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Tilly Rees SoE > Inspection > Flashcards

Inspection Flashcards

1
Q

What is the 4 step process for an inspection?

A
  • Consider your personal safety
  • Inspection of the local area
  • External inspection
  • Internal inspection
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2
Q

What to take on an inspection?

A
  • Mobile phone
  • Camera
  • Tape measurer/ laser
  • File, plans, and other supporting information
  • Personal protection equipment
  • Pen and paper / Dictaphone / ipad (something record notes)
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3
Q

What do you consider for the immediate area?

A
  • Location/ aspect/ local facilities / public transport / demand / pitch
  • Contamination / environmental hazards / flooding
  • Comparable evidence / local market conditions / agents boards
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4
Q

What do you look for on external inspections

A
  • Repair and condition of the exterior
  • Car park
  • Defects
  • Check site boundaries
  • Ways to date the building
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5
Q

What do you look for on internal inspections

A
  • Layout and specification – flexibility
  • Repair and maintenance
  • Defects
  • Services – age and condition
  • Statutory compliance such as asbestos, building regulations, health and safety, Equality Act 2010, Fire safety and planning compliance
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6
Q

What are the different inspection purposes?

A
  • Valuation
  • Property management
  • Agency
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7
Q

What are the 4 common forms of foundation?

A
  • Trench or strip footings
  • Raft
  • Piled
  • Pad
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8
Q

What are Trench or strip footings

A

generally used for residential dwellings. For walls closely spaced or columns.

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9
Q

What are raft foundations?

A

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

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10
Q

What are piled foundations?

A

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

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11
Q

What are pad foundations?

A

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

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12
Q

What are the types of brickwork?

A
  • Solid wall construction
  • Cavity wall construction
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13
Q

What is solid wall construction?

A

Simplest type of wall is solid brickwork

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14
Q

What is cavity wall construction?

A
  • Two layers of brickwork are tied together with metal ties
  • Evidence of a cavity tray, air brick or weep holes may be seen.
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15
Q

What are 2 defects of brickwork?

A
  • Efflorescence –
  • Spalling
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16
Q

What is efflorescene?

A

Formed when water reacts with the nautral salts by way of a chemical process.

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17
Q

What is spralling?

A

Damage due to freeze thaw

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18
Q

What is the common construction of a shop?

A
  • Most new shop units are constructed either of a steel or concrete frame
  • Services capped off
  • Concrete floor and no suspended ceiling
  • Let in a shell condition with no shop front, ready for the retailers’ fitting out works
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19
Q

What are the different air conditioning systems?

A
  • VAV – variable air volume
  • Fan coil – usually 4 pipe
  • VRV – Variable refrigerant volume
  • Static cooling
  • Mechanical ventilation
  • Heat recovery system
  • Comfort cooling
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20
Q

What are the types of fit out?

A
  • Shell and Core
  • Cat A – such as a grade A specification
  • Cat B – fit out to the occupier’s specific requirements
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21
Q

What should you do if you identify a defect during an inspection?

A
  1. Take a photo of the defect
  2. Try to establish the cause of the damage whilst on site
  3. Inform your client of your investigations
  4. Recommend advice from a building surveyor or in the case of movement a structural engineer.
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22
Q

What are the 3 common causes of defects?

A
  1. Movement
  2. Water
  3. Defective / non-performance / deterioration of building materials
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23
Q

What are the different types of movement?

A
  • Subsidence -
  • Heaves -
  • Horizontal cracking
  • Shrinkage cracking
  • Other cracks may be due to differential movement such as settlement cracks
  • Thermal expansion/movement can also cause cracks.
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24
Q

What is subsidence?

A

the vertical downward movement of a building foundation caused by the loss of support of the site beneath the foundation. This could be as a result of changes in the underlying ground conditions

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25
Q

What is heave?

A

the expansion of the ground beneath parts or all of the building. This could be caused by tree removal and the subsequent moisture build-up in the soil

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26
Q

what is horizontal cracking?

A

– brickwork may indicate cavity wall tie failure in a brick wall

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27
Q

What is shrinkage cracking?

A

– often occurs in new plasterwork during the drying out process.

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28
Q

What are the 5 types of damp?

A
  • Wet rot
  • Dry rot
  • Rising Damp
  • Condensation
  • Leaks
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29
Q

What is wet rot?

A
  • Caused by damp and timber decay.
  • Visible fungal growth and a musty smell
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30
Q

What is dry rot?

A
  • Caused by inside fungal attack.
  • Spreads across wood in fine and fluffy white strands and large, often orange mushroom like fruiting bodies.
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31
Q

what is rising damp?

A
  • Usually stops around 1.5m above ground level.
  • Moisture through the foundations
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32
Q

what is condensation?

A

– lack of ventilation and background heating, Mould and streaming water on the inside of windows and walls

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33
Q

what are leaks?

A

– damp can be caused by leaking plumbing / air conditioning / pipework.

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34
Q

What are common defects in a period rei/office/shop building?

A
  • Dry rot
  • Wet rot
  • Tile slippage on the roof
  • Damp penetration at the roof and ground floor level
  • Water ingress
  • Structural movement
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35
Q

What are common defects in a modern industrial building?

A
  • Roof leaking
  • Burst pipes
  • Damage cladding
  • Blocked valley gutters
  • Water damage from poor guttering
36
Q

What are common defects in a modern office building?

A
  • Water damage from burst pipes or AC
  • Structural movement
  • Damaged cladding
  • Poor mortar joints in brickwork
  • Damp penetration at roof and ground floor level
37
Q

What is the key legislation on contamination?

A
  • Environmental Protection Act 1990
  • RICS Guidance note; contamination, the environment and sustainability 2010
  • Environmental risk and global real estate’.
38
Q

What is the guidance for inspection and person safety?

A

RICS Professional Standard: Surveying Safely, 2018

39
Q

What is in the RICS guidance note on contamination?

A
  • Surveyors must understand their obligations and responsibilities and comply with the law
  • The polluter or the landowner pays for the remediation
  • A desk top study considers the previous use of site, local history, planning register etc
  • Contamination can exist because of such issues as heavy metals, randon and methane gas and diesel/oil/chemicals
  • Signs of contamination to look out for include evidence of chemicals, oils, oil drums, subsidence, underground tanks, bare ground etc.
40
Q

What are the THREE typical phases of investigating contamination?

A
  • Phase 1 – Desktop review of site history, site inspection and investigation
  • Phase 2 – Identify nature and extent of contamination
  • Phase 3 – Remediation – report setting out remedial options with design requirements and monitoring standards.
41
Q

Whilst on inspection if you are concerned about contamination what should you do?

A
  • Suggest a specialist report if there are any concerns that the site has some contamination
42
Q

When instructed to value a site with contamination what should you do?

A
  • Do not provide any advice until a specialist report is commissioned
  • Caveat the advice provided with an appropriate disclaimer highlighting the issue/use of a special assumption
  • Deduct the remediation costs from the gross site value.
43
Q

What are deleterious material?

A
  • Materials that can degrade with age causing structural problems
  • Signs include brown staining on; concrete, concrete frame buildings and 1960s and 1970s buildings, as well as in modern buildings
44
Q

What are examples of deleterious materials?

A
  • RAAC (Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete
  • High alumina cement
  • Woodwool shuttering
  • Calcium chloride
45
Q

What are hazardous materials?

A
  • A hazardous material is harmful to health
46
Q

What are examples of hazardous materials?

A
  • Asbestos
  • Lead piping/painting
  • Radon ga
47
Q

What is important to note with hazard materials?

A

Recommend specialist reports and make appropriate assumptions in your advice
- Always check contents of an asbestos report/register

48
Q

What are the types of disposal of water?

A
  • Surface water run off, such as a soak away or storm drain.
  • Foul water drains from soil pipes into a sewerage system (private or public)
  • Statutory undertakers own a private sewer from the boundary of the property.
49
Q

What are invasive plants?

A
  • Japanese knotweed
  • Hogweed
  • Himalayan balsam
50
Q

What is Japanese Knotweed?

A
  • An invasive plant which can damage hard surfaces such as foundations and tarmac.
  • Not easy to control
  • Expensive to eradicate / remove
  • A specialist company must remove and dispose of it
  • A great concern to property lenders who may refuse a loan if it is present or nearby to a property
51
Q

How do you dispose of Japanese knotweed?

A
  • It is to be disposed of legally such as by using chemical treatment, digging it out and removing it from site to a licensed landfill site in accordance with the environmental protection Act 1990
52
Q

What is the RICS guidance on Japanese Knotweed?

A
  • RICS Professional Standard: Japanese knotweed and residential property 2022
53
Q

What is the advice of the Japanese Knotweed standard?

A
  • The purpose of this document is to address both the findings and provide guidance based on market informed industry best practise, the most recent research about a more holistic assessment of Japanese knotweed, to ensure members provide the best advice to users of valuation and condition reports.
  • Document contains a decision tree based on the risk level to help valuers determine the appropriate management approach
54
Q

What is the penalty for Japanese knotweed if left untreated?

A
  • Allowing to spread is a criminal offence
  • A magistrate can impose a maximum fine of £5,000 or maximum prison sentence of 6 months, or both.
  • A crown court can impose unlimited fine or maximum prison sentence of 2 years or both.
  • Local authority can grant community protection notice and fine up to £2,500 per person (£20,000 per firm) if landlord ignores it and allows it to grow.
55
Q

What are the 2 different types of building defects?

A

Inherent – always been present.
Latent – fault to the property not easily found on an inspection.

56
Q

Contamination (Environmental Protection Act 1990)

A

Generally, the polluter or landowner pays for the remediation. 3 phases:
1. Review site history – desktop study and site inspection.
2. Investigate to identify nature and extent of contamination.
3. Remediation report setting out remedial options.
Suggest specialist report if there are concerns the site has contamination. If instructed to value a contaminated site:
1. Do not provide advice until a specialist report is commissioned.
2. Caveat advice provided with a disclaimer/use of SA.
3. Deduct remediation costs from the gross site value.
Land remediation relief (LRR) is up to 150% corporation tax relief for the
remediation of derelict sites or those with Japanese Knotweed.

57
Q

What is the guidance on asbestos?

A

RICS Professional Standard: Asbestos 4th edition 2021

58
Q

What due diligence can you do before an inspection?

A
  • Purpose of inspection through ToE
  • Competence and conflict check
  • Adequate PII (professional indemnity insurance)
  • Extent of what we are required to inspect – needs to be explicit in the ToE
  • Risk assessment – covers health and safety issues
  • Planning use class
  • Equipment
  • Title
  • Flood risk – environment agency
  • Rateable value
59
Q

How can you keep yourself safe?

A
  • Risk assessment
  • Personal protective equipment
  • Lone worker policy
  • Look at out for safety signage
  • Live, life, safe charity that keeps people safe on inspections
60
Q

What are some types of PPE?

A
  • Hard hat – different colours mean different things
  • Hi-vis jacket
  • Respiratory protection
  • Eye and ear protection
  • Hair nets
  • Foot protection
  • Gloves
61
Q

How to do a risk assessment?

A
62
Q

Explain a key issue raised by RICS Surveying Safely.

A

Lone working – the requirement to update colleagues of where you are and who you are meeting

63
Q

What things would you check before attending site for an inspection?

A

I would check what PPE I required, I’d check the local area through due diligence, I would check that my measuring equipment was calibrated and that my mobile phone was fully charged.

64
Q

What is the general principle relating to contamination? (in line with the guidance)

A
  1. Do not provide advice until a specialist report has been undertaken
  2. Caveat the advice
  3. Deduct the remediation costs from the gross site value
65
Q

What signs would indicate that a site is contaminated?

A

If there is the presence of:
* Oli drums
* Chemicals
* Underground tanks
* Subsidence

66
Q

What health and safety information would you ask for before undertaking an inspection?

A
  • Asbestos Management plan if one / the building was constructed before 2000
  • Risk assessment
  • Fire management plan
67
Q

What does the Red Book say in relation to inspections?

A

Under VPS 2 – valuers must take the steps to verify the necessary information being relied upon for a valuation and is adequate for its purpose.

If the valuer is not inspecting the premises due to it being a revaluation, then this must be specified with in the ToE. They must also be satisfied that no material changes have occurred to the property.

68
Q

What is the difference of inspecting a property initially and on a repeat business?

A

If you are happy there has been no material change – ie for a valuation, you may be able to provide a restricted/desktop valuation
If not seen, should always inspect

69
Q

Where is Asbestos found in a building?

A
  • Asbestos insulation – to pipes or boilers.
  • Asbestos coating – surface coating for fire protection, and sound insulation.
  • Asbestos cement – 10% to 15% asbestos conent, used in drainpipes, flat sheets, gutters.
70
Q

If asbestos is left undamaged/undisturbed, does it pose risk to health?

A

No

71
Q

What is the risk of Asbestos?

A

Can cause a range of lung-related disorders and other disorders when the small toxic fibres are inhaled.

72
Q

What are the types of Asbestos?

A

3 main types:
1. Crocidolite (blue asbestos)
2. Amosite (brown asbestos)
3. Chrysotile (white asbestos)

73
Q

Is asbestos illegal?

A

Yes – white 1999, all others 1985.

74
Q

Why does contamination exisit?

A

Because of issues as
heavy metals,
radon and methane gas
diesel/oil/chemicals

74
Q

what is cladding?

A

Cladding is the application of one material over another to provide a skin or layer

75
Q

What is the purpose of cladding?

A

Weather resistance
Thermal insulation
Improve Appearance
Noise control

76
Q

What are some examples of cladding?

A

Wood,
Metal,
Brick,
Vinyl,
glass.

77
Q

How is cladding dangerous?

A

A cladding system has the potential to spread fire to all of the occupied spaces in a building, bypassing all of its internal fire compartments
eg if the cladding contains combustible materials

78
Q

What is a combustible material that can be found in cladding?

A

expanded polystyrene

79
Q

What is the regulation on cladding?

A

The building regulations amended in 2018 to implement a ban on combustible building materials on the outside walls of buildings that are taller than 18 metres and contain more than one dwelling.

applies to residential housing tower blocks, hospitals, residential care homes, and student accommodation blocks. Fire risk assessments for high-rise tower blocks will also start to include the external walls of a building.

80
Q

What does the ban on combustible cladding apply to?

A

residential housing tower blocks,
hospitals,
care homes,
student accommodation blocks.
Fire risk assessments for high-rise tower blocks will also start to include the external walls of a building.

81
Q

What does the Building Safety Act state as a high risk buildin?

A
  • at least 18m
  • over 7 storeys
  • more than 2 residential units
82
Q

Why did the review of HRB on the Building Safety Act come about?

A

Following the Grenfell Tower fire
it became clear that there was a need for government to step in and change legislation for high rise buildings (HRBs)
It builds on the recommendations within Dame Judith Hackitts’ Independent Review of the Building Regulations and Fire Safety final report published in May 2018.

83
Q

if building over 18m or 7 storeys?

A

Must apply as a HRB

84
Q

when is an EWS1 form needed?

A

An EWS1 form is required for buildings that have combustible materials on their external walls or balconies, or that are high risk

85
Q

what are ews1 ratings?

A

A1 - The building’s external wall materials are unlikely to combust, and no remedial work is required

A2 - The building’s external wall materials are unlikely to combust, and a risk assessment has been carried out

B2 - The building’s external wall materials are combustible, and remedial work is required

Tilly Rees SoE (46 decks)

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