Preliminary property assessment
Before buying a property or starting detailed design, it is worth establishing which use option can be justified. We assess the uses the property can accommodate, whether market demand supports them, and the expenditure and financing required for implementation.
What you receive
Comparison of potential usesWe examine the options relevant to the property: for an existing building, these may include retention, adaptation or new construction.
We calculate the area that can be used on a consistent basis and estimate costs and income using comparable assumptions. We identify constraints on building, parking and utilities; for existing buildings, we also consider specialist findings on the structure and its suitability for adaptation. For each option, we distinguish findings supported by the available data from matters requiring further checks.
Costs and critical risksWe review costs from acquisition through preparation and delivery to operation.
We state the basis of each estimate, when costs fall due and the rationale for the contingency. The risk register shows which uncertainties could increase expenditure, delay revenue receipts or prevent the intended use. We treat verification of unconfirmed implementation conditions as a separate task: a cost contingency alone does not resolve them.
A written recommendationWe explain in writing which direction we consider appropriate and under what conditions.
The recommendation also sets out when it may be advisable to revise the proposal, commission further assessment or decide not to proceed. The report concludes with the tasks required for the next decision, the agreed responsibilities and the documents to be obtained. We also identify the data whose change would warrant a review of the recommendation.
Inside our sample report
Retain, adapt or build anew?
The illustrative sample report compares three use options for an existing building. We show how the professional recommendation depends on expenditure, timescales and the conditions that still need to be verified.
- We use the same calculation method and comparable assumptions for every option.
- We explain why we recommend adaptation under the conditions assumed in the example.
- We also identify the assessment findings that would require a different direction to be chosen.
Illustrative example, not a completed client project.
The assessment process
At the initial discussion, we define the decision to be prepared, the depth of assessment required and the deadline.
Read the details
We review the available documents and establish whether a site visit or further specialist investigation is needed. We use these findings to develop and compare the possible development schemes. We discuss the report with you, paying particular attention to the evidence behind each finding and what still needs to be clarified before the next step.
The assessment typically takes 2–3 weeks from the point when the necessary baseline information is available. Before work begins, we agree the delivery deadline based on the scope of the assignment and any external investigations required.
What we need to get started
The property’s address or cadastral reference and a brief description of the intended use are enough to start the first discussion. After reviewing existing drawings, ownership information and previous assessments, we identify the additional documents and specialist work required.
We arrange how confidential documents will be transferred after the initial discussion. The engagement defines the depth of the assessment and specifically identifies the questions requiring further surveys, expert opinions or a position from the relevant authority.
Let’s discuss the property’s potential.
Tell us which property and proposed use you would like assessed. In the first conversation, we clarify the decision to be made and the available data, then propose an assessment suited to them.
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