Building Pathology Specific Questions Flashcards
Tell me about RICS Home Survey Standard
Designed to:
- Establish clear framework with minimum expectations
- Provide mandatory requirements
- Replace and harmonise previous publications
Tell me about limitations and scope of different types of surveys L3
Level 3
- Detailed visual inspection
- Concealed areas opened
- Services used in normal operation
- Describes the form of construction and materials
- Describes condition and assessment of defects
- Indication of cost
Tell me about the different types of survey you are aware of.
- Mortgage valuation
- Home Survey standard L1,2,3
- HMO
Tell me about a typical defect you are aware of relating to typical buildings in your locality.
- Book end effect
- Differential movement to bay due to clay soil and shallow foundations
- Re-roofing in concrete tiles
Differential movement example - What is the likely cause of movement to bay and the impact upon value/your advice?
- Differential movement to bay due to clay soil and shallow foundations
- Likely due to shallow foundations depth
- Recommended SER
- Sale fell though due to this and other defects
Tell me about a building defect you are likely to encounter in a typical building survey.
- Bridging DPC
Tell me about how you collect, store and retrieve information for different purposes when carrying out property inspections.
- Ipad
- Formsfly
Why is it important to record accurate information during a building inspection?
- Used for report writing
- In case of more info needed
- In case of complaint
- So other professionals can respond if you are away/ ill
Wentworth Road CR0 Talk me through your identification of Japanese Knotweed.
- Shield shaped leaves
- arranged in a zig zag pattern.
- Main stem
- Flowers
- Proximity of a train line
Wentworth Road CR0 Why did you recommend a retention?
- Lender policy
- Retention held for the cost of the works
- To ensure the works were completed
Wentworth Road CR0 Talk me through your assessment of the treatment plan.
- detailed the extent of the outbreak and treatment recommended.
- reputable company who is preferably an accredited member of a recognised trade association such as the PCA (Property Care Association)
- an insurance backed 5 year warranty* against re-appearance of the plant is included
Falcon Road CR0 Why was the sprayed foam insulation a concern?
- Can cause roof timbers to rot due to lack of ventilation
Falcon Road CR0 What was the lender policy on sprayed foam insulation?
- Fully encapsulated timbers not acceptable
Falcon Road CR0 Talk me through your report regarding the sprayed foam insulation.
- I reported that the property was not acceptable due to the presence of spray foam insulation as per the lender policy.
Albert Road SE25 How was the flashing inadequate?
- Allowed water ingress
- Formed from adhesive rather being cut into the wall
Albert Road SE25 How did you follow the trail?
- Observed the elements internally
Albert Road SE25 Why did you apply a condition rating 3?
- INVESTIGATION - Further investigation required
- URGENTLY - Defect needed to be repaired urgently
- VALUE - Significant impact on value
Hawthorne Avenue CR4 How did the flooding affect structural integrity?
- Washed away the fines from the soil
- Caused erosion and softening of the soil
- Reduced the load bearing capacity of the soil
Hawthorne Avenue CR4 Did you consider the BRE Digest in relation to the cracking? If so, talk me through this.
- Took a series of measurements – although unable to measure the widest points
- Assessed the cracking fell into category 3 due to cracking 3-5mm width
- Therefore assessed there may be serious structural movement
- Potential impact to the structural stability and weathertightness
Hawthorne Avenue CR4 What are the implications of category 3?
- Potential impact to the structural stability and weathertightness
Hawthorne Avenue CR4 Talk me through your review of the structural engineer’s report.
- Assessed their qualifications
- Assessed their recommendations
Hawthorne Avenue CR4 How was the risk of ongoing flooding addressed?
- The leak to pipework had been previously remedied when the current occupiers moved in
- Applicant stated that repair works had been undertaken to the bathroom and ceiling of the reception
- Bathroom and reception (partially) had been decorated and renovated at point of inspection
Advised in report to confirm property was readably insurable
Hawthorne Avenue CR4 Talk me through your current and post works valuation
- Current val based on the current condition of the property (average order with an allowance made for the costs of the works to bring the property up to a habitable condition as well as a cost for inconvenience)
- Post works val based on the assumption the works would be completed to a good standard – extended size
Hawthorne Avenue CR4 Talk me through your advice regarding the suitability of the property for mortgage lending.
- I advised the property was acceptable for lending due to movement being addressed
- Advised current and post works val
Hawthorne Avenue CR4 How did you factor in the risk of ongoing flooding in your advice?
- The risk of ongoing flooding was eliminated as the defect had been remedied
- However, advised in the report that to confirm the property was readily insurable due to previous heavy and ongoing flooding from the bathroom
Limitations of inspection L1
Level 1
- No tests of services
- describes condition of building, services and grounds
- Highlights legal issues and risks
Limitations of inspections L2
- extensive visual inspection of the building, services, grounds
- Concealed areas opened
- describes condition of the different elements, assessment of defects
- advice about repairs/maintenance
- No conclusion – recommendation for further investigation is made
New JK guidance
Effective March 22
4 management categories
7m distance to habitable space removed
Off-site JK distance reduced to 3m
BIT MORE DETAIL NEEDED
Cause and effect of one type of failure
Tile replacement with concrete tiles
Concrete tiles heavier
Original timbers insufficient to to carry extra load (unless upgraded)
Deflective likely - causing strain on junction between roof surface and vertical finishes
May result in lateral spread/Roof spread/ worst case scenario wall collapse
Remedy
secondary purlins and additional struts added to the roof structure to remedy the issue
since 1991, it has been compulsory to submit structural calculations to building control whenever a roof covering is changed
4 stages
1) Inspection
2) Diagnosis
3) Prognosis
4) Remedy
Hazardous material
Hazardous materials pose a threat to the health and safety of staff and members of the public
Lead
Asbestos
Deleterious material
Deleterious materials are materials that are prohibited for use in a project.
Materials that can degrade with age, causing structural problems.
Reasons:
- reliability
- health and safety
- structural stability/performance/physical integrity/life-expectancy of a project
- non-compliance with regulations
- susceptibility to change/deterioration.
1) calcium silicate brickwork
2) Mundic Concrete - losses integrity in wet conditions
Inherent defect
Defect in material or design
An inherent defect is any defect which is attributable to defective design, workmanship, materials or supervision of the construction
Not apparent upon reasonable inspection of the premises
Always been present, a defect in the design or construction of the building, e.g. misplaced reinforcement.
Latent defect
Latent defects are defects that are not apparent at the time of completion but which subsequently become apparent months or years later.
Defects caused by failures in design/workmanship detectable after completion of the project,
example
Defective basement tanking allowing water penetration.
Inadequate wind-posts or wall ties causing movement damage to walls.
Under-strength concrete or misplaced reinforcement allowing movement damage to the structure.
Inadequate foundations causing subsidence of the building.
a defect that could not have reasonably been identified on an inspection; e.g. problems with the foundations that may not show signs for several years.
What is Interstitial Condensation?
When air cools down, it releases moisture as condensation, and this is known as the dew point temperature. If this dew point temperature is reached within the fabric of a property such as roof structure, walls, and floor cavities, it will deposit water within these components and cause what we call interstitial condensation.
occurs when the moist air vapour penetrates through the elements of a building’s fabric, experiencing a temperature difference along the way, and condensing not on the surface but within the building fabric itself.
Difference between wet and dry rot
wet rot needs a higher moisture content to grow
Wet rot fungus likes to grow on timber with a high moisture content of around 50% and above while for dry rot to grow it will germinate at a lower timber moisture content of around 20% to 30%
JK in winter
Brown canes that are more or less decomposing
Hollow canes
Legionella
Legionnaires’ disease is a potentially fatal form of pneumonia and everyone is susceptible to infection.
It is easy for bacteria to grow if conditions are right
Landlord responsibility to ensure health and safety of tenants
Finlock gutters
Concrete gutters
Worked well in closing top of cavity walls and served as a load bearing role for window and door openings.
Common issues for Finlock gutters
- Lining failure mainly due to thermal expansion and contraction
- Thermal/cold bridging.
- Sagging-can occur if windows or doors underneath are poorly replaced.
What is dry rot?
wood decay caused by fungi
requires 20% moisture content in the timber
Spreads via mycelium
Signs:
- decaying timber
- musty smell
- Cuboidal cracking
- concentrated patches of orange–brown spore dust
- grey strands on timber
- fruiting bodies that look like large mushrooms.
Wet Rot
Occurs when moisture content of the timber reaches around 50%
Common signs of wet rot
- Damp smell
- cracking timber
- spongy timber
- discoloured timber
- black–brown fungal growths.
When should a PCC be requested?
If refurbishment works have been undertaken
This reduces your risk - means that the claimant cannot ask why they weren’t told me that this was necessary.
Provide an example of when you gave advice regarding a building defect
Defective flat roof (Rosewood gardens)?
NEED A ROBUST L3 EXA,PLE OF ADVICE FOR BP
