Blog

What Is Subsidence? Subsidence occurs when the ground supporting a building’s foundations moves or changes, causing the foundations to sink or shift. It is different from normal settlement, which generally occurs as a property naturally settles after construction. Subsidence can have several causes. One of the most common is shrinkable clay soil. During prolonged periods […]

Our project managers oversee the construction project from its start to finish. They work with client requirements and manage construction, design, procurement as well as final handover. All of these include planning, organising, and controlling construction operations, and managing feasibility studies, design, construction, maintenance, refurbishment, and demolition. Here at Hamblin Sullivan Associates we do the following: […]

When it comes to property disputes, few things are as critical as clear, authoritative evidence. Chartered surveyors bring technical insight and impartial analysis that often make the difference in achieving a fair resolution—particularly in matters involving party walls, valuations, project management or increasingly, building or home insurance claims referred to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). […]

Moisture is ubiquitous in all buildings due to the materials they’re made of and the surrounding environment, but this doesn’t necessarily make the damp harmful. The issue only arises when there’s an excess of moisture. Moisture buildup in building structures can stem from a variety of sources such as occupant activities, building defects, faulty engineering, […]

Holiday season has already started for many of us so Hamblin Sullivan Associates wanted to update our future and potential clients about their availability. Hamblin Sullivan Associates will be available for new requests during all holiday season. Whether you need to book a survey, help with your project, party wall or subsidence Hamblin Sullivan Associates […]

Understanding and Addressing Common Issues with Finlock Gutters We recently identified concrete Finlock gutters during a survey in St Albans.  These type of concrete gutters were very common during the 1960s and they were designed to simplify and expedite building processes. However, these systems have largely outlived their usefulness and now pose several challenges for […]

  Following a recent inspection of a property in St Albans with sprayed foam insulation, we decided to put together the following advice for owners and buyers of properties with this type of insulation installed. The guidance has changed much over the years, and particularly within the last 2 years. This type of insulation has […]

A sinkhole recently appeared at the end of Elm Drive in St. Albans, opposite Oakwood Drive, in May. As is typical with sinkholes, it appeared suddenly without warning. The hole was reported to be approximately 2 meters in diameter and 2 meters deep. Thames Water was notified of the damage, but the exact cause was […]

“All Lime Mortars Are Not Created Equal: Choosing the Right One” All lime mortars are not equal, but which one should you use? Lime putty and Natural Hydraulic Lime (NHL) are both materials used in construction and masonry work, but they have different properties and applications. Choosing which type of lime mortar to use when […]

When it comes to serious decision of choosing a surveyor for your property most of us are not sure what exactly to look for. With a very long list of the surveyors we see online it is very easy to get lost. Every surveyor is trying to attract the customer and has their own unique […]

One of the most successful projects Graham Hamblin carried out on behalf of Hamblin Sullivan Associates has been completed in 2022. It was one of the most exciting and challenging projects for Hamblin Sullivan Associates as it was based in heart of Mayfair – Grosvenor Square. Our Mayfair client required our professional help with the following: Briefing […]

If you have purchased a home through the Help to Buy scheme with a loan, you may be considering repaying, remortgaging, or selling the property. To do so, you need to obtain an independent Help to Buy Valuation report, which is administered by Target on behalf of the HCA. The Help to Buy Valuation will […]

When the ground under a property falls in level it causes the foundations to shift downwards. As a result, there is pressure on the building’s structure which is why cracks appear. The commonest chain of events is that the soil shrinks, tree roots absorb too much water and drains and pipes start leaking causing the […]

In one of the most important decisions made under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 for many years, the High Court has today given judgment in the case of Shah v Power and Kyson. In giving his decision Mr. Justice Eyre confirmed that where works to which the Act relates have been carried out but […]

Understanding the EWS Process and the Need for EWS1 Forms Following the tragic events at Grenfell in 2017, Government published advice in 2017 requesting the necessary checking and remediating of external wall systems of multi-occupancy buildings that had potentially combustible material within their wall construction. This meant that purchasers of flats and therefore the mortgage […]

New RICS guidance note: Japanese knotweed and residential property 2022 RICS has published a new guidance note (effective from March 2022) to replace the RICS information paper Japanese Knotweed and residential property, 2012. RICS state: “The purpose of this updated document is to address both the findings and provide guidance based on market informed industry best […]

Heavy downpours and thunderstorms caused severe flooding in some parts of London. It is very important that the correct insurance surveying company is appointed to assist you if your property has been damaged as a cause of recent flooding. It is also very important that you appoint independent insurance surveyor. Not all insurance companies would […]

It feels good – London is finally reopening and we missed the clients who couldn’t book their surveys due to personal reasons affected by COVID restrictions. We hope that you stayed safe and well over recent period of lockdown. We’ll keep this post short and sweet, but with the news that we are changing our […]

Here, at Hamblin Sullivan Associates, we know that investing in construction projects carries considerable risk and it can prove difficult to secure funding. As well as running a construction project takes time, effort, various skills and resources. Anyone who is investing in construction project wishes for all stages to run smoothly. To reduce risks, save […]

  Not too long ago we shared our great news that Hamblin Sullivan Associates was presented with SME News Game Changer Award 2020 for outstanding work as Chartered Surveyor of the Year South East England.   Now, we can finally inform you that the official 2020 UK Enterprise Awards announcement is live on SME News website. […]

We are happy to announce our new office opening in the City of London. So now we can proudly say that we are your local chartered building surveyor in the City of London. You can easily check our location on Google maps! Unlike other surveying firms we do not travel outside of our local areas. […]

Due to recent enquires, we would like to confirm that we cover Bromley and Bexley areas. So, we are your local building surveyor in Bromley and Bexley areas. Unlike other surveying firms we do not travel outside of our local areas. We strongly believe that the surveyor’s local knowledge is key to providing the best […]

In November 2018 a ‘sinkhole’ appeared adjacent to a block of flats in a residential area of St Albans. The first reports of the collapse noted a 6 metre wide hole next to an exterior wall of an apartment building at Cedar Court. The location of the ‘sinkhole’ which was close to one of the walls […]

In England, there are an estimated 3 million flats currently owned on a leasehold basis. The main difference between freehold and leasehold properties is that in a leasehold scenario, you buy the right to occupy the property for a set period of time but do not own the building itself. With freehold, you own the […]

A Japanese knotweed tracking tool has been created to help professionals involved in residential transactions build a picture of local sightings and potential risks The tool – named named Exposed: The Japanese Knotweed Heatmap  – has been produced by removal specialists Environet. It is based on ‘sightings’ of the problem plant, some verified by the firm and […]

Ecologists can find no evidence that Japanese knotweed causes significant structural damage to properties. Automatically refusing mortgages on properties where Japanese knotweed is found is out of proportion to the risk posed by this invasive species, new research has found. Ecologists from global infrastructure services firm AECOM and the University of Leeds have carried out […]

Here it is – another successful Party Wall Project for Hamblin Sullivan Associates in London. We would like to share with you some great shots of the beautiful work we achieved as a Party Wall Surveyor working closely together with our client.  If you are looking for a Party Wall Surveyor in London, please email Graham Hamblin at ghamblin@hsa-surveyors.com […]

We are thrilled to share our exciting news with you! Hamblin Sullivan Associates open new office in Chelsea and Kensington. So now we can proudly say that we are your local chartered building surveyor in Chelsea as well as in Kensington, Fulham and Putney. Unlike other surveying firms we do not travel outside of our […]

Former local authority housing in the right area is good value now that buy-to-let investors are no longer bidding. Here’s where and how to look. Now that stamp duty hikes and the removal of tax relief on mortgage interest have largely driven buy-to-let investors from the market for ex-local authority homes, the choice for first-time […]

How do we value your property? To calculate the value of your property, a valuer (who is a registered RICS Valuer) uses comparable evidence to assess the value of the property, if sold on the open market at a given date. Comparable evidence is applicable for all types of land and buildings used for commercial, […]

We are a firm of chartered building surveyors, building engineers and property valuers. We are regulated by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and we are members of the Association of Building Engineers and Faculty of Party Wall Surveyors. We have an office in St Albans from which we cover Hertfordshire and North London. […]

If you suspect your home may have Subsidence, then you need expert advice. HSA Surveyors are here to assist!  as featured in At Home With Sarah Beeny ‘s 2016 Fall Edition Subsidence is an issue which occurs when the ground under a house collapses, or sinks, taking some of the building’s foundations along with it. […]

Neighbours contesting basement extensions will be interested in the judgment by Central London County Court, which brings clarity to the definition of ‘special foundations’. Although this judgement is not binding on other County Courts it is to be followed by other County Court Judges in future cases. The Party Wall etc Act 1996 ‘the Act’ […]

Are you having problems with your insurance claim? When you inform your insurer that you need to make a claim the first thing they will do is appoint a loss adjuster from their panel. What is a loss adjuster? A loss adjuster is appointed by the insurance company to assess your claim on behalf of […]

When buying a property you need to think objectively; the money spent on a survey could save you thousands by providing ammunition for negotiating a price reduction or by making you think twice about buying the property. Prospective buyers are often guided by a common misconception that a surveyor works on behalf of both the […]

This section of the blog answers some frequently asked questions about party walls. This page is for Building Owners and Adjoining Owners (neighbours). Q: What work is covered by the Party Wall Etc. Act 1996 A: The Act covers: new building on or at the boundary of 2 properties work to an existing party wall […]

The Party Wall etc Act 1996 applies where someone wishes to carry out work on or close to a boundary. The work may be the erection of a new structure, changes to an existing structure or an intention to carry out excavations within a specified distance of an Adjoining Owner’s (neighbour’s) property. Often party wall matters can be overlooked […]