Building Defects Flashcards
How should you inspect a building for defects?
Work from the roof down.
What type of defect is in the design or material and has always been present?
Inherent defect
What defect is a fault to the property and could not have been discovered by a reasonably thorough inspection?
Latent defect
What should you check for via a contractor/professional team?
Building warranty
What steps should be taken if a building defect is identified?
- Take photographs.
- Try to establish the cause while on site.
- Inform client of investigations.
Recommend specialist advice - Building Surveyor, Structural Engineer.
What are the 3 common causes of defect?
- Movement
- Water
- Defective/non-performance/ deterioration of building materials.
What is the vertical downward movement of a building foundation caused by the loss of support of the site beneath the foundation?
Subsidence
What could subsidence be the result of?
Underlying changers in ground conditions.
What is the term for the expansion of the ground beneath part or all of a building?
Heave
What can heave be caused by?
Removal of trees.
What might horizontal cracking in a brick wall indicate?
Cavity wall tie failure.
What often occurs in new plasterwork due to the drying out process?
Shrinkage
What might differential movement cause?
Cracking
What is wet rot caused by?
Damp and timber decay.
What are the signs of wet rot?
Wet and soft timber
What is dry rot caused by?
A fungal attack.
What are the signs of dry rot?
Fungus
Large mushroom like fruiting bodies
Strong smell
White felt/cotton wool type strands/red spores
Cracking paintwork
Crumbling of dry timber
Where does rising damp usually stop?
1.5m above ground level
What causes condensation?
Lack of ventilation and background heating.
What are the signs of condensation?
Mould and streaming water on the inside of walls/windows.
What are the other causes of damp?
Leaking plumbing/air conditioning/pipework.
What are common building defects within period residential, shop or office buildings?
Dry rot
Wet rot
Roof tile slippage
Death watch beetle
Damp penetration at roof and ground floor level
Water ingress around door and window openings
Structural movement/settlement
What are common building defects to modern industrial buildings?
Roof leaks around roof lights
Damaged cladding panels
Blocked valley gutters
Water damage from poor guttering/burst pipes
Settlement/cracking in brickwork panels
What are common building defects to modern office buildings?
Damp penetration at roof and ground floor level
Water damage from burst pipes/air conditioning units
Structural movement
Damaged cladding
Cavity wall tie failure
Efflorescence and poor mortar joints in brickwork.
