Inspection Flashcards
Talk me through your Sydenham site inspection example
I undertook an inspection of a telecoms site at the rear of a pub
I noticed damage to the pavement by the entrance, loose rubble, a step down to this damaged area = risky
took photographs and arranged a joint inspection
I carried out a risk assessment, and advised the client the paving will need to be fixed
upgrade works were due to be undertaken in the coming weeks so we booked a contractor to fix the issue
I inspected afterwards and took photographs to confirm complete
How did you carry out the risk assessment?
(Sydenham example)
I completed a 5x5 matrix form
Severity from 1. Insignificant to 5. Major
Likelihood from 1. Rare to 5. Certain
Rated 3 Moderate severity and 4 Likely to happen
Considered contractors coming and going, carrying goods etc.
Matrix table produces a result from green-yellow-amber-red
This was Amber, but needed to be fixed prior to the works taking place
What risks were posed?
(Sydenham example)
Tripping, landing awkwardly, twisting an ankle or worse. Also contractors may be carry equipment/tools in and out of the entrance. There was a step down to the paved area, could easily not see the issue and trip, maybe carrying something heavy etc
What did you do with the risk assessment?
(Sydenham example)
Uploaded to the client portal, with photographs, also marked the site as ‘risk hazard’ on the portal and advised not to attend until resolved. Also saved on our internal system.
Talk me through your Coventry residential property example
We were valuing a residential property - the tenant had let the property fall into a state of disrepair.
It was very dirty, damaged in areas (old wallpaper, exposed brick, cracked windows, dirty bathroom sanitary ware etc)
What was the outcome of the inspection?
What did you implement?
(Coventry example)
I took photographs and detailed notes of the condition. I advised the borrower this would impact value, and also reported this to the bank.
Provided info within my report and took 40k off the value for a full refurbishment. 180k down to 140k.
Describe the property exterior
(Coventry)
What defects do you look for with a 1960s property?
Four step process for Inspection?
- Online - location, transport, what is nearby etc
- Immediate area - situation, surrounding buildings/occupiers, agent boards, business vibrancy, contamination
- External - method of construction, defects, condition, parking/access, site boundary etc
- Internal - layout and specification, condition, defects, asbestos etc, compliance with lease/planning
Different inspection purposes?
Valuation
Property management (policing the lease)
Agency (marketability)
Four types of foundations?
Trench - generally residential
Raft - slab foundation to spread the load for lightweight structures
Piled - long reinforced concrete cylinders in the ground when ground conditions are weaker
Pad - a slab foundation system under groups of columns so column load is spread easily - suitable for larger buildings
Efflorescence
white marks on brick from water damage (salt) - could be a sign of further issues
Spalling
Damaged brickwork when brick surface starts to crumble because of freeze/thaw action
Solid wall/traditional brick construction
Headers and Stretchers (Flemish bond)
Cavity wall construction
Two layers of brickwork tied together with metal ties - no headers - evidence of weep holes may be seen.
Came about in the early 1900s - common by 1920s
Inherent vs latent defects?
An inherent defect is a defect in the design or material which has always been present
A latent defect is a fault to the property that could not have been discovered by a reasonably thorough inspection of the property
What is your process if you identify a defect?
- Take photographs and detailed notes
- Try to establish the cause
- Inform your client
- Recommend advice from a building surveyor or, in the case of movement, a structural engineer
Three common causes of defect?
Movement
Water
Defective/deterioration of building materials
What are signs of movement?
Subsidence (downwards - underlying ground conditions)
Heave (upwards/expansion of ground beneath e.g. tree removal leading to subsequent moisture build up)
Cracking
Types/causes of damp?
Wet rot - timber decay (fungal growth, musty smell)
Dry rot - fungal attack (mycelium - white strands, orange fungi)
Rising damp - stops 1.5m above ground level
Condensation - lack of ventilation
Can also be caused by leaking plumbing, blocked gutters etc
What are common building defects for period buildings?
dry rot
wet rot
tile slippage on the roof
damp penetration at roof and ground floor level
water ingress around doors and window openings
What are common building defects for modern industrial buildings?
roof leaks around roof lights
damaged cladding panels
blocked gutters
water damage
cracking on brickwork panels
What are common building defects on modern office buildings?
damp penetration at roof and ground levels
water damage from pipes or air con
structural movement
damaged cladding
efflorescence
Signs of contamination?
Evidence of chemicals, oils, oil drums, subsidence, underground tanks etc
Factories nearby, hospital (can be sources of Radon)
Contamination can exist because of heavy metals, Radon, methane gas, chemicals etc
What to do if contamination is present?
Always suggest a specialist report, I am not an expert
for a valuation, you can either:
Don’t provide advice until a specialist report is commissioned
Caveat advice with an appropriate disclaimer and special assumption
Deduct the remediation costs from the gross site value
What are deleterious materials?
Materials that can degrade with age causing structural problems
e.g. RAAC - Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete
What are signs of deleterious materials?
can include brown staining on concrete, concrete frame buildings and 1960s and 1970s buildings, as well as in modern buildings
What is RAAC?
Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete
Used between 1960s-1990s
Common in public sector, but not limited to
deteriorates over time, leading to structural issues
Most commonly found on flat roofs - but not limited to
RAAC panels are light-grey or white in appearance, the underside of the panels will appear smooth. The inside of the planks will appear bubbly, often described as looking like an Aero bar
Types of hazardous materials?
Asbestos
Lead piping/paint
Radon gas
Process to check/deal with asbestos?
Always check contents of asbestos survey/register/management plan
if no asbestos report, recommend specialist report
Caveat valuation with assumption if no report
How do you identify Japanese Knotweed?
green heart shaped leaves with purple/green stem
difficult to identify in winter - might look like brambles
What considerations do you have around Japanese Knotweed when inspecting?
I know how to identify
I would take pictures and report and recommend a specialist survey/removal
Latest guidance advised if within 3m from property it needs to be reported, or if further than 3m but particularly prevalent
For mortgage valuations, it is ultimately up to the client and the borrower should get an expert opinion
Institutional Specification of shops?
Capped off services
Shell and Core
concrete floor, no suspended ceilings
Institutional specification of offices?
full accessed raised floor with floor boxes
Air conditioning and double glazed windows
Passenger lifts
1 cycle space per 10 staff and 1 shower per 100 staff
approximate ceiling height of 2.6-2.8m
BRITISH COUNCIL FOR OFFICE Guide to Specification 2023
Types of fit out for offices?
Shell and core
Cat A - e.g. grade A spec, ready for tenant to occupy with their fitout
Cat B - completely fit out to tenant requirements - plug & play e.g. i.t equipment, desks, plants
Institutional specification for industrial
Typically steel portal frame with insulated profiles steel cladding walls and roof
Minimum 8m clear eaves height (12m on top stuff)
Minimum 30KN/sqm floor loading
full height loading doors (electrically operated and ideally dock level)
3 phase power
5-10% office content
40% site coverage
LED lighting
