Building Defects

Question 1

How should you inspect a building for defects?

Answer 1

Work from the roof down.

Question 2

What type of defect is in the design or material and has always been present?

Answer 2

Inherent defect

Question 3

What defect is a fault to the property and could not have been discovered by a reasonably thorough inspection?

Answer 3

Latent defect

Question 4

What should you check for via a contractor/professional team?

Answer 4

Building warranty

Question 5

What steps should be taken if a building defect is identified?

Answer 5

1. Take photographs.
2. Try to establish the cause while on site.
3. Inform client of investigations.
   Recommend specialist advice - Building Surveyor, Structural Engineer.

Question 6

What are the 3 common causes of defect?

Answer 6

1. Movement
2. Water
3. Defective/non-performance/ deterioration of building materials.

Question 7

What is the vertical downward movement of a building foundation caused by the loss of support of the site beneath the foundation?

Answer 7

Subsidence

Question 8

What could subsidence be the result of?

Answer 8

Underlying changers in ground conditions.

Question 9

What is the term for the expansion of the ground beneath part or all of a building?

Answer 9

Heave

Question 10

What can heave be caused by?

Answer 10

Removal of trees.

Question 11

What might horizontal cracking in a brick wall indicate?

Answer 11

Cavity wall tie failure.

Question 12

What often occurs in new plasterwork due to the drying out process?

Answer 12

Shrinkage

Question 13

What might differential movement cause?

Answer 13

Cracking

Question 14

What is wet rot caused by?

Answer 14

Damp and timber decay.

Question 15

What are the signs of wet rot?

Answer 15

Wet and soft timber

Question 16

What is dry rot caused by?

Answer 16

A fungal attack.

Question 17

What are the signs of dry rot?

Answer 17

Fungus

Large mushroom like fruiting bodies

Strong smell

White felt/cotton wool type strands/red spores

Cracking paintwork

Crumbling of dry timber

Question 18

Where does rising damp usually stop?

Answer 18

1.5m above ground level

Question 19

What causes condensation?

Answer 19

Lack of ventilation and background heating.

Question 20

What are the signs of condensation?

Answer 20

Mould and streaming water on the inside of walls/windows.

Question 21

What are the other causes of damp?

Answer 21

Leaking plumbing/air conditioning/pipework.

Question 22

What are common building defects within period residential, shop or office buildings?

Answer 22

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

Question 23

What are common building defects to modern industrial buildings?

Answer 23

Roof leaks around roof lights

Damaged cladding panels

Blocked valley gutters

Water damage from poor guttering/burst pipes

Settlement/cracking in brickwork panels

Question 24

What are common building defects to modern office buildings?

Answer 24

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.