Inspection (L3) Flashcards
In what order does the RICS suggest you inspect?
Surrounding area
External
Internal (roof down)
What are the three common causes of defects?
- Movement
- Water
- Defective / non-performance / deterioration of building materials
What should you be looking for in the surrounding area when conducting an inspection?
General surrounding context
Local facilities
Transport
Amenities
Flood risk
Agents boards
What factors do you need to consider for valuation inspections?
Location
Tenure
Aspect
Form of construction
Defects
Current condition/specification
What/why consideration do you need to make for the immediate area/locality ?
Understand the context of the property:
- Location / aspect / local facilities / public transport / business vibrancy
- Contamination / environmental hazards / flooding / high voltage
- Comps / local market conditions / agent boards
What is included in an EXTERNAL inspection?
Methods of construction
Repair and condition of the exterior
Car parking / access / loading arrangements
Defects / structural movement
Boundaries - OS map / Title Plan
Date of the building - asking the client / planning consents / building regs
What is included in an internal inspection?
Compliance with lease obligations
Repair and maintenance
Layout and specification - flexibility and obsolescence
Defects
Services - age and condition
Fixtures and fitting
What is the four step process to follow when you have identified a building defect?
- Take photographs of the defect
- Try to establish the cause of the damage whilst on site
- Inform your client of your investigations
- Recommend advice from a building surveyor or in the case of movement a structural engineer
What are important considerations for defects?
Check warranties for the building from the contractor & professional team
Understand the purpose of snagging on a newly built property
What is a latent defect?
A fault to the property that could not have been discovered by a reasonably thorough inspection of the property.
What is an inherent defect?
A defect in the design or a material which has always been present.
What are some common building defects in period resi/office/shop buildings?
Dry rot
Wet rot
Slippage on the roof
Death watch beetle (infests the structural timbers of old buildings)
Penetrating damp
Rising damp from the ground
Water ingress around door and window openings (caused by insufficient flashing or caulking around the door)
Structural movement / settlement (exterior walls appear to be cracked, whether they are brick or gaps in your window frames or doors from the outside)
For what purpose do you inspect property?
(submission L1)
Property management
Valuation
Agency (buying, selling and leasing)
What do you do to prepare before an inspection?
(submission L1)
Confirm access and location details
Consider my H&S
Check for existing floorplans
What is damp?
(submission L1)
Presence of unwanted moisture in the structure of a building.
What are the three different types of damp?
(submission L1)
Condensation
Rising
Penetrating
What is the cause of CONDENSATION damp?
(submission L1)
Lack of ventilation or heating
How would you identify CONDENSATION damp?
(submission L1)
- Mold and streaming water on the inside of windows
- Commonly found in corners or near windows
What is the cause of RISING damp?
(submission L1)
Bricks absorbing moisture from the ground beneath.
How do you identify RISING damp?
(submission L1)
- Damp stains or tidemarks on walls
- Peeling of flakey wallpaper
- Maximum 1.5m high
What is the cause of PENETRATING damp?
(submission L1)
Common in buildings with defects such as defective roof coverings, leaking drain pipes or faulty pointing on doors and windows.
How would you identify PENETRATING damp?
(submission L1)
Damp will be found near the defect where the water is penetrating.
How do you calibrate your laser measurer?
(Submission L2)
You send it back to the manufacturer.
Describe the accommodation, style, condition and location of 417 Greenford Road?
(Submission L2)
- Ground floor maisonette
- 1930s - 1950s construction
- Semi-detached and cavity brick-built, beneath a pitched, hipped and tiled roof
- Tenant improvements included a newly fitted bathroom
What due diligence did you conduct at 417 Greenford Road?
(Submission L2)
- Check title plan and leasehold register
- Planning history
- Historic building search
- Location of the immediate area for H&S risk assessment
- ( EPC / Council Tax )
Describe the construction of Dulwich Estate.
(submission L2)
1960s residential tower blocks
Concrete construction
What are common defects of the Dulwich Estate?
(submission L2)
Concrete decay ‘concrete cancer’
Roof leaks
Poor insulation
Window cracking
At Dulwich Estate how did the lease dictate how to apportion the service charge?
(submission L2)
It referred back to the ratable values of when the flats were originally built in the 1960s.
Talk me through your excel matrix at Dulwich Village
(submission L2)
I recorded on my tablet for each block:
Flat number, their floor and benefit and use of the lift.
At Dulwich Village how did you apportion the service charge for use of lifts?
(submission L2)
Apportioned equally to apartments that benefited use of lift (ie not ground floor)