Inspection Flashcards
What are the four steps to consider when carrying out a property inspection?
- Consider personal safety
- Inspect the immediate area
- External Inspection
- Internal Inspection
What do you look for in the immediate area when you assess the locality?
Location
Transport links
Local amenities
Other occupiers in the vicinity and surrounding uses
Any new developments or properties under construction
Comparables and agents boards
Contamination / environmental hazards - flooding
What do you look for when undertaking an external inspection of a building?
Construction Condition and repair Access, car parking etc. Defects / structural movement Check site boundaries
If you don’t know the date of a building how could you find out?
Ask the client
Look at the planning consents and building regs sign off
The Land Registry
Architectural style
What do you look for when undertaking an internal inspection?
Layout Specification Condition Amenities Defects Age of services Fixtures, fittings, improvements
What do you take with you on an inspection?
Mobile / camera Laser measurer / tape Files, plans and other infor PPE if required Pen and paper
What is PPE?
Personal Protective Equipment: High Visibility Jacket Hard hat Goggles Gloves Steel toed boots Ear defenders
Why do you go and inspect property?
Valuation purposes, property management purposes, agency purposes.
What factors can influence value?
Location, condition, specification, amenities, layout, use etc.
Why undertake property management inspections?
Police leases and ensure statutory compliance.
Assess the condition of the building - requirement for repairs and maintenance
Why to agents inspect buildings?
Assess the marketability - condition, repair, maintenance, layout, location, amenities etc.
What are the different types of foundation?
- Strip - concrete foundation used for load bearing walls
- Pad - used for a concentrated load from a single point e.g. column.
- Piled - reinforced concrete cylinders buried in the ground with a pile cap - large buildings
- Raft - reinforced concrete slap under the whole of a building
What is the measurement of a brick?
215mm x 102.5mm x 65mm
How can you tell if a wall is of solid construction?
Alternating header and stretchers
How can you tell if a wall is a cavity wall?
Only stretchers used with metal ties between and space for insulation.
You may also see air holes
What are typical defects seen with brickwork?
Efflorescence
Spalling
What is Efflorescence?
When water dissolves natural salts and evaporates leaving the salts deposited on the brickwork causing white marks
Is Efflorescence an issue?
No it is mainly cosmetic but could indicate a moisture issue.
What is spalling?
Crumbling of brick due to freeze/thaw action.
What is the typical office frame construction?
Steel or concrete frame
Steel frame buildings usually have less columns, a wider span between columns and larger floor to ceiling heights
How can you determine the construction of a building?
Check as built plans or architects plans
Where can you find the recommended specification for offices?
British Council for Offices Guide to Office Specification (2019).
What is the current institutional specification for offices?
MAY INCLUDE: Raised floors - void of 150mm Floor to ceiling height - 2.6-2.8m Ceiling void - 350mm Maximised opportunities for day lighting Approximate floor loading of 2.5 - 3.0 kN/sq m with an allowance of 1.2 kN/sq m for partintioning Passenger lift Planning grid of 1.5m to 1.5m 1 cycle space per 10 staff 1 shower per 100 staff 8m2 to 10m2 general workspace density Carpeting LG7 compliant lighting Air conditioning Double glazed windows
What different air conditioning systems are you aware of?
VAV - highest cost, most flexible
Fan Coil - lower initial cost, high operating & maintenance cost, flexible
VRV - lower cost, high operative & maintenance cost
Static Cooling - chilled beam and displacement heating - natural approach to climate control - lower capital and running costs but less flexibility
Mechanical ventilation - when fresh air is moved around the building
Comfort Cooling - simple form of A/C
What is the typical construction of an industrial building?
Steel portal framed with insulated profiled steel cladding walls and roof with brickwork walls up to c.2m
What is the institutional specification for industrial?
Clear eaves heights of 8m (min) 10% roof lights Min 30KN/m2 floor loading Full height electric loading doors 3 phase electricity 5-10% office content and WC facilities Main services capped off c. 40% site cover
What is a shell and core office fit out?
Common parts complete but office floors left as a shell ready for fit out by the occupier
What is a Cat A fit out?
Fit out ready for occupier to install their specific fit out requirements
What is a Cat B fit out?
Fit out to the occupiers specific requirement such as installing cellular offices, enhanced finishes, IT etc.
What is the usual construction of a shop?
Steel or concrete frame, capped off services, concrete floor, no suspended ceiling and let in a shell and core condition with no shop front, ready for the retailer’s fitting out works.
What is an inherent defect?
Defect in the design or a material that has always been present
What is a latent defect?
Fault that couldn’t have been discovered by a through inspection.
What is the purpose of snagging?
Snagging occurs after completion and is used to provide a list of defects for the building contractor to fix.
What should you ensure you get from the construction team if you were to buy a new build / newly refurbished property?
Warranties and Guaranties
What FOUR steps should you follow if you identify a defect on an inspection?
- Photograph
- Try to establish the cause
- Inform client
- Recommend specialist advice - structural engineer (in case of movement), building surveyor etc.
What are the THREE common causes of defect?
- Movement
- Water / Damp
- Deterioration of building materials
What is subsidence?
Vertical downward movement of a building foundation caused by the loss of support of the ground beneath the foundation
What is the likely cause of subsidence?
History of mining in the area
Changes in the underlying ground conditions
What is heave?
Expansion of the ground beneath part or all of the building
What can cause heave?
Tree removal and subsequent moisture build up in the soil
What is horizontal cracking in brickwork caused by?
May indicate cavity wall tie failure.
What is shrinkage cracking?
Can often occur in new plasterwork during the drying out process.
What else can cause cracks?
Differential movement (settlement cracks) Thermal expansion / movement
What is wet rot caused by and how might you identify it?
Caused by damp and timber decay. Signs include: Damp and soft timber A high damp meter reading Visible fungal growth Musty Smell
What is dry rot caused by and how might you identify it?
Caused inside by a fungal attack.
Signs include:
Fungus which spreads across wood in a fine fluffy white strand
Large orange mushroom like fruiting bodies, a strong smell and red spores
Cracking paintwork
Crumbling dry timber
What is the consequence of dry rot?
It can destroy timber and masonary
How high above ground level does rising damp stop?
1.5m
What is condensation caused by and what are the signs?
Caused by a lack of ventilation and background heating.
Signs include:
Mould
Streaming water on the inside of windows / walls
What are other causes of damp?
Leaking plumbing / AC units / Pipework
What are the common defects for period residential, offices and shop buildings?
Dry rot Wet rot Tile slippage on roof Death watch beetle Damp penetration at roof and ground floor level. Water ingress around windows and doors Structural movements / settlement
What are the common defects for modern industrial?
Roof leaks around roof lights
Damaged cladding panels
Cut edge corrosion
Blocked valley gutters
Water damage from poor guttering or burst pipes
Settlement / cracking in brink work panels
What are the common defects for modern office buildings?
Damp penetration and roof and ground level
Water damage from burst pipes or A/C units
Structural movements
Damaged cladding
Cavity wall tie failure
Efflorescence
Poor mortar joints in the brickwork
What are deleterious materials?
Can degrade with age causing structural problems
What are hazardous materials?
Harmful to health
Can you name some deleterious materials?
High Alumina Cement
Calcium Chloride
Woodwool Shuttering
What are the tell tale signs of deleterious materials?
Brown staining on concrete
What types of buildings suffer from deleterious materials and from what era?
Concrete framed buildings from 1960s - 70s
What is High Alumina Cement and why is it a deleterious material?
It is used as an accelerator for quick setting concrete.
It reduces the strength of concrete when exposed to water for long periods of time
Why is calcium chloride a deleterious material?
Calcium chloride solutions can chemically attack concrete.
Can you name some hazardous materials?
Asbestos
Lead piping / paint
Radon Gas
Recommend specialist report
How is surface water disposed of?
It runs off into the water course, such as a soak away or storm drain
How is foul water disposed of?
From soil pipes into a sewerage system
What key pieces of legislation relate to contamination?
Environmental Protection Act (1990)
RICS Guidance Note ‘Contamination, the Environment and Sustainability (2010) 3rd Edition
Who pays for remediation?
The polluter or landowner
Why can contamination exist?
Because of issues with heavy metals, radon, methane gas and diesel / oil / chemicals
What can you look out for as warning signs of contamination?
Evidence of chemicals, oils, oil drums, subsidence, underground tanks, bare ground etc.
What are the different phases of environmental assessment?
Phase 1 - desktop survey looking at site history (previous uses etc.), inspection and investigations
Phase 2 (intrusive) - investigation to identify the nature and extent of contamination with detailed soil samples taken using bore holes
Phase 3 - remediation report setting out remedial options with design requirements and monitoring standards
What should you do if you have concerns over contamination?
Advise a specialist report is carried out.
If instructed to value a site which has contamination, what would you do?
I would not provide any advice until a specialist report is commissioned.
I would caveat the advice with an appropriate disclaimer highlighting the issue / special assumption
Deduct remedial costs from the gross site value
What is Land Remediation Relief?
It is a form of tax relief that applies to contaminated or derelict land in the UK and allows companies to claim up to 150% corporation tax deduction for expenditure in remediating certain contaminated or derelict sites
What is Japanese Knotweed?
An invasive plant that can damage hard surfaces such as foundations and tarmac
What does Japanese Knotweed look like?
Purple / green hollow stem, green leaves with a zig zag pattern and cream coloured flowers
What should you do if you have Japanese Knotweed?
A specialist company must remove or dispose of it which is costly.
It must be disposed of legally such as using a chemical treatment, digging it out and removing it from the site to a licence land fill site in accordance with the Environmental Protection Act (1990).
What are the penalties for not dealing with Japanese Knotweed?
Allowing it to spread is a criminal offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
ASBO amd fines of up to £2,500 if a landowner ignores it, does not control it and allows it to grow onto adjoining land.
What is a leading recent case about Japanese Knotweed?
Williams vs Network Rail Infrastructure Limited (2018) - Network Rail were liable for the cost of treating the plant plus damages for loss of use and enjoyment of the neighbours property, but not for the reduced value of the property (even after the plant was treated)!
What did the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee Report in May 2019?
That the latest research suggests that physical damage to property from Japanese Knotweed is no greater than that of other disruptive plants and trees that are not subject to the same controls and do not have the same ‘chilling’ affect on the sale of property.
What is a piled foundation and when would it be used?
Reinforced concrete cylinders burried deep within the ground with a pile top.
Used for large buildings.
What are the two types of slab foundation?
Raft
- Slab foundation over whole site
Pad
- Slab foundation under columns
When would you use raft foundations?
When the ground conditions are poor
When would you use trench / strip foundations?
Generally used for residential terraced houses
What RICS guidance would you consider when out on inspection?
RICS Surveying Safely Guidance Note (2nd Edition) 2018.
What are the key points from the RICS Surveying Safely Guidance Note (2nd Edition) 2018.
This gives guidance to firms and individuals in regard to health and safety responsibilities. It provides advice on: – Visiting premises and sites – Assessing hazards and risks – Loan working procedures – CDM regulations – Health and safety procedures at work
