Inspection 3 Flashcards
Explain a factor identified during an inspection which impacted upon
value.
Where a property requires a re-roof or re-covering.
This is a big expense and if not address would affect the value of the property.
I.e., water ingress and heat loss lead to poor living conditions and negative impact on value and desirability.
Troy Road, Leeds, what was the purpose of the inspection?
This was a level 3 survey for my client to carry out a more detailed inspection and assessment of the property and any potential issues or risks, now or in the future that the client should be aware of.
The client was moving from London to Leeds and did not know the area so wanted my advise and expertise.
Tell me about the old flight holes that you identified.
I found flight hole roughly 1-2mm (common furniture beetle) in diameter without exit dust but found all over the timber beams in the living room. I asked the vendor if they had any PCA guarantee for treatment which they did not.
Due to the damp issues, humidity levels and lack of ventilation internally the timbers could be at risk in the future of further infestation.
Why did you recommend replacement of the cement pointing?
The property was constructed of Solid sandstone and would have originally been held together with a lime mortar. Lime is a porous material and allows the walls to absorb and remove moisture through evaporation.
Cement is non-porous material therefore any moisture in the wall can only escape via the stonework. This has caused some of the stonework to crumble but the cement has not changed. By hacking away the cement mortar to at least a depth of twice the width of the joints this would provide a good key for new lime mortar to be installed and help the walls breathe and dry out naturally and prevent further deterioration of the stone walls.
Talk me through your advice to the client.
Hirst Wood Road Shipley, tell me about the Schrijver air bricks/DPC system.
Schrijver damp system is a series of handmade air vents used to remove dampness from walls through natural air flow.
This is a remedy but not a preventative measure. And has very mixed and varied opinions.
Chemical injection DPC was visible also. This is when a chemical compound is injected into the wall to prevent or stop rising dampness.
For a property of this age and location it is expected to find bitumen DPC but the ground level was raised and this could not be seen.
I advised removal of the Impervious masonry paint and cement render as this was bridging the DPC and to also lower the ground level by installing a French drain or boxed ventilated drain around the perimeter of the property.
This would increase airflow to the subfloor void and also prevent any bridging of the original DPC.
How did you know that the paint was impervious?
The paint has a shine to it and when touched it didn’t leave any residue or chalk like substance on my fingers.
How did you reach your conclusion that the retrospective damp systems had failed?
Dampness was visible inside and there was a musty/damp smell and the protimeter found high damp readings on all external walls near ground level.
Talk me through your advice to the client.
Regent Avenue, Skipton, how did you deduce the cause of the damp?
I advised that the bottom section of render was removed and a drip bead installed just over DPC level to allow any moisture to drip away from the wall and not onto the wall surface.
I also advised installing a French drain around the perimeter of the house to lower the ground level and reduce the risk of the DPC being bridged.
The dampness may have been caused by a crack in the render or the raised ground level and quite possibly was a mixture of the two.
Any cracks to cement render can allow water to flow in behind and prevent it from escaping. Bridged DPC will allow any dampness to rise/bypass past DPC level causing dampness internally.
Due to the age of the property, amount of slipped and strapped slates I advised temporary repairs with provisions made for new roof covering to be fitted in the next few years.
Talk me through your advice regarding the damp/roof.
Due to there being cracks to the render this may have allowed water to penetrate causing dampness near the floor level. Furthermore the DPC is designed to prevent rising dampness and if it is bridges any dampness can bypass this element causing dampness internally. By advising to remove the bottom section of render and installing a French drain I was also to ensure that these risks were reduced and this would help prevent further damage or dampness in this area.
Due to the age of the property, amount of slipped and strapped slates I advised temporary repairs with provisions made for new roof covering to be fitted in the next few years. This allowed my client to carry out relatively minor repairs to ensure comfortable living conditions but to also budget for a new roof covering.
