Inspection Flashcards
What matters can impact the markets perception on value?
- surrounding area
- facilities
- age
- accessibility
- flooding
- hazards
- contamination
- potential for redevelopment
Radon
Natural, radioactive, odourless and tasteless gas
Note: low levels in air but tends to collect in enclosed places like buildings
What is risk of radon exposure?
Long term exposure increases risk of lung cancer
How is radon mitigated in buildings?
- new buildings can have radon proof membrane in floor structure
- radon sump (cavity in floor with pump drawing air form it)
- improved ventilation
What factors negatively impact a valuation?
- contamination
- flooding
- asbestos
- invasive non native species
- solar / wind farms
- radon gas affected areas
- poor EPC
- earthquake prone areas
Common Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMs)
- insulation lagging
- insulation boards
- cloth in fire blankets
- cladding
- ceiling linings
- floor coverings
- cement
- decorative coatings
Deleterious Materials
- asbestos
- mundic
- high alumina cement
- calcium chloride cement
High Alumina Cement
- rapid strength development
- used in pre cast beams
- vulnerable to chemical attack which reduced strength so buildings collapsed
- banned in 1970s
Calcium Chloride Cement
- accelerated time taken for cement to set
- caused corrosion to embedded metal
- banned in 1970s
Mundic
- mineral mine waste found in Devon and Cornwall
- used as aggregate in concrete blocks
- chemical changes caused block to deteriorate
- banned in 1950s
What needs to be completed before visiting premises/site?
- pre assessment of hazards and risks
- requirement for PPE
- proper notice to get access if going to Tenant floor areas
What matters need to be considered before visiting site/premises?
- condition of property
- whether property is occupied
- whether you’re going alone
- how to travel there
- what PPE needs to be taken
- dangerous substances
- disease
- access equipment
- conditions
- personal matters
What H&S matters should be considered during inspection?
- structural stability
- sharp objects
- slip/trip hazards
- hidden traps/openings
- contamination
- vermin and birds
Key signs of structural instability
- leaning/bulged walls
- rotten beams and columns
- corroded metal fire escapes / balconies
What timbers / glass / sharp objects should be looked out for on inspection?
- rotten and broken floors
- projecting nails or screws
- loose window glazing
- broken glass
Examples of unsafe atmospheres?
- confined spaces with insufficient O2
- rotting vegetation
- stores containing flammable materials
- excessive mould or fungi
- insecticides/herbicides/pesticides
How should risk of falls from height be assessed?
- use ladders
- use MEWPs
- use scaffolding
Examples of hidden traps and openings?
- lift shafts
- man holes
- surfaces concealed by debris or standing water
Risks associated with people/animals encountered?
- squatters
- trespassers
- dogs
- aggressive tenants
Contamination risks to consider
- asbestos
- legionella
- chemicals
English Bond brickwork
Brick formation where each course consists of either headers or stretchers
Flemish Bond brickwork
Brick formation where headers and stretchers alternate every time
Solid wall
Typically two bricks wide, mix of headers and stretchers and 230mm/9 inches wide with plaster finish
Cavity wall
Two layers of brick with gap in between, usually 280mm/11 inches wide with 50mm gap between and a plaster finish
From external inspection, how can you tell if brick is solid or cavity?
- absence / presence of headers
- can see them if solid wall, but can’t see them if cavity wall (only stretchers)
Cavity Wall Ties
- used to join two leaves of cavity wall together and provide extra support
- prevents water transferring to outside of wall
- twist at centre means water drips down through cavity
3 types: butterfly, double triangular and vertical twist
Standard brick size
215 x 102 x 65 mm
Standard block
440 x 100 x 215 mm
Rafter
Beams of roof that are angled upward from ground and meet at top of gable at ridge beam
Purlin
Horizontal beams of roof used for structural support
Roof Truss
Structure that consists of wood or steel joined in triangular shape to support weight of roof
3 types: monopitch, asymmetrical, or attic truss
Building Frame
Structure in which weight is carried by skeleton or framework
Note: usually steel or reinforced concrete
Grade A office characteristics
- desirable location
- new / highly maintained
- steel / reinforced concrete frame
- raised floor with 150mm void
- suspended ceiling with 350mm void
- lifts
- HVAC system
- LED lighting
- excellent DDA
- excellent BREEAM
- high EPC rating
- car parking / cycle racks
- lockers / showers
Grade B office characteristics
- Grade A aged by 10-20 years
- well maintained
- systems function but no longer industry leading
Grade C office characteristics
- less desirable location
- older than Grade A or Grade B
- out of date furnishings
- no DDA access
Portal Frame
- structural frame with beams supported by columns at either end
- typically spans 15-50m
What are portal frame structures used for?
low rise structures like industrial and warehouse buildings
Benefits of portal frame structure
- large spaces can be enclosed
- uses little material
- lower costs
Optimal site cover for industrial development
40% as over 50% can lead to congestion
Floor loading requirement for industrial buildings
40KN/sqm
Typical office coverage for industrial properties?
10% of total floor area
Typical fit out of industrial properties
- steel portal frame
- profile steel cladding
- roller shutter doors
- concrete screed floor
- floor loading capacity 40KN/sqm
- 3 phase electricity
- 10% office space (may have carpet)
- dock levellers in loading bays
- adequate parking
Dock Leveller
Height adjustable platform used to bridge the difference in height and distance between floor and vehicle
Typical retail unit size
Rectangle with depth 3-4x the width
Where does brickwork typically crack?
Along mortar joints and at narrowest section
4 types of cracking
- horizontal line
- triangular
- stepped
- cracking to floor level
What does horizontal line cracking indicate?
Cavity wall tie failure
What does triangular cracking indicate?
Lintel failure
What does stepped cracking indicate?
Structural failure
What does cracking to ground level indicate?
Below ground movement
4 types of damp
- Penetrating
- Rising
- Condensation
- Plumbing failure
3 causes of rising damp
- no damp proof course
- failed damp proof course
- bridged damp proof course
Sign of condensation
Black mould growth
Items to take on inspection
- phone with camera
- pen and paper
- tape measure
- laser
- file with plans and supporting docs
- PPE
Considerations for external inspection
- location
- public transport
- comparable evidence
- contamination
- flooding
- repair
- car parking
How can age of building be assessed?
- practical completion certificate
- ask client
- land registry
What to consider during property management inspection?
- lease compliance
- state of repair
- details of occupier
- security arrangements
- maintenance issues
What to consider in valuation inspection?
- location
- tenure
- form of construction
- defects / condition
Four common forms of foundation
- Trench/strip footings
- Raft
- Piled
- Pad
Trench/strip footing foundation
Shallow foundation that avoids brick laying below ground by filling trench with concrete
Raft foundation
Shallow, slab foundation reinforced by concrete slabs of uniform thickness
Piled foundation
Long, slender reinforced concrete cylinders for large structures
Pad foundation
Generally shallow pads support single point loads like columns and frames
Efflorescence
White marks caused by salt in brickwork
Spalling
Surface of brick starts to crumble due to freeze / thaw action after being saturated in winter months
Retail unit specification
- steel or concrete frame
- services capped off
- concrete floor
- shell condition ready for retailers own fit out
Two main methods of construction for new office buildings
- Concrete frame - more columns
- Steel frame - less columns
Types of AC Systems
- VAV - high cost but flexible
- Fan Coil - low cost initially, high running cost
- Mechanical Ventilation - fresh air moved around building
R22 refrigerant
- colourless, ozone depleting gas used in AC systems
- high global warming potential
- banned from use in 2004, and then banned from existing systems in 2015 so cannot top up or repair
Fit out options for offices
- shell and core
- category A (blank canvas)
- category B (ready for occupancy)
Inherent Defect
Defect in design or material that has always been present
Latent defect
Hidden or concealed defect that could not have been discovered during a reasonable investigation
What do you do if you find defect during inspection?
- Take photo
- Try to establish cause
- Inform client
- Recommend specialist advise (building surveyor or structural engineer)
Three common types of defect
- Movement
- Water
- Defective materials
Different types of movement
- subsidence
- heave
- cracking
- thermal expansion
Subsidence
Vertical downward movement of a buildings foundation caused by loss of support beneath foundation
Heave
Upward movement of ground beneath part or all of building EG tree removal
Wet Rot
Fungal attack that affects timber when becomes damp
- wet soft timber
- visible fungal growth
- poor structural stability
Dry Rot
Wood decay caused by fungi that spread their spores and destroy timber as spores germinate and grow into mycelium
- fungus and mushrooms
- strong smells
Common defects in residential office and retail buildings?
- dry rot
- wet rot
- tile slip on roof
- penetrative damp
- water ingress around door
- structural movement around windows
Common defects in modern industrial buildings
- roof leaks
- damaged cladding
- water damage from burst pipes
- cracking in brick work
Examples of contamination in a property
- radon gas
- methane gas
- diesel
- oil
Three phases of investigation for contamination?
- Review site history
- Investigate to identify extent of contamination EG take soil samples
- Remediation report and monitoring
Would you value a contaminated site?
- need specialist report first
- caveat any advice with appropriate disclaimer stating assumptions
- deduct remediation costs from site value
Land Remediation Relief
Form of tax relief that applies to contaminated or derelict land in UK
Deleterious / Hazardous materials
Materials harmful to health
What do you do if you find hazardous materials on inspection?
Recommend specialist reviews and reports
What do you do if you discover asbestos?
- Check if registered on record
- Instruct survey if not on record
- Establish if needs removing (usually depends if been disturbed)
Japanese Knotweed
- purple stems, green leaves and white flowers in late summer/early autumn
- fast growing and stems deep in ground
- hard to control and expensive to eradicate but damages tarmac and foundations
Note: lenders may refuse loan if present
Consequences of letting Japanese Knotweed spread
- criminal offence under Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
- local authority can issue ASBO (antisocial behaviour order) and fines
How is damp measured?
Use a damp meter
Why is 3 phase power required in industrial units?
- it accommodates higher loads and lots of electrical equipment needs it
- often heavy machinery on sites
RICS asbestos publication
Asbestos Legal Requirements and Best Practice for Property Professionals and Clients
RICS publication for Japanese Knotweed
Japanese Knotweed and Residential Property
Why do you need to inspect for valuation purposes?
Requirement of Red Book
How did RICS deal with inability to inspect in Covid?
material uncertainty clause at start of valuation to explain property has not been inspected
What would you note when inspecting a retail unit?
- frontage to depth ratio
- location
- fit out
How do you identify rising damp?
Does not go above 1.5m
How do you prevent penetrative damp?
Ensure gutters are cleared of leaves and debris
Talk me through a typical management inspection
- Check correct tenant is there
- Inspect external and internal
- Usually do this quarterly
- Look for breaches EG disrepair, unauthorised alterations and unauthorised subletting
Note: inspect as frequently as insurer / client / Workman requires
