Inspection Flashcards by Charlie Hall

What do you look for during inspections?

Look at the local area
Amenities
Vibrancy of local business
Local transport nodes
Condition of building
Security
Access arrangements

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Talk me through common hazards in older buildings?

Asbestos
Lead piping
Radio gas

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What would you do if you thought you identified asbestos?

-if it was disturbed, I would get out asap
-if not I would take a picture
-in either case I would report

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What does your firms inspection checklist involve?

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What are the key local factors to look out for in PBSA

Local amenities
Colleges/universities
Transport connectivity

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Did you identify any hazards in any of your inspections?

Yes the bed that was damaged in Brighton was hazardous as it was broken wood. I reported it straight away to the site manager and my manager

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How did you know there were no rights of way present over the site?

By looking at the title register

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How could rights of light impact your future development?

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WHAT ARE THE 4 STAGES OF INSPECTION?

Desktop due diligence
Locality/vicinity
Exterior of property
Interior of property

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What should you take on an inspection with you?

Charged mobile phone
Site or floor plans
Relevant PPE
Measuring equipment

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What does the first stage- desktop due diligence consist of?

-Risk assessment
-online sources- land registry,planning portal, pro maps
Plan my route on how to get there. Book a train ticket. Call the person on site and make sure they know when I’m coming
-print out relevant plans
- equipment measured, phone
- I would take my comparable map. If I was inspecting a site that was being constructed I would take possible elevations

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What does the second stage of inspection involve?

Locality/vicinity
-properties on markets
-flood zones
-conservation area
-transport

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What does the third stage of inspection involve?

Exterior inspection
- look for defects. Cracking/water damage
- car parking
-access
-photograph
-identify construction type. In student its typically cladding or brickwork
-identify possible rights of light
-age
-condition

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What is the 4th stage?

Interior inspection
-statutory compliance with regs
-condition
-specification
-layout

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How could you date a building?

-architects certificate
-building regs
-historic map
-ask the client
-date of planning consent

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What are the purposes of inspection?

Agency
Valuation
Management

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What are the forms of foundation

-raft
-Strip
-Piled
-pad

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How would you determine the types of foundations used?

Age/type
Loading requirements
Ground conditions

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What are the two types of wall construction and how would you tell them apart?

Solid wall- slid brick wall with headers and stretches visible
Cavity wall- 2 layers of brickwork tied together with metal ties-usually no headers visible

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What is a header?

Brick laid so tat short side is visible

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What is the stretcher?

Brick laid horizontally, with long side exposed an outer face

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What is efflorescence?

-white marks on brickwork
-caused by salts in bricks
-caused when water reacts with natural salts

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What is spalling?

Damaged brickwork where bricks start to crumble due to free thaw

What are the two main methods of construction for new office buildings?

Steel frame
Concrete frame

What can you refer to if you’re unsure about the type of construction?

Architects drawings. An seek advice from construction director

What are the different types of air conditioning system?

-vav - vrv -static cooling -heat recovery -comfort cooling

What became illegal to use in air conditioning systems in 2015?

The refrigerant R22

What is shell and core fit out?

Where common parts of the building are completed but office areas left as shell ready for occupiers fit out

What is the difference between an inherent and a latent defect?

-inherent defect has been there since the beginning - latent defect is where it could not have been discovered by a reasonably through inspection

What is the purpose of snagging?

Enables you to highlight any defects to developer and enables them to fix them

What are the common causes of defects?

Movement Water Defective building materials

What is a subsidence?

-where the building foundation shifts downwards -usually caused by changes in the underlying ground conditions

What is heave?

Expansion of ground beneath a building Usually caused by removal of trees and build up of water

What are the common causes of cracks in a property?

Heave Subsidence Movement Settlement cracks

What is wet rot? What are the signs of it?

Where the water damages wood such that it becomes soft and weak

What is dry rot? What are the signs of it?

Caused by fungal attack -usually see mushroom like growth on wood

What is rising damp? Wha are the signs of it?

Where water moves upwards through a building Usually caused by failure of DPC Signs would include tide marks Usually stop 1.5m above ground level

What can condensation be caused by?

Lack of sufficient ventilation

What I the key legislation on contamination?

Environmental protection act 1990

What guidance has the RICS issued on contamination?

RICS Guidance note contamination, the environment and sustainability 2010

Who will usually pay for the remediation of a site?

Either the land owner or the polluter

What does desktop contamination study comprise?

Assessment of the sites historic uses

What materials usually cause contamination?

Radon and methane Oil/gas Heavy metals

What are the visual signs of contamination?

-oil drums -evidence of chemicals -subsidence -bare ground

What are the three phases of an investigation for contamination?

Desktop Intrusive Remediation

What would you do if you were concerned that a site may be contaminated?

Suggest the client get a specialist report

What is the difference between deleterious and hazardous material?

Deleterious degrades over time to cause structural problems Hazardous is harmful t health

Examples of deleterious materials

High alumina cement Calcium chloride

What are examples of hazardous material?

Asbestos-if damaged Lead piping Radon gas

What does Japanese knotweed look like

Purple and green with a hollow stem Heart shaped leaves Clusters of white flowers

Why is Japanese knotweed an issue?

Invasive plant can damage hard surfaces Difficult to control Lenders may refuse loans

Where can Japanese knotweed be found?

Railway line a lot

What guidance is issued on Japanese knotweed?

RICS Information paper on Japanese knotweed and residential property 2015

What are the penalties for ignoring Japanese knotweed?

Covered by criminal protection act 1990 Prison sentence of 6 months or £5,000

What documents would you request before going on an inspection?

Asbestos register Floor plans Title plans

How would you ensure you had regard to RICS Surveying safely when on inspection?

Carry out risk assessments Never enter a building if it felt unsafe Trust my instinct Wear appropriate PPE Ensure my colleagues know where I am and details of inspection in my diary

Can you run me through how you would carry out a risk assessment?

Identify hazards Identify who they may harm Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions Record findings and implement them Review the assessment and update if necessary Advise all those affected of the outcome