Inspection Flashcards
What are the different purposes of inspection?
Agency, Valuation and Property Management
What different things would you consider when undertaking an inspection for valuation?
Looking for factors that could affect value e.g. location, defects, current condition, occupation details
What is the four-step process of an inspection?
- Consider personal safety (know firm’s H&S policy)- Desktop
- Inspection of local area
- External inspection
- Internal inspection
What factors would you consider when undertaking an inspection for agency purposes?
Marketability issues: condition of the building, repair and maintenance issues, flexibility of the premises
What factors would you consider when undertaking an inspection for property management?
Policing the lease: check lease compliance, state of the building, requirements for repairs/redecoration, details on the occupier
Why is it important to inspect the surrounding area?
Get an idea of location, local amenities, public transport, contamination/environmental hazard, comparable evidence
What might the necessary equipment be to take on inspection?
Distometer, measuring tape, plans, camera or phone, PPE, pen and paper.
What are the three common causes of building defect?
Defects could include movement, water or defective building materials
What was the evidence of damp?
Peeling/rotting walls, black mould on walls and skirting, musty smell, water on inside of windows
What are the key changes between the 1st and 2nd edition of Surveying Safely 2018?
Greater emphasis on the safe person concept, four things firms must provide: safe systems, safe equipment, safe environment and competent staff
What is on the inspection ProForma?
Address, date, location/situation, description: construction type, no. of floors, car parking, condition, comparable vacant unit boards
What is typical Grade A office specification?
Floor to ceilings heights 2.7m+, raised floor void of 150mm, ceiling void of 350mm, LED lighting, air conditioning, passenger lifts, 1 cycle space per 10 staff
What is the typical industrial specification?
Steel portal frame, plastic coated steel cladding, min eaves height of 8m, 10% roof lights, full height loading bays, services capped, office content 5-10%
What is the typical retail specification?
Shell and core, services capped, steel or concrete frame, concrete floor no suspended ceilings
What are you considering when inspecting a property externally?
Method of construction, condition of exterior, car parking, access, defects, check site boundaries
What are foundations?
They support structures, transferring the weight into the ground
What type of roof would you expect on an office building?
Flat roof, mansard roof, pitch roof
What are the different types of foundation?
Pad, pile, raft, trench
What are the dimensions of a brick?
215 mm, 102.5 mm, 65 mm
What are common brickwork defects?
Spalling, efflorescence
What is efflorescence?
White mark on bricks caused by water reacting with natural salts, by way of chemical process, contained within the construction material and mortar
What is spalling?
Bricks start to crumble because of thaw/freeze in winter
What is the difference between an inherent and latent defect?
Inherent defect is a defect in design/material which has always been present, latent defect could not have been reasonably discovered through inspection
What is subsidence and what is it caused by?
The downwards movement of foundations, can be caused by loss of support of ground
What is heaving and what is it caused by?
Expansion of ground beneath building, can be caused by tree roots
What might horizontal cracking indicate?
Cavity wall tie failure
What is shrinkage cracking?
Occurs in new plasterwork during the drying process
What causes damp?
Can be caused by leaking plumbing/ air conditioning/ pipework
What is the difference between wet rot and dry rot?
Wet rot caused by damp, dry rot caused by fungal attack
What are deleterious materials? Examples?
Materials that degrade with age – RAAC ( Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete), woodwool, calcium chloride
What are the common defects in a period building?
Asbestos, damp, spalling, structural movement
What are common defects in an office building?
Damp, asbestos, damaged cladding, horizontal cracking
What are common defects in an industrial property?
Issues with roof, broken roof lights, leaks, damaged cladding
If you suspected your site was contaminated, what would you do?
Take photographs and notes, inform the client, instruct specialist report, caveat advice in report
What is Japanese knotweed?
An invasive plant that can damage hard surfaces such as foundations and tarmac
What does Japanese knotweed look like?
Red shoots, heart shaped leaves, can look like bamboo
What guidance do RICS provide on Japanese knotweed?
Professional Standard: Japanese knotweed and residential property 2022
What is the penalty for allowing Japanese Knotweed to spread?
Magistrates court max fine of £5,000 or prison sentence up to six months or both, Crown Court unlimited fine or max 2 years in prison, or both
What is the key legislation in relation to contamination?
Environmental Protection Act 1990
What is a hazardous material? Examples?
One that is harmful to health – asbestos, lead piping, radon gas
What are you considering when inspecting a property internally?
Layout and specification, repair and maintenance, defects, fixtures and fittings, compliance with lease obligations, services, statutory compliance
What are lone working procedures?
To always carry charged mobile phone, keep calendar up to date, inform team of whereabouts
What inspection notes would you take?
Notes on the surrounding area, building construction, external and internal, repair and maintenance, defects etc.
What are the two types of office construction? What are the benefits of each?
Steel or concrete frame – steel frame has fewer columns, wider span between columns, concrete frame buildings usually have more columns, lower floor heights and a shorter span between columns
What is solid wall construction and how does it differ to cavity wall construction?
Solid wall is the simplest type with headers, normally at least one brick thick, different bricklaying patterns like Flemish Bond to tie together the layers of brick, Cavity wall construction has two layers of brickwork tied together with metal ties, cavity might be filled with insulation, no headers used
What is Land Remuneration Relief?
A form of tax relief that applies to contaminated or derelict land in the UK which allows companies to claim up to 150% corporation tax deduction for expenditure in remediating certain contaminated or derelict sites, or those affected by Japanese Knotweed
What would you look for/consider when inspecting a vacant building?
Take greater precaution, risk of squatters, definitely follow lone working procedures, check services were capped off
What are some different types of lighting?
Florescent, incandescent and LED
What are eaves?
Floor to underside of the intersection of the roof
What are the different types of eaves height?
External, internal and stacking height (clear)
How can you identify rising damp?
Rising Damp usually stops around 1.5m above ground level.
What type of electricity would you expect to find in an institutional grade A warehouse?
Free phase
Floor capacity of a institutional warehouse?
40 Kilanewtons per sq meter
What is the latest LED lighting spec?
LG7 compliant lighting
