Inspection Flashcards
What is the relevant RICS information relating to property inspections and what is included in it?
- RICS Surveying Safely – Health and Safety Principles for Property Professionals, 2nd Edn 2018
- Includes
o personal responsibilities for RICS members
o How to assess hazards and risks
o Safety in the place of work and visiting site
o ‘safe person’ concept – each individual is to assume behavioural responsibility for their own, their colleagues’ safety and safe systems of work for themselves and others
o Asbestos regulations 2012
o Inclusion of Construction (Design Management) ‘CDM’ Regulations 2015
o Corporate responsibilities for RICS Regulated firms
Safe working environment
Safe work equipment
Safe systems of works
Competent staff
What factors would affect value?
- Visibility, accessibility, specification
- Industrial – bad neighbour uses (noxious fumes, noise, waste processing, heavy machinery or vehicle circulation)
- Offices – call centres, debt collections, charities, buildings with smoking areas outside where staff linger etc.
What would you note when inspecting an office?
- Situation in terms of surrounding environment
- How the building presents – marketability for agency
- Specification
- Location
- Any nearby to let boards
What are the current industry standards for office specification?
- As set by the British Council for Offices:
- Suspended ceiling with minimum 350mm void
- Raised access floor with min 150 mm void and floor boxes
- Maximised daylight levels 300-500 lux
- Desk density of 8 sq m to 10 sq m per person
- Cycle provision of 1 space to 10 employees
- Shower provision of 1 to 100 employees
- Floor loading capacity of 2.5-3 kN/sq m and 1.2 kN/sq m for partitions
- Air conditioning and double glazed window
- Passenger lifts
- Maximum depth of 12 x 15 m or 15 x 21 m to ensure daylight reaches all areas of office
What is the current parking ration for offices?
- 1:3000 sq ft (used to be 1:2500)
- Now less expectation for parking with expected standards to change for EV charging and cycle provision
What would you look for when inspecting an industrial unit?
- Access and roads/transport links
- Yard provision/any parking and security
- Construction type
What is the current standard industrial specification?
- Steel portal frame
- Insulated sheet metal cladding on walls and roof
- Blockwork to approx. 2m in height
- 10% translucent light panelling on roof
- 8m clear eaves height
- Full height electric roller shutter doors
- Min floor loading capacity of 30Kn per sq m
- 3 phase power supply
- 10% office content
- Site coverage of 40% (buildings to 60% yard)
Common industrial defects?
- Water ingress
- Damaged cladding
- Movement
Roof leaks around roof lights, cut edge corrosion, water damage from roof gutterings, damaged cladding panels, blocked valley gutters, settlement/cracking in brick work.
Common defect in office building?
- Structural movement
- Leaks from pipes/air conditioning systems
What type of construction are common for modern offices, industrial units?
- Offices – steel or concrete frame (steel usually less columns)
- Industrial – steel portal frame with insulated profile cladding
What factors would affect value?
- Visibility, accessibility, specification
- Industrial – bad neighbour uses (noxious fumes, noise, waste processing, heavy machinery or vehicle circulation)
Offices – call centres, debt collections, charities, buildings with smoking areas outside where staff linger etc
13) What does VPS2 cover?
This covers inspections, investigations and records.
15) Give me an example of when your inspection findings have reduced an RV?
I inspected a workshop following receipt of an IPP, the occupier stated he believed the RV to be incorrect due to area discrepancies. I re-measured the property and reduced the area, a mezzanine had been removed. Occupier happy that his issue was resolved quickly and he now had the correct RV.
Level 3 - Livingstone
Concrete flooring, concrete block walls. Single skin cladded roof.
Chain controlled roller shutter door (4.2 x 5.4m). Suspended sodium lamps
Max eaves height 6.8 meters.
Unit 5/4
Reinforced concrete flooring with signs of damage throughout.
Concrete block walls and double skin insulated cladded roof with large hole in area close to entrance to unit 13 with a lot of signs of leaking. No natural lighting within these units.
Offices contained with gross area of Unit 5. Toilet and canteen area contained with gross area pf unit 4.
Minimum eaves height 6.3 meters and max eaves height 7.25 meters.
Unit 4 contains a chain operated roller shutter door
What types of damp?
wet rot
dry rot
rising damp
condensation