Sheffield sits on hills, which is the first thing a survey there has to take seriously. Retaining walls, split level plots, stepped terraces and gardens above and below the house are everywhere, and a failing retaining structure is a bigger bill than most of the items a survey normally reports.
Retaining walls and sloping sites
Ask the surveyor specifically to comment on retaining structures and on where surface water goes. Ownership of a retaining wall between two plots is a common argument and is decided by the deeds rather than by who benefits.
Stone and brick terraces
Sheffield's older stock includes a lot of stone as well as brick. Stone repairs, pointing with the wrong mortar and previous cleaning all show up, and the remedy differs from the brick equivalent. Where a facade has been cleaned or repointed, ask the surveyor what was used, because the wrong mortar accelerates the decay it was meant to arrest.
Party walls on stepped terraces
Where houses step down a slope, the shared structure and the foundations sit at different levels, which brings section 6 into play more often than on flat ground. That is worth raising with a party wall surveyor before the design is fixed.
Appointing
Chartered status, insurance, a sample report, and a direct question about experience with sloping sites and retaining structures in the city. Ask for a redacted example report on a property of similar type, and read how specific its recommendations are before you instruct.
Questions people ask about surveyors sheffield
Should a survey cover the retaining wall?
Ask for it explicitly. It is within a level 3 inspection where accessible, and it is the item most likely to carry a serious cost on a Sheffield plot.
Who owns a retaining wall between two gardens?
The deeds decide it. Where they are silent, it is a question of fact and sometimes of adverse possession, and it is a legal question rather than a surveying one.
Which level for a stone terrace?
Level 3 where it has been altered or shows movement, which most have. An unaltered stone terrace in good order can be a level 2.