1

Question 1

What’s the purpose of an inspection?

Answer 1

To understand all possible factors which can effect value such as location, tenure, aspect, construction, defects, condition

Question 2

When inspecting, what do you consider in the immediate area?

Answer 2

1) location / aspect / local facilities / public transport / business vibrancy
2) contamination / environmental hazards / flooding / power lines
3) comparable evidence / local market conditions / agents boards

Question 3

When inspecting externally what do you have regard to?

Answer 3

Method of construction
Repair and condition
Car parking / access / loading area
Defects / structural movement
Site boundaries
Age of building

Question 4

What equipment do you take on inspections?

Answer 4

Mobile phone
Disto
Plans
PPE
Pen and inspection check list

Question 5

When inspecting internally, what do you have regard to?

Answer 5

Layout & specification
Repair & maintenance
Defects
Services
Statutory compliance
Fixtures and fittings and improvements
Compliance with lease obligations

Question 6

What are the 4 types of foundations?

Answer 6

1) trench or strip footings
2) raft
3) piled
4) pad

Question 7

What are the two types of brickwork construction?

Answer 7

Solid wall- solid brickwork with headers, usually one brick thick
Cavity wall - two layers of brickwork and tied together metal ties, and cavity usually filled with insulation

Question 8

What’s efflorescence?

Answer 8

White marks caused by water reacting with natural salts in the brickwork.

Question 9

What’s spalling?

Answer 9

Damaged brickwork where the surface of the bricks starts to crumble due to freeze / thaw

Question 10

What’s the institutional specifications of shops?

Answer 10

New shops are constructed of either steel or concrete frame
Services capped off
Concrete floor and no suspended ceiling
Let in shell condition, ready for retailers fit out

Question 11

What’s the institutional specification for offices?

Answer 11

New office buildings are of either steel or concrete frame
Steel frame buildings usually have less columns and a winder span between columns
Suspended ceilings

Question 12

What’s the institutional specification of industrial properties?

Answer 12

Usually steel portal frame with insulated profile steel cladding
Approximate site cover of 40%
Minimum 8m clear eaves height
Full height electric loading doors

Question 13

What’s an inherent defect?

Answer 13

A defect in the design or a material which has always been present

Question 14

What’s a latent defect?

Answer 14

A fault to the property that could not have been discovered by a reasonably thorough inspection

Question 15

If you were to identify a defect on site, what would you do?

Answer 15

1) take photographs of the defect
2) try to establish the cause of damage whilst on site
3) inform client of findings
4) recommend they seek advice from a building surveyor or a structural engineer

Question 16

What are the 3 common causes of defects?

Answer 16

1) movement
2) water
3) defective building material

Question 17

What’s subsidence ?

Answer 17

The vertical downward movement of a building foundation caused by a loss of support beneath

Question 18

What is heave?

Answer 18

The expansion of the ground beneath part of or all of a building

Question 19

What could horizontal cracking of brickwork indicate?

Answer 19

Cavity wall tie failure

Question 20

Name some forms of damp

Answer 20

Wet rot
Dry rot
Rising damp
Condensation

Question 21

What are deleterious materials? Can you name some?

Answer 21

Can degrade over time causing structural problems and can results in non compliance with building regs
Eg, high alumina cement, woodwool shuttering

Question 22

What’s a hazardous material? Name some?

Answer 22

Any material which is harmful to health e.g asbestos, lead piping, radon gas

Question 23

What is Japanese Knotweed?

Answer 23

An invasive plant which can damage hard surfaces such as foundations and tarmac.
It’s hard to control, costly to eradicate and require a specialist.

Question 24

What does Japanese knotweed look like?

Answer 24

Purple / green hollow stems and green spade shape leaves
Stems are bamboo like

Question 25

What RICS document contains advice on Japanese knotweed?

Answer 25

Rics professional statement
“Japanese knotweed and residential property” 2022

Question 26

What does the rics document on Japanese knotweed include?

Answer 26

Contains a decision tree based on risk level to help valuers determine the appropriate management approach

Question 27

What is asbestos?

Answer 27

A group of fibrous minerals used to strengthen and fireproof materials. 3 types: blue, brown, white

Question 28

Products and materials containing asbestos were commonly used when?

Answer 28

Used throughout the 20th century, with a peek period during the 60s & 70s
It’s use was fully banned in 1999

Question 29

What rics document is there regarding asbestos?

Answer 29

RICS Guidance Note: “Asbestos: legal requirements and best practice for property professionals and clients” 2021

Question 30

What were some common asbestos products?

Answer 30

Asbestos insulation - insulation to pipes and boilers
Asbestos coating
Asbestos insulating boards (AIBs)
Asbestos cement

Question 31

What legislation is there regarding asbestos?

Answer 31

The control of asbestos regulations 2012

Question 32

What is regulation 4 under the control of asbestos regulations 2012?

Answer 32

Duty to manage asbestos in non domestic properties. To carry out a survey to enable an asbestos register to be compiled.
Assessing the risk from any identified asbestos

Question 33

What is the key legislation regarding contamination?

Answer 33

Environmental Protection Act 1990

Question 34

With regards to contamination, what’s the typical 3 phase of investigation?

Answer 34

1) review the site history, site inspection & investigation
2) investigation to identify nature and extent of contamination with soil samples
3) remediation report

Question 35

If a property contains asbestos what 2 things must be in place?

Answer 35

An abestos register
An a management plan

Question 36

What is an EWS1 form?

Answer 36

Is designed to be used for residential properties. And the from delivers assurance to lenders, valuer, residents etc that the external wall system has been assessed for safety by a suitable expert

Question 37

What are the legalities regarding Japanese knotweed?

Answer 37

Must not let it spread from your property to another outside of your boundaries. Must control it and manage it