The advantages of surveyors in block management

Like many estate and block management agents, we aim to provide an all-inclusive service for our customers. This covers administration and management of most day-to-day tasks, from managing services on site, organising reactive repairs, handling finance in and out of client accounts, and many things in between.

With such a diverse workload, it is practically impossible for property managers to have the in-depth knowledge and experience to handle certain matters. To that end, specific tasks are often referred to surveyors or advisors - and in this post we'll consider some of the benefits (and drawbacks) of such an approach.

Positive - knowledge

As you may realise from the above introduction, property managers are actually involved in a broad range of services and industries, right across the spectrum of building maintenance and management. This is not to trivialise the depth of work surveyors do, however with a relatively smaller scope they are able to delve deeper into understanding and knowledge - many surveyors will be educated and qualified to a higher level than a property manager with a similar career length. This means that when detailed, specialist knowledge is needed for a specific problem, a surveyor is much more likely to understand the ins and outs than an average property manager; as the saying goes, knowing where to tap is worth more than the tap itself.

Positive - experience

Again, property managers deal not just with buildings, but also a range of administrative tasks connected with property management. On the other hand, surveyors are better able to focus on tasks closer to their specific projects, and as a result their experiences and practices often align more closely with specific areas. Over a period of 10 years, a property manager will usually handle a much wider range of industries and problems, but surveyors tend to cover far more detail about the projects they are involved in as they are not spread as far.

Negative - higher fees

Most of the time appointing an independent surveyor, whether internal or external, will come with higher fees than a property manager arranging the same work. At face value this will appear an immediate negative, however the increased cost often correlates to more extensive knowledge and experience in a specific field, and long-term this can avoid accidental plasters over larger problems, which in turn saves costs having to revisit and repair issues that may be missed in the first attempt by someone less qualified.

Positive - speed and efficiency

Property managers tackle a range of tasks day-to-day, and indeed are expected to manage your estate or building as usual. If you add in a specialist or major works project, this can detract from daily jobs, or potentially takes a back seat. Appointing someone to specifically manage set projects will not only ensure dedicated time outside of regular property management, but they are also likely to be more efficient when moving the project forward, perhaps asking better questions or spotting errors more quickly, to ensure the overall project is concluded sooner.

Negative - increased cost of work

It is often likely that the overall cost of the project may be higher when a surveyor is managing work. This tends to be because they approach the works primarily from an execution and outcome perspective, rather than considering funds as the main factor. For example, they are more likely to recommend parts of (or the whole) timber windows being replaced, instead of using filler to patch and repair them. While this may mean a higher cost, practically it will deliver overall better quality work, and in the above example extend the life of the window while reducing the risk of damp or water ingress before the next project falls due.

Positive - contractor management and advice

Many residents often assume that when a contractor visits, they will do a 5-star job and complete it quickly, regardless of how low the price is. In reality, just like many people, contractors can have off days, personal problems, vehicles can break down or staff can be sick. All this means that sometimes, projects can overrun or the quality of work may fall. In these cases, having an experienced surveyor can be helpful to practically manage the shortcomings and help move things forward. Not only will they be better placed to actually identify any problems that arise, but they can get to the bottom of them more quickly, determine if it is an honest mistake or a deliberate shortcut, and set reasonable expectations (for all parties) for a resolution. Surveyors also tend to be better placed to advise residents, contractors and property managers on the range of options available to approach a specific problem, and give a cost-benefit analysis to enable the client to decide on the best course of action more quickly. This advice can be invaluable to avoid large projects being protracted due to relatively minor problems.

Overall we find that a good quality surveyor brings a range of benefits to managing various projects and works across various types of properties. While their fees and diligence can often lead to slightly higher project costs, these additional costs are invariably offset by avoiding the need to return to a specific issue a short time later (often duplicating expensive costs like scaffolding) as well as avoiding associated damage (such as leaks) by having full repairs completed at the first attempt.