Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. h&s Surveyors conducted a level 2 survey ahead of our house purchase last year. Their communication was excellent from start to finish, and their report was thorough and very well written. One year on, the report describes everything we've learned from living in our home and we haven't hesitated to recommend h&s Surveyors to our friends and family. Hopefully, we won't need to move home for some time, but when we do, we will use h&s Surveyors.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Wonderful and simple process to book in our survey and received back very quickly. Thorough and insightful report and lovely team to work with. Thank you so much.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Absolutely first class service, I had additional questions after the survey and nothing was too much trouble. I would highly recommend this company.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. H&S provided an efficient service at a very competitive price. Communication was great. The report was detailed and comprehensive and even our solicitor was impressed with it. We would use them again.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Andy provided a really thorough RICS Level 3 survey for us, which was clear and easy to understand, for an excellent price. Would definitely recommend.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We recently had a Grade 3 survey conducted as part of the process of purchasing a house, and we couldn’t be happier with the service provided! The survey was incredibly thorough, detailed, and professionally executed, giving us a clear and comprehensive understanding of the property's condition. The report was not only easy to understand but also highlighted important areas to address, which has been invaluable in helping us plan for possible future works. Chris' expertise, attention to detail, and willingness to answer any questions made the whole process seamless and reassuring. We truly feel that this survey was worth every penny and gave us the confidence to move forward with our purchase. Highly recommend to anyone looking for reliable and meticulous survey services!Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Survey was promptly booked with helpful admin staff responding quickly by email. Survey was detailed (including plenty of photos) and arrived within the time promised. Seems to be much better value for level 2 surveys than other local providers. Would recommend - thank you!Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Chris is knowledgeable, efficient and helpful and provides an excellent professional serviceTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. This was the second time using H&M Surveyors. They were quick to respond to my initial enquiry and also arranging a date for the survey. Chris phoned me beforehand to ask if I had any particular concerns about the property. The level 2 homebuyers report was provided in the timescale advised and Chris was also happy to discuss the findings of the survey once I had seen the report, which I found very useful. Chris was friendly and explained everything I needed to know. Would definitely recommend h&s and will be happy to use again in the future.
Cavity wall insulation
Cavity wall insulation has come under quite a bit of scrutiny over the last few years, some of which is deserved but not all.
If you have a cavity wall it means that you have 2 walls, built parallel to each other with a gap in between (the cavity), tied together with small pieces of metal called wall ties. It is a strong, robust type of construction that is widely used around the world. The cavity is designed to help improve the energy efficiency of the house and is also there to protect the inner wall or ‘skin’ from moisture. So, if that’s it’s job, why would you fill this gap?
Whilst the air within the cavity provides a thermal barrier to the outside, it is not as effective as the insulation material that is used to fill the cavities and with the Climate Change Act (2008) mentioned in Energy and the home, the increased levels of energy efficiency produced by filling cavities meant that each home with the cavity filled was using less energy to heat it to the same temperature than those without. Because of this, it became widely available and supported by government funding, which is where many ‘installers’ looked to take advantage of and make a quick profit.
There are many horror stories linked with cavity wall insulation that have come from houses that probably shouldn’t have had their cavity filled in the first place or were insulated poorly by someone who wasn’t properly trained to install the wall insulation. These are the cases that you might have read about and that have cost the home owners £100,000’s in damages and repair bills because it makes a good headline for a newspaper. The chances are there were lots of other problems with the property rather than just the cavity wall insulation.
Installer Considerations
All of that aside, a property must be suitable for the insulation to be installed otherwise there will be problems from the start. This is why it is very important to find a credible company with a good track record of installing the insulation. These companies will often provide a guarantee for their works of up to 25 years which can be passed on to the next home owner if you decide to move within that time. It can be worth shopping around and getting a few quotes as well as noting which companies will undertake a site visit to check the house for suitability. Your installer should be a member of one of these organisations:
- The National Insulation Association (NIA)
- The Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency (CIGA)
- The British Board of Agrément (BBA)
Some of the guarantee will not cover you if you do not keep the exterior condition of the property up to a satisfactory weatherproof standard that will stop damp related issues as the installer may say that it is not their guaranteed work that is the cause of the problems but rather the lack of general maintenance to the property. This also applies if you are going to carry out any additional works to the property such as installing a log burner that has a flue going through the wall. It is always best to check with the guarantor what you are able to do before carrying out any works.
You should also note that cavity wall insulation is deemed ‘notifiable building works’ and if you are considering undertaking this work then you do need to submit a building notice to the building control body of the local council.
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