Commercial Building Surveying Services: Industrial Units
From small units on industrial estates to large sprawling units measuring thousands of square feet, our commercial building surveyors and structural engineers have helped hundreds of clients across the country with their industrial properties.
Industrial Unit Surveys and Engineering Services from Allcott Commercial
We survey industrial units across the country, visiting everything from brand new developments to Victorian warehouses.
Our industrial surveying services
Clients taking on industrial units are naturally interested in the physical condition of the property and its structural soundness. Other common concerns are fire separation & alarm/escape lighting requirements, health & safety regulations, and security. Our surveyors advise on all these aspects, ensuring our clients are making the best and safest use of their space. Often, we see structures like mezzanines within these properties; in these cases, our structural engineers can assess the load capacity and even redesign mezzanine areas when required.
Our industrial unit surveys cover the entire building, including building structure, external walls and load bearing elements, internal finishes, floor coverings, windows, doors and ceilings. We use drones to get detailed information on the condition and structure of the roofs.
Furthermore, our in-depth understanding of industrial unit leases means our service includes supporting clients with landlord and tenant legal obligations.
Our contract administration team has extensive experience in redevelopment and refurbishment of warehouses and industrial spaces, advising clients through all stages of a project.
Across our service types, there are several things that we commonly see in industrial buildings:
Our surveyors are experienced in reviewing the clauses in commercial leases, and advising tenants and landlords on their implications. When taking on a lease, we help tenants understand their obligations with respect to alterations, repairs and redecoration. We are frequently asked to prepare a schedule of condition report, which is annexed to the lease and protect tenants against costly dilapidations at the lease end. As leases come to an end, we work with landlords, serving dilapidations schedules and advising on what can justifiably be claimed. We can also act for the tenants, preparing Scott schedules to dispute dilapidations claims. Our RICS registered valuers also carry out Section 18 diminution valuations when required.
Fire safety and fire separation need to be carefully assessed in industrial buildings, which often have multiple areas with different uses. Our surveyors are experienced in assessing properties against current standards and regulations, and have an in-depth understanding of the requirements for warehouse, mezzanine, kitchen and office spaces within the building.
Paperwork and calculations for existing mezzanines is often unavailable when taking on a new industrial property. Our structural engineers frequently carry out mezzanine appraisals to check that these structures are safe for their use. We can also carry out calculations to assess whether a mezzanine is suitable for an alternative use. Often, our clients want to install a mezzanine to maximise their use of space. In these cases, we can provide the necessary designs and support with managing the installation.
Security is often a key concern for clients requesting industrial building surveys. These buildings are often house expensive equipment and can be used to store high value stock. Our surveyors can assess current measures and will comment on how secure the property is. On the contract administration side, we are experienced in project managing the installation of new security measures to the highest standards.
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Our Industrial building surveying and structural engineering services
Building surveys and Schedules of Condition
Pre-acquisition surveys are commonly requested by clients who are buying or leasing an industrial unit. We are often asked to carry out a schedule of condition at the same time, and there are many synergies between the two services.
Our reports are detailed, comprehensive and tailored to your needs. Our survey reports contain in-depth information on the physical condition and structure of the building, as well as its compliance with current regulations, any harmful materials that might be present and any legal considerations.
Our schedules of condition are extensive, with photographs throughout. Our surveyors are used to working on dilapidations, and so have a thorough understanding of the importance of a comprehensive, evidenced schedule that can be appended to the lease.
Dilapidations
Allcott Commercial’s team includes chartered surveyors with years of expertise in the Dilapidations Protocol legislation. We have supported both landlords and tenants through dilapidations proceedings on industrial units, providing expert advice to ensure the best outcome. In addition, our commercial valuation surveyors work with our commercial surveyors to provide Section 18 valuations and act as expert witness if needed.
Structural Engineering
Our structural engineers are knowledgeable about all types of industrial unit, from traditional builds to portal frames. They frequently assess load-bearing structures, such as mezzanines, within the units and carrying out roof assessments and calculations for plant machinery or PV panels. They also provide calculations and designs for new structures and alterations, and work closely with our surveyors during refurbishments and fit outs.
Contract Administration
Warehouse refurbishments and change of use can be massive, lengthy undertakings. Our RICS surveyors support clients through all stages of a project, from feasibility and preparation of schedules of work, to managing the competitive tendering process and and monitoring the progress of the works. The quality of workmanship and adherence to the specifications are regularly checked, and we scrutinize each item on the tenders to ensure the project remains on-track and cost-effective.
Industrial Surveys: Case studies
Brief: To provide contract administration for a £230K refurbishment and fit-out of an industrial warehouse unit.
Property: New industrial development in the West Midlands.
Instructed by: Incoming tenant.
Brief: Carry out three schedules of condition in Merseyside.
Property: Three warehouse units covering 18,000 sq feet, including one Victorial property.
Instructed by: Property manager.
Brief: Provide building surveys for two industrial units, assessing the extent of works required.
Property: Two industrial units (29,535 sq. feet).
Instructed by: Product distributor.
We're here to help
If you would like to discuss a potential project with our consultants or get advice on any aspect of building surveying or engineering, please don’t hesitate to complete our contact form, call us on 0333 202 6386, or contact one of our regional offices.
