Category Archives: Building Surveying

Buyers beware: is this how surveyors work?

Answer to Readers Question published in Irish Times 25th August 2016 There were problems with staining on the walls of our house, most likely caused by our neighbour’s chimney (chimney only served his fireplaces and flues). We were advised to employ a building surveyor to investigate. The fee was over €300 for visit, photographs and report…
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Dealing with drains

Noel Larkin answers a readers question published in the Irish Times May 12th 2016 Q My son recently bought an old terraced house. It has a small kitchen extension that was probably exempt from planning permission. On removing the old laminate floor he discovered that the extension was built over an access junction about 10in…
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Brickwork turning white in colour

Noel Larkin answers a readers question published in the Irish Times March 31st 2016 Q In my new home, which I purchased last year, I notice the brickwork is beginning to turn white in colour. Can you explain what this is, and what is the remedy to return it to its original colour? A The issue you…
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Unwanted noise

Noel Larkin answers a readers question in the Irish Times Property Clinic, published 10th March 2016. Q I live on a busy cut through road. Our windows are quite old so we tend to have a lot of condensation in colder months and they do little to block out noise. We have received four quotes for…
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