16 - Inspection Flashcards
Q. what is the difference between condition survey and schedule of condition?
A. condition surveys are undertaken to understand the condition of a property, recording risks and potential expenditure that may be required for remedial or maintenance works. Schedule of condition (SOC) is a factual record of condition of a property on a particular date and can be used as a benchmark against which its condition can be assessed in the future and any changes identified.
Q. what would you include in a risk assessment?
A. before carrying out a site visit for the client I would ensure to request any information within the clients records on the site and building. For e.g. information on site boundary, known information on asbestos, whether the building vacant or occupied along with any ongoing issues such as roof leaks.
Q. How would you conduct an inspection?
A. once I have reviewed all existing site information within the clients records, this helps me prepare for the site visit in terms of requirement for additional PPE, arranging the visit with other specialists such M&E (depending on the terms of engagement and scope of service).
Q. What is the difference between a schedule of condition and a condition survey?
TBC
Q. How might you inspect a cavity within an external cavity wall?
A. you could you use borescope to create a small hole in the mortar and install the camera to inspect the cavity.
Q. Outline some of the subject matter of the RICS guidance note on surveying assets in the built environment
TBC
Q. Explain the methodology you use follow when undertaking an inspection?
TBC
Q. Are there any other RICS guidance notes/documents you may review when undertaking inspections?
A. surveying safely.
Q. How might you assess a concrete defect?
TBC
Q. If you identified movement in a building, what further investigations might you wish to undertake?
TBC
Q. Explain how you could use thermal imaging to identify heat loss in a building.
TBC
Q. What other type of building defect can thermal imaging be used to identify.
TBC
Q. Explain how you would use a moisture meter to assist with your inspection?
TBC
Q. Explain the range of readings you might get when using a moisture meter.
TBC
Q. Explain the desk top studies you would undertake prior to preparing a schedule of dilapidations.
TBC
How would you inspect a building ?
Systematically approach, top down, external then internal
What would be the main elements og s building you would inspect ?
Chimney, roof, RWG, walls, Window, doors, grounds, wall covering, internal joinery, floors, stairs etc.
What are the different types of inspections ?
Level 1 - Condition Survey
Level 2 - Home Buyers
Level 3- Building Survey
Can you expand on your knowledge of surveying assessts in the built environment - RICS Guidance note
This is a 1st Edition Guidance Note Including Pre site survey preparations including desktop and health and safety Survey and data collection Survey content
Can you expand on your knowledge of surveying safely- RICS Guidance note
This is the 2nd edition of the Guidance note Safe person concept Personal Responsibility Assessing hazards and risk RICS Members place of work Visiting site and premises Fire Safety
What information would you collect prior to the survey ?
H&S
Access
Type of survey
Risk assessment
What would you consider prior to the survey ?
Desktop survey
Trinity gate, what was the requirement for the inspection ?
Pre signing of lease - SOC
How did you carry out you site investigations ?
Pre survey reviewed lease and extents, survey methodical room by room element by element to record condition and nphotogra[has, this SOC was attached to the lease as a view at the start of tenancy
What key information should be recorded on a site inspection report. ?
Date, time, weather, surveyor, defects, restrictions, not surveyed
What are the latest updates to the home buyers survey ?
RICS Professional statement of Home Survey Standard Nov 2019
What guidance can you seek for inspections ?
RICS Professional statement of Home Survey Standard Nov 2019
Surveying Assets in the Built Environment, 1st edition
Surveying Safely
What is a home buyers survey ?
A Level 2 survey /Homebuyer Survey is a non-intrusive visual inspection, in which your surveyor will inspect visible areas in your property to report on the condition of your home and highlight any defects.
How often do you think the client should inspect the roof if the re-roofing works were omitted?
Every 2/3 months unless evidence to suggest otherwise
16 Dene Terrace: What is wall tie failure?
Wall tie failure can happen where there has been corrosion of the existing wall ties or when insufficient or incorrect wall ties have been installed. When a mild steel or galvanised steel wall tie corrodes, there is a build up of rust (also known as iron oxide), which causes the tie to expand in size.
Why did you recommend intrusive investigations?
To confirm my initial conclusion and to review the remedial options.
You say the property was 1900’s what kind of wall tie was present?
steel fish tail wall tie
What other materials were used for wall ties?
Steel and Iron, now made of stainless steel to reduce the chance of corrosion.
Tell me about the remedial advice you gave to your client?
I advised to review the extents and damage as a result of the expansion of wall tie, consideration was given to removal or replacement wall ties.
How would you arrange wall ties for construction today? Just name the Approved Doc
Approved Doc A - Structure - 225mm in length for 100mm cavity, horizontal 900mm vertical 450mm - Source - NHBC
24 Hotspur Street: How did you determine the roof coverings had been replaced?
I reviewed historic photograph and evident within the street scape to determine the replacement covering
Was it a warm of cold roof?
Pitched - insulation at rafter or ceiling level, flat roof , insulation between or above rafters
What would you expect to see externally if it was a warm roof?
for a pitched roof, some form of ventilation
Was it a timber structure?
Yes
What defects might you find within the roof space?
Interstitial condensation, wood boring insect attack, roof spread, water ingress
What form of additional support was recommended?
Lateral bracing and re construction of the dormer goal posts that were sagging and damaged
What is the difference between a schedule of condition and a condition survey?
The main differences are that a Schedule of Condition is purely a record of the condition of the building to be appended to an Agreement whilst a Condition Survey is prepared to not only show the condition of the building but identify works required, usually with costs to assist in planning maintenance works which may be needed.
How might you inspect a cavity within an external cavity wall?
Airbricks, borescope, in loft space tbc
Outline some of the subject matter of the RICS guidance note on surveying assets in the built environment
This is a 1st Edition Guidance Note Including Pre site survey preparations including desktop and health and safety Survey and data collection Survey content
Explain the methodology you use follow when undertaking an inspection?
Systematically approach, top down, external then internal
Are there any other RICS guidance notes/documents you may review when undertaking inspections?
RICS Professional statement of Home Survey Standard Nov 2019
Surveying Assets in the Built Environment, 1st edition
Surveying Safely
How might you assess a concrete defect?
Dependant on the defects: Concrete Carbonation - Phenolphthalein HAC - Alkali Silica Reaction - Chloride Attack - Sulphate attack -
If you identified movement in a building, what further investigations might you wish to undertake?
Consider the location Recent works Construction of the building Type of the cracking Opening up works Further investigations
Explain how you could use thermal imaging to identify heat loss in a building.
Thermography uses specially designed infrared video or still cameras to make images (called thermograms) that show surface heat variations. … Energy assessors use thermography as a tool to help detect heat losses and air leakage in building envelopes.
What other type of building defect can thermal imaging be used to identify.
Water ingress
Explain how you would use a moisture meter to assist with your inspection?
Use it to back up visual identification
Explain the range of readings you might get when using a moisture meter.
0-40% moisture content
Explain the desk top studies you would undertake prior to preparing a schedule of dilapidations.
Review the :
Extents
Lease and Licence to alter contents
Intention of the landlord
Q. explain how you undertook this inspection?
A. I firstly obtained all the information from the client within their records, upon review I understood that there were recent records of defects such as cracking to the walls and also notes on vandalism to the building. i reviewed whether there were any asbestos or other deleterious materials I needed to be aware of before arranging a site visit ensuring that relevant preparation was being made such as access
Q. explain the recommendations made in respect of the remedial work required to correct the situation?
A. I identified that the roof was suffering from leaks over long periods of time. Externally a number of tiles had slipped allowing the rainwater to ingress.
Q. what information was presented to your client in terms of a survey report?
A. I provided my client with a condition report covering all the main elements of the structure as well as budget costs to inform them of their capex expenditure over a 10-year period.
Q. explain how you undertook this inspection?
TBC
Q. what were your initial consideration with the building being a 1970’s building?
A. initial considerations were around the age of the building (1970’s) so high chance of asbestos being present. Cavity wall construction so I was paying close attention to cracks in the brickwork of potential cavity wall tie failure. Defects around rainwater goods checking for staining on the walls for leaking gutters and pipes.
Q. what typical defects might you find in a 1970’s building?
A. defects in the roof with slipped and cracked tiles. replacement of original roof tiles may be replaced with heavier clay tiles causing sagging to the roof and roof spread. Leaking RWG’s. Dated PVC windows. Subsidence and settlement.
Q. were there any areas of the building you could not fully assess – how did you deal with this? (e.g. roof and other high level areas)
A. for the roof I appointed a drone specialist to provide footage of the roof area and also RWG’s.
Q. What arrangements were made for inspecting the building services of this building?
A. I ensured M&E engineers were coordinated and appointed to properly inspect the building services. Any information they identified would feed into the main report back to the client. In this case the services were dated and nearing end of its useful life therefore recommendations to replace the system was put forward.
Q. What information was presented to the client in terms of a survey report?
TBC
Q. why was there mould growth occurring?
TBC
Q. Explain the methodology used when undertaking this survey.
TBC
Q. Summarise the reasoned advice given to your client in respect of cause of the problem.
A. I advised the client the main issue was down to the way the building was being used i.e. lack of ventilation during the use of kitchen and bathroom. I noted there were no trickle vents on the windows and recommended to install windows with trickle vents as the existing windows were dated and would recommend replacing.
Q. what were the main defects you identified?
A. the external walls were leaning outwards. I noted the roof covering were not original to the building and were clay tiles. I also noted the roof coverings to the neighbouring properties were slate covering and buildings of roughly the same age and construction. This reinforced my initial thoughts of potential roof spread. I carried out a head and shoulders inspection of the roof space and noted the collars to the roof rafters were split causing the rafters to push the wall plates outwards.
Q. explain how you determined the change of roof covering was responsible for the additional load? You should offer some advice without relying on the structural engineers advice.
A. the visual signs were leaning out of the head of the masonry walls and also sagging of the roof covering in between the rafters. I’m aware that clay tiles are heavier than slate tiles and the rafters looked to be original with no real strengthening timber added to it. The collars to the rafters was cracked. I advised the client of these visual symptoms and recommended it is likely the roof will need to come off to strengthen the existing roof structure.
Q. if replacing the roof covering with tile, what specification slates would you recommend to ensure the wright was reduced to an acceptable level?
TBC
Q. draw a sketch showing where you would add additional support to the existing roof structure?
TBC
Explain the methodology used when undertaking this survey.
I reviewed the structure and the externa and internal cracking, I then reinspected the wall to asses the passing of the cracking and record my findings.
Summarise the reasoned advice given to your client in respect of cause of the problem.
Both a lack of lateral restraint at hight level and wall tie failure.
Where there any areas of the building you could not access fully – how did you deal with this?
I gained access to the roof/loft space internally. I did not have any visibility of the wall ties or the cavity and this was noted in my report.
What was the advice/recommendations to your client in respect of remedial works?
Replacement wall ties
How did you inspect the wall ties?
I did not, further investigations would be required
What are the disadvantages/limitations of using a borescope to inspect wall ties compared with the removal of a brick?
limited inspection, not a full picture
What was the structural engineer’s advice in respect of the lateral restraint?
The installation of seal dowels fixed into the ceiling joists.
Explain the methodology used when undertaking this survey.
I reviewed the structure and the externa and internal cracking, I then reinspected the wall to asses the passing of the cracking and record my findings.
Summarise the reasoned advice given to your client in respect of cause of the problem.
Both a lack of lateral restraint at hight level and wall tie failure.
Where there any areas of the building you could not access fully – how did you deal with this?
I gained access to the roof/loft space internally. I did not have any visibility of the wall ties or the cavity and this was noted in my report.
What was the advice/recommendations to your client in respect of remedial works?
Replacement wall ties
How did you inspect the wall ties?
I did not, further investigations would be required
What are the disadvantages/limitations of using a borescope to inspect wall ties compared with the removal of a brick?
limited inspection, not a full picture
What was the structural engineer’s advice in respect of the lateral restraint?
The installation of seal dowels fixed into the ceiling joists.
