreed surveyor between both parties. For larger or mixed-use schemes, the same disciplined approach is applied to commercial Party Wall surveyor appointments across London.
What property owners can expect on the day of the survey
For a substantial four-storey property in Little Venice, a full Schedule of Condition survey typically takes between 2.5 and 5 hours on site, depending on the number of rooms, the presence of basements or roof spaces, and how easily each area can be accessed. The survey is non-invasive: we do not open up finishes or disturb fixtures unless expressly agreed, and we work carefully around furniture and possessions.
You can expect your Hourican Associates surveyor to be punctual, professional and respectful to everyone involved – whether we are inspecting your property, your neighbour’s, or both. Our role is impartial: we are there to record what is actually present, not to favour one side over the other. Once the site work is complete, we prepare the formal written and photographic Schedule of Condition, which can then be issued as part of your Party Wall documentation.
When and why to commission a Schedule of Condition survey
The best time to carry out a Schedule of Condition is after your construction drawings are finalised but before any works start. In practice, this is often shortly after Party Wall Notices have been served and surveyors have been appointed. You should seriously consider commissioning a SOC whenever you are planning:
- a full internal and external refurbishment of a house or flat
- a basement excavation or underpinning close to neighbouring foundations
- a loft conversion with new steelwork bearing onto or near a party wall
- removal of chimney breasts, load-bearing walls or other significant structural changes
- rear or side extensions built near to, or on, the boundary
In many cases it is not only advisable, but expected, that a Schedule of Condition will form part of the Party Wall Award. For relatively modest fees compared with the overall cost of a London redevelopment, an SOC provides powerful protection against unfounded claims, gives adjoining owners confidence that their property is being taken seriously, and helps keep relationships neighbourly throughout the build.
How much does a Schedule of Condition survey cost?
Fees for Schedule of Condition surveys in London vary according to the size, complexity and location of the property, as well as the scope agreed between the parties. Hourican Associates typically charge between £385–£585 + VAT for a Schedule of Condition survey, with basement-focused or particularly extensive inspections priced individually. In the context of a full redevelopment in Little Venice or other prime London areas, this is a relatively small investment for the peace of mind and evidential protection it provides.
Planning a redevelopment in Little Venice or elsewhere in London?
If you are at the early stages of a major refurbishment, extension or basement project, now is the ideal time to speak to a chartered Party Wall surveyor about the role of the Schedule of Condition in your overall Party Wall strategy. Hourican Associates can review your drawings, advise on the likely Party Wall procedures, and provide a clear quotation for both the Schedule of Condition and wider Party Wall surveyor services so that you can move forward with confidence.
Key benefits of commissioning a Schedule of Condition with Hourican Associates
- Independent, detailed photographic and written evidence of pre-works condition that supports your Party Wall Award, protects you from unfair damage claims, reassures adjoining owners and helps resolve any issues quickly and professionally during or after your redevelopment.
Schedule of Condition Surveys in London – FAQs
Richard Hourican, Company Director
BSc (Hons). HND Build. MCIOB. C.Build E MCABE. ARICS. MFPWS. MPTS
As a specialist Party Wall surveyor, Richard Hourican will protect your interests during building works.
Are you planning a building project – perhaps an extension, loft conversion or basement – that is on or adjacent to your property’s boundary line? Or has a ‘Party Wall’ notice dropped on the doormat informing you of a neighbour’s impending works?
It’s essential to understand all the implications of building plans. If you don’t, it could cost thousands. Our job is to ensure everything is done correctly – and that it doesn’t!
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