Inspection L1 knowledge Flashcards
Name the 4 stage process of inspections
- Consider personal safety
- Inspection of local area
- Internal and External inspection
What equipment do you take on inspections
- Mobile phone / camera
- Laser Measurer and spare batteries (calibrated)
- Inspection sheets, plans and supporting information
- PPE – COVID 19 equipment, hard hat, steel toe capped boots, High Vis,
- Pen / Paper
Describe inspection of local area
- location, aspect, local facilities, public transport.
- potential contamination or environmental hazards, flooding etc.
- Comparable evidence, local market conditions, agency boards
Describe external inspection
- Method of construction
- Repair and condition of building
- Car parking and access
- Defects and structural movement
- Site boundaries with OS map / title pla
- Date building – asking client, researching planning consent, local historical records, architectural style, Land Registry
Describe inspection purposes
- Valuation (valuation influences) – looking at factors that would impact the valuation - location, tenure, construction, defects, current condition, occupation. Measurement also undertaken
- Property Management (policing the lease) – if occupied, check lease compliance, repairs decoration, state of building.
- Agency – (marketability issues) – consider the condition of the building, repair and maintenance, marketability, presentation of accommodation, statutory compliance
Describe different types of foundations
- Trench or Strip Footing – fill trench with concrete instead of brick - residential dwellings, for load bearing walls and closely spaced columns, extensions and conservatories
- Raft – a slab foundation over the whole site to spread the load for lightweight structures on remediated land and sandy soil conditions.
- Piled – long reinforced concrete cylinders in ground to deeper strata and used when ground conditions are not suitable for heavy high loads
- Pad – slab foundation system under individual or groups of columns so column load are evenly spread
How can you tell the difference between a cavity wall and a solid brick wall
Solid brick wall will have both headers and stretchers, atleast 1 brick thick
If cavity wall, no headers (short facing) and is likely ot have cavity tray (prevents damp) and air holes
Name common brick defects
Efflorescence - white marks on bricks caused by salts on bricks, when water reacts with salts in mortar and deposited on bricks
Spalling - bricks crumble due to freeze thaw weathering
What is a defect
A defect is a deficiency in the construction process, whether that be the design, construction materials or workmanship. Latent and Inherent defects
What is a latent defect
Is a defect that cannot be discovered by a reasonably thorough inspection of the property
What is a inherent defect
a defect originating from the building design or a material that has always been present
What is a snag
a snag is a small defect or problem that remains in the property after building work is completed, usually damaged or broken (scratch on window)
What would you do if you found a defect
take photo, try to establish the cause, inform the client and potentially recommend specialist advice
What are common causes of defects
water, movement, defective building materials
How would you identify subsidence
Diagonal cracking - caused by vertical downward movement of a buildings foundations caused by loss of support on the site, beneath foundations
How would you identify heave
vertical cracking/uplift of paths - expansion of ground beneath buildings, caused by removal of tree roots
What is horizontal cracking in bricks a sign of
Cavity wall tie failure
Name the different types of damp
Wet rot, Dry rot, rising damp and condensation
How would you recognise wet/dry rot
wet rot - spongy/wet timber, musty smells and fungal growth - caused by damp (leak or plumbing), causing timber to decay
dry rot - cracked paintwork, cuboidal cracking/crumbling of timber, destroys timber and masonry, caused by fungal attack in wood, spreads in fluffy fine white strands
How would you recognise rising damp
stops around 1.5m above ground level, damaged skirting boards and tide marks on walls, peeling paint - water comes through the floor and rises, damp proof course fails
How do you recognise condensation
dark black mould and unpleasant smells - caused by lack of ventilation
Describe common defects in period buildings
dry rot/wet rot, tile slippage, rising damp, condensation, death watch beetle
Describe common defects in modern industrial buildings
Roof leaks around lights, damaged cladding, water damage from blocked gutters
How would you identify potential contamination on site
present of oil drums, subsidence, bare ground - recommend specialist to undertake surveys
What is a deleterious material
materials harmful to health, and the environment - not suitable for their intended purpose and pose risks where they have been used
Name deleterious materials
high alumina cement - structural failure as undergoes conversion. Loses strength and increases porosity
Woodwool shuttering - reduces fire resistance, reinforced concrete
calcium chloride in concrete - acts as an accelerator, speeding up the setting of concrete
Name hazardous building materials
Lead pipes, asbestos and radon gas
Name information paper on JK
Information Paper on JK and Residential Property, 2021
What is the status of information Paper
provide upto date information on a topic - not mandatory
How to recognise Japanese Knotweed
green heart shaped leaves and leaves alternate on stems - invasive species
What are the impacts of JK
damage hard surfaces and not easy to control - hard to eradicate
Name guidance note on asbestos
Asbestos, legal requirements and best practice for property professionals and clients, 4th ed, 2021
What is asbestos
term for naturally occurring silicates, can be present in buildings built prior to 2000s. When disturbed, released into the ait and causes serious health implications
Name 3 main types of asbestos
Crocidolite, Amosite, Chrysotile
Where would you find asbestos in residential property
asbestos insulating board ceiling tiles, AIB partition walls, loose fill insulation, asbestos cement on exterior of buildings
When was asbestos banned
in 1999
Describe the duty of landlords to manage asbestos in properties
HSAWA 1974 - landlords of domestic properties have duty to ensure their undertaking does not present risk to health. Use asbestos register to assess risks, and ensure they are managed
Describe the difference between hazards and risks
Hazard is the potential for something to cause harm, whereas risk is the likelihood that the hazard will result in harm and the severity of harm
Describe main principles of a risk assessment
Identify risk place hazards, identify those at risk, evaluate risks and implement controls
Describe potential hazards when on lone site visits
Members of public becoming aggressive/abusive, violence, sexual advances (employees injured or stressed) - mitigate by staff knowing whereabouts, a well charged mobile phone, personal alarm
Employee feels threatened on viewing (injured or stressed) - emergency phrase should be practised, Mark Grangers keys are in my desk, calls office to state phrase and then go to check in the car
Potential illness when on site alone (subsequent delay for help) - lone working avoided when ill
Locked in building (on site visit) - confirm two sets of keys are available, check all doors before letting go, ensure to carry mobile phone
Describe details outlined in VPS 2 (Inspections, Investigations and records) in Red Book
- Red Book valuations must undertake inspections to produce a valuation that is professionally adequate
- any limitations from the inspection must be identified and recorded in ToE and report
- in ToE, valuer must agree the extent to which the subject asset is to be inspected
- when measurements undertaken, in line with IPMS
- when valuing without re-inspection, must be satisfied that there has been no material changes
- records must be kept from inspections
- not mandatory, but valuers are advised to collect and record sustainable data
Describe VPGA 8 - Valuation of real property assets
- Valuation Practice Guide Application - 8
Describes that matters only apparent from an inspection can impact the property value - includes characteristics of the property and its use (accessibilty, dimensions, age, construction, fixtures and fittings, hazardous materials
- investigations - title, condition of building, services, planning
