It is important not to confuse a Structural Engineers Report with a structural survey.
The term structural survey is misleading as it implies a level of structural specialism where there is none. The term structural survey is often incorrectly used to mean a full BUILDING Survey by an RICS qualified Surveyor, now called a Level 3 RICS Survey. General Practice Surveyors have extremely wide-ranging knowledge and a more general awareness of structural issues but would, on occasions, defer more complex matters to the specialist Structural Engineer.
Conversely, a Structural Engineers Report is a specialised inspection of the skeletal structure of a property, carried out by a Chartered Structural Engineer. The engineer will report on the structural integrity of the building and any associated defects such as cracks, subsidence, or non-compliant building work.
A General Practice Surveyor is not a specialist and so will usually refer any complex structural issues to a Chartered Structural Engineer for an expert opinion.
It is important that the Structural Engineers Report is undertaken by a fully qualified MEMBER or FELLOW of the Institution of Structural Engineers as this is the only qualification approved by all lenders and insurers.
With confusion around the terms Structural Engineers Report and structural survey, it is important to confirm with your chosen firm of Structural Engineers that they will be providing the specialist structural inspection and report you need.
