Commercial Building Surveying Services: Shops & Retail
Our long-standing relationships with several retail clients showcase our wide-ranging expertise in this field.
Our RICS surveyors and IStructE structural engineers have decades of experience working with retail organisations and individual shop owners, helping them protect their assets and maintain their property portfolios.
Retail Surveying and Engineering Services from Allcott Commercial
Our team are experienced in assessing all types of retail property, while minimising disruption to trading units.
- We liaise carefully with out clients to gain a thorough understanding of which elements should be surveyed at what times, to avoid inconvenience to staff and customers.
- Our surveyors are used to working with the responsible person for a site, and understand the importance of getting proper authorisation for access.
- Survey assessments are treated as sensitive, and findings are not discussed on site unless by prior agreement.
- We have a responsive approach with a dedicated admin team, to make access arrangements straightforward We understand that arrangements sometimes need to change at short notice, and our team can flex to accommodate that.
- In addition, our surveyors are experienced in lease review, with a comprehensive understanding of tenants’ responsibilities with FRI and IRI leases.
Our team are experienced in assessing all types of retail property, while minimising disruption to trading units.
- We liaise carefully with out clients to gain a thorough understanding of which elements should be surveyed at what times, to avoid inconvenience to staff and customers.
- Our surveyors are used to working with the responsible person for a site, and understand the importance of getting proper authorisation for access.
- Survey assessments are treated as sensitive, and findings are not discussed on site unless by prior agreement.
- We have a responsive approach with a dedicated admin team, to make access arrangements straightforward We understand that arrangements sometimes need to change at short notice, and our team can flex to accommodate that.
- In addition, our surveyors are experienced in lease review, with a comprehensive understanding of tenants’ responsibilities with FRI and IRI leases.
Want to know more?
Services
Across our service types, there are several things that we commonly consider when surveying retail buildings.
Mixed-use is very common in retail properties. We are often asked to survey buildings with commercial retail units on the lower floors and residential spaces above. Assessments of structural soundness are consistent across the different types of space. However, what level of condition is acceptable, which materials are suitable and what regulatory standards apply differ according to how the rooms are used. Our surveyors assess the different elements of the building according to their current and planned uses and advise accordingly.
Most of the retail units we survey are leased. Our surveyors are experienced in reviewing the obligations in commercial leases, and advising tenants and landlords on their implications. When taking on a lease, we support tenants with a schedule of condition report, to protect them against costly dilapidations at the lease end. When the end of the lease term arrives, we can support landlords with serving dilapidations and advise on what can justifiably be claimed. On other occasions, we act for the tenants, preparing a Scott schedule to support disputes, and carrying out diminution valuations when required.
Disability and access are key considerations for any building being accessed by the public, and again we often find that facilities and access need improvement, whether that’s by increasing door widths or providing ramps. If you are planning on refurbishment or remodelling after taking on a building, this provides a great opportunity for improving fire safety and disabled access cost-effectively.
Many of our clients have retail units up and down the country. Our team is based across 14 offices throughout England and Wales, and we can cover the length and breadth of the UK. We consult with our clients to understand their priorities and produce tailored pro formas to make sure that survey reports are consistent across properties. We also summarise findings by region, property type, grade of defects, element, action required and urgency.
Our building surveying and structural engineering services
Building surveys
Commercial building surveys for retail properties are often carried out when someone is planning to buy a property or take on a lease (pre-acquisition).
We are often also asked to carry out surveys across a series of properties; these stock condition surveys are done for clients with portfolios of high street shops, who want to understand the repair and maintenance needs across their entire group of properties. We can also provide planned preventative maintenance schedules, to help you budget over the coming decade.
Whatever the reason for the building survey, Allcott Commercial’s chartered surveyors will ensure that you get a thorough inspection, conducted in line with RICS, BCIS and the current version of the NRM guidance. The state of the entire building is covered, with special considerations given to the statutory requirements applicable to each area of the property and how it is, and will be, used.
Our reports are detailed, comprehensive and tailored to your needs. As well as including in-depth information on the condition and structure of the building, along with supporting photographs, our surveyors will also comment on harmful materials that might be present, any potential legal or environmental issues and whether specialist assessments need to take place.
Landlord services
Leases are common in retail. Dilapidations claims at the end of a lease are equally common. Allcott Commercial supports landlords with interim and terminal schedules of dilapidations, so that they can claim against the tenant for any breaches of contract.
We are experienced in the Dilapidations Protocol legislation, and we provide advice on the value that can legally be claimed at the end of the lease of retail premises, and when a claim is valid or invalid. If a dispute does arise, we carry out negotiations on behalf of landlords and support them through the process.
Tenant services
When taking on the lease of a retail property, we would always recommend a schedule of condition. These are photographic reports that record the state of repair of each element of the property at the very start of the lease. Any major issues can be used to negotiate the terms of the lease, to limit the tenant’s liability for those parts of the building. Perhaps most importantly, a schedule of condition can be used to defect against a landlord’s dilapidations claims at lease-end.
If you have been served a dilapidations claim by your landlord, our surveyors can help by putting together a Scott schedule. This is a schedule of dilapidations carried out on behalf of the tenant, to support the dispute of any unreasonable claims. Our surveyors also support tenants with dilapidations negotiations, agreeing on a monetary settlement in place of tenants carrying out remedial works themselves. If available, we use schedules of condition to support tenants’ cases; we also look closely at the lease terms and the dilapidations that have been served, to see what can be defended to reduce the tenant’s costs. Should a dispute arise, our commercial valuers can support you with Section 18 valuations.
Structural Engineering
Our surveyors will advise on the suitability of any proposed structural works, but if you want a more detailed assessment of load-bearing structures, along with structural designs and calculations, our structural engineers can help. Experienced in producing calculations for shop refurbishment schemes, they will walk you through the process, making sure that your alterations are safe and structurally sound. We also produce designs for mezzanines and can assess existing structures if you are planning to change their use.
Contract Administration
If you are planning significant works, we can support you with project management and contract administration. We cover all stages of the process, from feasibility and SOW preparation to tendering and monitoring the progress and standard of the works. We do everything we can to ensure that the works stay on time and on budget, and pride ourselves on making the process as smooth as possible for our clients.
Retail Surveys: Case studies
Brief: Interim schedule of dilapidations, approx. 1 year before the expiry of the lease.
Property: Large, complex retail property.
Instructed by: The landlord.
Brief: Our client wanted to understand the condition and structural integrity of a retail property they were buying.
Property: Three storey property constructed in the late 19th century.
Instructed by: Director of a construction company.
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.
