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Inspection Flashcards

1
Q

What is the four step process of an inspection?

A
  1. Preliminary H&S assessment in your office
  2. Inspection of the local area
  3. External inspection
  4. Internal inspection
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2
Q

What should you take on inspection?

A
  • Mobile phone
  • Camera
  • Tape measure or laser (to be annually calibrated by checking accuracy with tape measure and results recorded)
  • Files, plans and other supporting information
  • Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) i.e. fluorescent jacket, steel toed boots, non slip soled shoes, hard hat
  • Pen and paper/dictaphone
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3
Q

What advice does RICS Surveying Safely 2019 set out?

A

1) Responsibilities for members and firms
2) Assessing hazards and risks
3) Workplace health and safety
4) Occupational hygiene and health
5) Visiting premises and sites
6) Fire safety
7) Residential property surveying
8) Procurement and management of contractors

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4
Q

What considerations does the RICS Surveying Safely state that you should have of the immediate area?

A
  • Location, aspect, local facilities, public transport
  • Contamination, environmental hazards, flooding, high voltage power lines
  • Comparable evidence, local market conditions, agents’ boards
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5
Q

When carrying out an external inspection, what should you take note of?

A
  • Method of construction
  • Repair and condition of the exterior
  • Car parking/access/loading arrangements
  • Defects/structural movement
  • Check site boundaries with OS map and/or Title Plan
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6
Q

When carrying out an internal inspection, what should you take note of?

A
  • Layout and specification – flexibility and obsolescence
  • Repair and maintenance
  • Defects
  • Services – age and condition
  • Statutory compliance – asbestos, building regulations, H&S, Equality Act, Fire and planning
  • Fixtures and fittings and improvements made
  • Compliance with lease obligations
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7
Q

What are the four common forms of foundation?

A
  1. Trench/Strip Footings – generally used for residential dwellings, for walls and closely spaced columns
  2. Raft – a slab foundation over whole site to spread the load for lightweight structures i.e. made up/remediated land, sandy soil conditions
  3. Piled – long and slender reinforced concrete cylinders (piles) in ground to deeper strata when there are less good load-bearing ground conditions/high loads
  4. Pad – a slab foundation system under individual or groups of columns so that column load is spread evenly
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8
Q

What is the measurement of a brick?

A

215mm x 102.5mm x 65mm

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9
Q

What is solid wall construction?

A

The simplest type of wall is constructed in solid brickwork with headers
Different bricklaying patterns incorporating headers to tie together brick layers i.e. Flemish Bond

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10
Q

What is cavity wall construction?

A

Two layers of brickwork are tied together with metal ties with a cavity that may be filled with insulation – NO headers
Evidence of a cavity tray, air brick or weep holes may be seen

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11
Q

What is a stretcher?

A

A brick laid horizontally – flat with the long side of the brick exposed to the outer face of the wall

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12
Q

What is a header?

A

A brick laid flat with the short end of the brick exposed to the outer face of the wall

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13
Q

What would be the institutional specification of a shop?

A
  • Steel frame or concrete frame (most new shops)
  • Services capped off
  • Concrete floor and NO suspended ceiling
  • Let in a shell condition with no shop front, ready for retailers’ fit out works
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14
Q

What is the difference between steel frame and concrete frame buildings?

A

Steel frames – usually have less columns and a wider span between the columns
Concrete frames – usually have more columns , lower floor to ceiling heights and a shorter span between the columns
*If not aware of construction form, check architect’s drawings or building manual

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15
Q

What is the current institutional specification for Grade A offices?

A

As defined by the British Council for Offices (BCO):
- Full access raised floors with floor boxes
- Carpeting
- Approximate ceiling height of 2.6m
- Ceiling void of 350mm and a floor void of 150mm
- Suspended ceiling
- LG7 compliant lighting
- Approximate floor loading of 3-5 kN per sq m with an allowance of 1kN per sq m for partitioning
- Air conditioning
- Double glazed windows
- Passenger lifts
- Maximum depth of 12m – 15m to allow for natural light to the office area
- Typical car parking ratios of approx. 1 car space per 200 sq ft for a green field site (depending on LA guidelines)

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16
Q

What are the different types of air conditioning?

A

VAV (Variable Air Volume) – the HIGHEST capital cost but most flexible
Fan Coil – LOW capital cost and good flexibility, but HIGHER operating and maintenance costs
VRV (Variable Refrigerant Volume) – LOW capital cost but HIGHER operating and maintenance costs
Static Cooling (Chilled beam) – a natural approach to climate control with LOW capital and running costs but less flexible
Mechanical Ventilation – when fresh air is moved around the building
Heat recovery systems
Comfort Cooling – a simple form of air cooling system

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17
Q

Are you aware of any upcoming legislation associated with air conditioning?

A

R22 refrigerant system will become illegal by January 2015 – no replacement/certain repairs permitted
Existing R22 refrigerant systems will need to be modified to become more environmentally friendly

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18
Q

What is the difference between Category A and Category B fit out?

A

Category A – to a Grade A specification
Category B - occupier’s fit out

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19
Q

What is the institutional specification of an industrial unit/warehouse?

A
  • Steel portal frame with insulated profile steel cladding walls and roof
  • Minimum 8m clear eaves height with 10% roof lights
  • Minimum 30kN per sq m floor loading
  • Plastic coated steel profiled cladding with brick/blockwork walls to approximately 2m
  • Full height loading doors (electrically operated)
  • 3 phase electricity power (415 volts)
  • 5-10% office content and WC facilities
  • Main services capped off
  • Approx 40% site covereage
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20
Q

What is subsidence?

A

Vertical downward movement of a building foundation caused by loss of support of the site beneath the foundation
Could be as a result of changes in the underlying ground conditions

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21
Q

What is heave?

A

The expansion of ground beneath part or all of the building – could be caused by tree removal

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22
Q

What is wet rot?

A

Caused by damp and timber decay – signs include wet and soft timber

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23
Q

What is dry rot?

A

Caused by fungal attack – signs include fungus, strong smell, white felt/cotton wool type strands, red spores, cracking paintwork, cuboidal cracking, crumbling of dry timber
Can destroy timber and masonry

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24
Q

What are the common defects you would expect to see in a period building? (Residential, office, shop)

A

Dry rot, wet rot, tile slippage on the roof, death watch beetle, damp penetration at roof and ground floor level, water ingress around door/window openings, structural movement

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25
Q

What are the common defects you could see in modern industrial buildings?

A

Roof leaks around roof lights, damaged cladding panels, blocked valley gutters, water damage from poor guttering or burst pipes, settlement/cracking in brickwork panels

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26
Q

What are the common defects you could see in modern office buildings?

A

Damp penetration at roof and ground level, water damage from burst pipes or air conditioning units, structural movement, damaged cladding, cavity wall tie failure, poor mortar joints in brickwork

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27
Q

What is an inherent defect?

A

A defect in the design or a material which has always been present

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28
Q

What is a latent defect?

A

Fault to the property that could not have been discovered by a reasonably thorough inspection of the property

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29
Q

What can cause damp?

A

Rising damp from an ineffective/no damp proof course, leaking roof, defective plumbing, direct penetration, condensation

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30
Q

How is condensation caused, and what are the signs?

A

It is caused when moisten laden air comes into contact with a cold surface
Can include mould growth, water on the inside of windows, damp walls
Remedial actions: increasing ventilation and heating

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31
Q

What should you do if you identify any building defects on inspection?

A
  1. Take photographs of the defect
  2. Try to establish the cause of the damage whilst on site
  3. Inform your client of your investigations
  4. Recommend specialist advice from a building surveyor or structural engineer (in the case of settlement)
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32
Q

What signs of contamination would you look out for on inspection?

A

Evidence of chemicals, oils, oil drums, subsidence, underground tanks, bare ground, dead vegetation, landfill

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33
Q

What are deleterious materials?

A

Deleterious materials can degrade with age causing structural problems
i.e. High Alumina Cement, Woodwool Shuttering, Calcium Chloride
Signs: brown staining on concrete, concrete frame buildings, 1960/70s buildings

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34
Q

What are hazardous materials?

A

A hazardous material is harmful to health
i.e. Asbestos, Lead Piping/Paint, Radon
Recommend specialist report and make appropriate assumptions

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35
Q

What is Japanese Knotweed?

A

RICS Information Paper ‘Japanese Knotweed and Residential Property’ 2012
A plant that can damage hard surfaces such as foundation and tarmac – COSTLY to eradicate as not easily controlled
Specialist company required to remove and dispose of it – LEGALLY using chemical treatment, dig out and place in licensed landfill site
Purple/green hollow stem and green leaves

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36
Q

What are the three different inspection purposes

A
  1. Valuation
  2. Property Management - policing the lease
  3. Agency - marketability issues
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37
Q

What’s factors can influence the valuation of a property?

A
  1. Location
  2. Tenure
  3. Aspect
  4. Form of construction
  5. Defects
  6. Current condition
  7. Occupation details
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38
Q

What factors into property management inspection if the property is unoccupied?

A
  1. Check statutory compliance
  2. State of the building
  3. Repair and maintenance issues
  4. Security arrangements
  5. Landscaping
  6. Risk of vandalism and damage to the building
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38
Q

What factors into property management inspection is the property if occupied?

A
  1. Check the lease compliance
  2. Statutory compliance
  3. State of the building
  4. Requirement for repairs / redecoration
  5. User
  6. Details on occupier
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39
Q

What factors into agency inspections?

A
  1. Current condition of the building
  2. Repair and maintenance issues
  3. Statutory compliance services
  4. Presentation of the accommodation
  5. Flexibility of accommodation
  6. Marketability
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40
Q

What do the forms of foundation depend upon?

A

Ground conditions and building loading requirements.

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41
Q

When is trench of strip footings used?

A

Generally used for residential dwellings, for walls and closely spaced collumns

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42
Q

When is raft foundations used?

A

A slab foundation over the whole site to spread the load for lightweight structures such as for made up / remediated land and sandy oil conditions

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43
Q

When is piled foundations used?

A

Long and slender reinforced concrete cylinders (piles) in the ground to deeper strata when less good load bearing ground conditions loads

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44
Q

When is Pad foundations used?

A

A slab foundation system under individual or groups of columns so that the column load is spread evenly

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45
Q

If the ground is sandy soil conditions, what foundation is used?

A

Raft foundation

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46
Q

What are the five types of brickwork

A
  1. Solid wall construction
  2. Cavity wall construction
  3. Bricks
  4. Efflorescence
  5. Spalling
47
Q

What is brick construction

A
  1. Stretcher - brick laid horizontally, flat with long side of brick exposed on the outer face of a wall
  2. Header - brick lad flat with short end of brick exposed
48
Q

What is efflorescence construction

A

White marks caused by hydroscopic salts in brick work. Formed when water reacts with natural salts, by way of chemical process, contained within the construction material and mortar. The water dissolves the salts which are then carried out and deposited onto the surface by the natural evaporation that occurs when air meets the surface of the wall

49
Q

What is the institutional specification of a shop?

A
  1. Most new shop units are constructed either of steel or concrete frame
  2. Services capped off
  3. Concrete floor and no suspended ceiling
  4. Let in shell condition with no shop front, ready for retailers fitting out works
49
Q

What is spalling

A

Damaged brickwork where surface of bricks starts to crumble because of freeze / thaw actions, after it has become saturated in winter months

50
Q

What does services capped off mean?

A

Means that the utility services (such as water, gas, electricity, etc.) have been disconnected or terminated at the property. This is often done to prevent any usage or to prepare the property for redevelopment or major renovations.

51
Q

What is institutional specifications of construction of an office?

A
  1. Two main methods of construction of a new office building are either a steel or concrete frame
  2. Steel frame - usually have less columns and wider span between the columns
  3. Concrete frame - usually have more columns, lower floor heights and shorter span between columns
52
Q

What do you do if you can’t see what form of construction is on a site?

A

Check the architects drawings, specification and building manual

53
Q

What does specification for offices (defined by British Council for Offices Guide to Office Specification 2023) say offices may include what features?

A
  1. Full access raised floors with floor boxes
  2. Ceiling heights around 2.6 - 2.8m
  3. Ceiling void of 350mm and raised floor void of 150mm
  4. Maximised opportunities for dayling - 300 - 500 lux average
  5. Floor loading of 2.5 to 3 kN/sqm with allowance up to 1.2 kN sqm for partitioning
  6. Air conditioning and double glazed windows
  7. Lifts
  8. Planning grid of 1.5m x 1.5m
  9. Max depth of 12m to 15m (shallow plan) or 15m to 21m (deep plan) to allow for natural light to office area
  10. 1 cycle space per 10 staff and 1 shower per 100 staff
  11. 8m2 to 10m2 general workspace density
54
Q

What’s the cycle to staff ratio?

A

1 - cycle per 10 staff

55
Q

What’s the staff to shower ratio?

A

1 shower per 100 staff

56
Q

What’s the shallow plan of an office to let natural light in?

A

12m to 15m

57
Q

What’s the deep plan of an office to let natural light in?

A

15m to 21m

58
Q

What’s the most flexible air conditioning?

A

VAV - variable air volume

59
Q

What’s the highest cost of air conditioning?

A

VAV - variable air volume

60
Q

What air conditioning has low capital costs but high running costs?

A

Fan coil

61
Q

What’s the natural approach to climate control?

A

Static cooling

62
Q

What air conditioning is when fresh air is moved around the building?

A

Mechanical ventilation

63
Q

What’s the simple form of air-cooling system

A

Comfort cooling

64
Q

What are the three types of fit out?

A
  1. Shell and core
  2. Category A fit out
  3. Category B fit out
65
Q

What is shell and core fitout?

A

Where common parts of the building are completed, and the office floor areas are left as shell ready for fit out by occupier

66
Q

What is category A fit out?

A

Such as to Grade A specification, also as to Shell and Core

67
Q

What is category B fit out?

A

To complete the fit out to occupiers specific requirements such as installation of cellular offices, enhanced finishes and IT

68
Q

What construction does industrial / warehouse typically see?

A

Steel portal frame with insulated profiled steel cladding walls and roof

69
Q

What a typical industrial site coverage?

A

40%

70
Q

What percentage of an industrial building should be office / WC

A

5% - 10%

71
Q

Where do you start when looking at defects?

A

Start from the roof and work down in logical sequence

72
Q

If a defect is present. What four steps should you take?

A
  1. Photograph the defect
  2. Try establish the cause
  3. inform your client
  4. Recommend advice from a building surveyor, or structural engineer
73
Q

What are three common causes of a defect?

A
  1. Movement
  2. Water
  3. Defective / non - performance / deterioration of building
74
Q

What’s the 5 common causes of ‘movement’ defect?

A
  1. Subsidence
  2. Heave
  3. Horizontal cracking
  4. Shrinkage
  5. Thermal expansion
75
Q

What might horizontal cracking mean?

A

May indicate there’s a cavity wall tie failure in brick wall

76
Q

When does shrinkage cracking occur?

A

Occurs in new plasterwork during the drying out process

77
Q

What does ‘other crack’ occur (not including shrinkage)

A

Due to differential movement such as settlement cracks

78
Q

What can cause cracks?

A
  1. When plasterwork dries out
  2. Due to movement
  3. Thermal expansion / movement
79
Q

What are signs of wet rot?

A

Wet timber
Soft timber
High damp meter reading
Visible fungal growth
Musty smell

80
Q

What are signs of dry rot?

A
  1. Fungus (known as mycelium which spreads across wood in fine and fluffy white strands and large orange mushroom like fruiting bodies, strong smell and red spores, cracking paintwork, cuboidal cracking / crumbling of dry timber
81
Q

Where does rising damp typically stop?

A

1.5m above ground level

82
Q

What causes condensation?

A

Lack of ventilation and background heating

83
Q

What’s a sign of condensation?

A

Mould and streaming water on inside of windows or walls

84
Q

What causes damp?

A
  1. leaking plumbing
  2. Air conditioning units / pipework
85
Q

What’s a common building defect in period residential / offices / shop buildings?

A
  1. Dry rot
  2. Wet rot
  3. Tile slippage on roof
  4. Death watch beetle
  5. Damp penetration at roof and ground floor level
  6. Water ingress around door and window openings
  7. Structural movement / settlement
86
Q

What’s the three typical phases of contamination investigation?

A
  1. Phase 1 - Review of site history with desk top study and site inspection and investigation
  2. Phase 2 - Investigation to identify nature and extent of contamination with detailed soil samples taken using bore holes
  3. Phase 3 - Remediation report setting out remedial options with design requirements and monitoring standards
87
Q

When valuing a site that’s contaminated. What’s the approach you should consider?

A
  1. Don’t provide advice until specialist report is provided
  2. Caveat the advice provided with a disclaimer highlighting issues / use of a special assumption
  3. Deduct remediation costs from gross site value
88
Q

What is Land Remediation Relief?

A

Form of tax relief that applies to comtaminated or derelict land in UK

89
Q

What does Land Remediation Relief allow companies to do?

A

Claim up to 150% corporation tax deduction for expenditure in remediating certain contaminated or derelict sites, or those affected by Japanese Knotweed

90
Q

What happens to deleterious materials?

A

Degrade with age causing structural problems

91
Q

What do deleterious materials cause?

A

Structural problems

92
Q

What’s signs of potential problems with deleterious materials?

A
  1. Brown staining on: concrete, concrete frame buildings and 1960s and 1970s buildings, as well as in modern buildings
93
Q

What do deleterious materials include?

A
  1. High alumina cement
  2. Woodwool shuttering
  3. Calcium chloride
94
Q

Name some hazardous materials?

A
  1. Asbestos
  2. Lead piping / paint
  3. Radon gas
95
Q

Ways of disposal of water

A
  1. Surface water - runs off into water course, such as soak away / storm drains
  2. Foul water - from soil pipes into sewerage system
96
Q

What is Japanese Knotweed?

A

An invasive plant that can damage hard surfaces such as foundations and tarmac

97
Q

What’s the problem with Japanese Knotweed?

A

It’s hard to control
Costly to get rid of
Specialist company must remove and dispose of it

98
Q

What does Japenese Knotweed look like?

A

Purple / green hollow stemmed with green leaves

99
Q

How is Japanese Knotweed disposed of?

A

By using chemical treatment, digging it out and removing it from site to licenced landfill

100
Q

What act relates to removal of Japanese Knotweed

A

Environmental Protection Act 1990

101
Q

What’s the RICs Professional Standard for Japanese Knotweed

A

RICs Professional Standard - Japanese knotweed and residential property; 2022

102
Q

Provide a summary of the RICs Professional Standard for Japanese Knotweed and Residential Property, 2022

A

To ensure RICs members provide best advice to users of valuation and condition reports
Provide guidance based on market informed industry best practise and recent research
Provide a decision tree based on risk level to help valuers determine appropriate management approach

103
Q

Is allowing Japanese Knotweed to spread illegal?

A

Yes. Under Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

104
Q

What’s the magistrates fine for allowing Japanese Knotweed to spread?

A

Maximum fine of £5,000 or maximum prision sentence of six months, or both.

105
Q

What’s the Crown Court fine for allowing Japanese Knotweed to spread?

A

Unlimited fine or maximum prison sentence of two years, or both

106
Q

What’s the Local Authority fine for allowing Japanese Knotweed to spread?

A

Can grant Community Protection Notices for fine up to £2,500 per person (£20,000 for organisation) if landowners ignore it, or do not control it

107
Q

What are invasive plants?

A

Japanese Knotweed
Hogweed
Himalayan Balsam

108
Q

What was summary of Williams v Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd 2018

A

Court of Appeal held that Network Rail was liable for cost of treating invasive plant plus damages for loss of use / enjoyment of their neighbours property (but not reduced value of the property).

109
Q

How do you date a building?

A
  1. Ask client
  2. Research date of planning consent
  3. Land registry
  4. Historical records
  5. Architectural style
110
Q

What is rising damp?

A

Moisture from the ground travels upward through the porous materials of a building, such as bricks, mortar, and stone. This capillary action is similar to how a sponge absorbs water.

111
Q

What is penetrating damp?

A

Caused by water infiltrating through the walls from the outside. The moisture travels horizontally, unlike rising which is vertical.

112
Q

Contamination and the Environment 2010

A

Surveyors must understand their obligations, know their responsibilities and comply with the law
General principle is polluter or landowner pays for remediation

113
Q

When can contamination exist?

A

Issues such as heavy metals, rado and methane gas and diesel / oil / chemicals

114
Q

How can you tell if a site is contaminated before arriving on site?

A

You can check
- Prevous use of site
- Local history
- Planning register

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