Inspection Flashcards

1
Q

What is the relevant RICS information relating to property inspections and what is included in it?

A
  • 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
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2
Q

What factors would affect value?

A
  • 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.
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3
Q

What would you note when inspecting an office?

A
  • Situation in terms of surrounding environment
  • How the building presents – marketability for agency
  • Specification
  • Location
  • Any nearby to let boards
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4
Q

What are the current industry standards for office specification?

A
  • 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
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5
Q

What is the current parking ration for offices?

A
  • 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
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6
Q

What would you look for when inspecting an industrial unit?

A
  • Access and roads/transport links
  • Yard provision/any parking and security
  • Construction type
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7
Q

What is the current standard industrial specification?

A
  • 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)
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8
Q

Common industrial defects?

A
  • 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.
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9
Q

Common defect in office building?

A
  • Structural movement
  • Leaks from pipes/air conditioning systems
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10
Q

What type of construction are common for modern offices, industrial units?

A
  • Offices – steel or concrete frame (steel usually less columns)
  • Industrial – steel portal frame with insulated profile cladding
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11
Q

What factors would affect value?

A
  • 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
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12
Q

13) What does VPS2 cover?

A

This covers inspections, investigations and records.

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13
Q

15) Give me an example of when your inspection findings have reduced an RV?

A

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.

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14
Q

Level 3 - Livingstone

A

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

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15
Q

What types of damp?

A

wet rot
dry rot
rising damp
condensation

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16
Q

What is wet rot?
(in period resi, office, shop)

A

Present when there’s direct and sustained contact with water. Spongy feel and looks darker than healthy wood. Need to eliminate source of water and remove affected timbers.

17
Q

What is dry rot?

(in period resi, office, shop)

A

Serious form of fungal decay, it can spread and destroy much of the timber. It often occurs in areas that can’t be seen. It needs a moisture content of at least 20% and is often found in roof trusses and behind skirting boards. Symptoms are- growth resembling a pancake, mushroom smell. To treat- find source of water causing damp, ventilate and remove infected timber.

18
Q

What is condensation?

A

This is the most common form of damp and is caused by moist air condensing on walls. Made worse by poor ventilation and is more common in old homes.

Water droplets on windows, dark mould appearing particularly on glass or around windows and a bad smell.

19
Q

What is rising damp?

A

Caused by ground water moving up through a wall or floor. Usually stopped by a damp proof course. Can also happen when the level of the ground outside your home is higher than your DPC or there isn’t proper drainage allowing water to get above it.

Damaged skirting boards or plaster, peeling paint/wallpaper, white marks on walls.

stop around 1.5m

20
Q

What is penetrating damp?

A

Caused by water leaking through walls. Horizontal movement rather than vertical. Caused by structural problems such as faulty guttering or cracks in the walls. Cavity walls provide some protection.

21
Q

What is subsidence?

A

Occurs when the ground under your house collapses or sinks lower, taking some of the buildings foundations with it. This puts strain on your homes structure as one side sinks causing cracks to appear. The signs include cracking thicker than 3mm, diagonally visible both internally and externally.

22
Q

What is heave?

A

The ground moves upward and forces some of the foundation up with it. This can be caused by clay soil shrinkage, trees and shrubs (these can absorb more water making the soil dry).

23
Q

What does horizontal cracking signify?

A

May indicate cavity wall tie failure. Shrinkage, cracking often occurs in new plasterwork due to the drying out process. Other cracks may be due to differential movement such as settlement cracks, thermal expansion.

24
Q

What is Japanese Knotweed?

A
  • Invasive plant species that can damage hard surfaces, grow through concrete, tarmac and affect building foundations?
  • Purple/red stems and heart shaped leaves – hard to identify when not in bloom
  • Typically found near railway lines or in industrial areas
  • Must be disposed of by a specialist company to a specialist dump in line with the Environmental Protection Act 1990
  • Williams v Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd – network rail held liable for cost of treating and removing and damage to diminution in value of affected land
25
Q

what rics guidnace is there for JK

A

RICS Professional Standard - Japanese knotweed and residential proprty 2022

26
Q

What is Grade A Industrial specification?

A

· 8m eaves
· 1 x loading door per 10,000 sq ft
Led Lighting
· 10-15% roof lights
· 5-10% office content
· 37.5 kN/m2 floor loading
· 3 phase power (415v)
· 40% site coverage

27
Q

What is Grade A office specification?

A

· Full access raised floors with floor boxes
· 2.6 – 2.8m ceiling height
· Ceiling void of 350mm and raised floor void of 150mm
· Natural light of 300-500 lux average
· Floor loading of 2.5 – 3.0 kN/sq m
· Air conditioning and double glazing
· Planning grid of 1.5m x 1.5m
· 1 cycle space per 10 staff and 1 shower per 100
· 8m2 to 10m2 workspace density

28
Q

What do you understand about Asbestos?

A

· Covered by the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012
· Three types (white, brown and blue)
· Duty of care is with landlord
· Risk assessment must be place and management plan
· No risk if undisturbed

29
Q

7) What standard of fit out would you expect from a grade A office?

A

I would expect raised floors, suspended ceilings with effective lighting, air conditioning and efficient heating. Energy efficiency needs to have been considered. For example DALI. I would expect high standard finishes throughout. The property would need to be located in an easily accessible, prime position within the locality, often in city centre business districts.

30
Q

What is the construction of new offices like?

A

Steel or concrete frame, full access raised floors with floor boxes, carpeting, ceiling height of 2.6m, suspended ceiling, double glazed windows, passenger lift.

31
Q

Can you give me an example of common defects found in modern industrial buildings?

A

Roof leaks around roof lights, cut edge corrosion, water damage from roof gutterings, damaged cladding panels, blocked valley gutters, settlement/cracking in brick work.

32
Q

Can you give me an example of common defects found in modern office buildings?

A

Damp penetration at roof level, water damage from burst pipes, structural movement, damaged cladding, cavity wall tie failure.

33
Q

Any recent case law on Japanese Knotweed?

A

Williams v Network Rail 2017- Court held that Network Rail was liable for costs of treating the invasive plant plus damages for the diminution in value of the property. Reduced value even after the plant was treated to reflect the stigma attached to the property.