Inspection - Submission Flashcards
Level 1 Commentary
I have carried out a number of inspections including office, retail, hospital and hotel premises for agency, measurement, valuation and property management purposes.
Ahead of my visits, I ensure I have the necessary information and equipment readily available, such as relevant contact details, necessary personal protective equipment, laser measuring device and a mobile phone for contact, photography and torch purposes.
I follow the guidance of the RICS Surveying Safely 2nd Edition (2018) and adhere to Tandem’s Health and Safety Lone Working Policy for inspections.
I have also attended seminars which emphasised inspection being fundamental to providing accurate property advice.
I understand the importance of pre-inspection planning, personal safety while on site and post inspection report writing.
I utilise SimPro to complete inspection e-forms and record images and property commentary from my visit which in turn informs the client.
Inspection of:
Competent inspection is fundamental to providing accurate property advice. - AS PER RICS Residential Survey and Valuation February 2017
- Office
- Retail
- Hospital
- Hotel
for agency, measurement, valuation and property management purposes
Before Inspection
- DAYLIGHT = Ensure I go in daylight - if limitation of inspecting property due to visibility, make sure you advise client on report delivery
- PHONE is fully charged - used for torch/camera
- LONE - Ensure I adhere to Tandem’s lone working policy and ensure people kniw where I am
- RISK I.E. HAZARDOUS MATERIAL = Familiar with nature and risks associated with hazardous material e.g. spotting asbestos and invasive plants like Japanese Knotweed
- LOCATION/AREA / PUBLIC TRANSPORT = Know location of property so identify suitable parking. - Check on google in advance,
- PPE Bring app PPE and laser measuring device
PEN/PAPER/ FILES/
How do you ensure an inspection is carried out in a safe manner
Tell me about how you ensure your safety when on site.
LOCALITY - Familiar with the area - Know the locality and know if hazard material are present e.g. patrol station, or inductsrial site, are there any bio hazardous chemicals
PEE - relvanat equip e.g. hart hat, goggles, gloves, app shoes
Lone working policy - clear diary instructions, safe person concept, safe word, fully charged phone
- RICS member/ regulated firm will continue to use professional judgement and undertake a dynamic risk assessment to deliver their role safely and in accordance with best practice
Tandem’s lone working policy
- Clear diary instructions
- Buddy system i.e. when driving to site i would check in
- We have a safe word that we can use to call anyone within the company.
- A lone worker (LW) is an employee who performs an activity that is carried out in isolation from other workers without close or direct supervision.
- Surveyors should refer to their company policies on lone working if applicable.
On arrival at the property
Undertake a dynamic risk assessment prior to starting an inspection
Surveyors should refer to their own company policies on risks assessments for inspections.
Assess the level of risk (high/medium/low), and identify how you plan to minimise the risk.
Immediate area - contamination, business vibrancy, comparable evidence, public transport
Personal safety
BE RESPECTFUL AND MINDFUL, GIVE ADVANCED WARNING OF VISIT – advising reason for inspection and i.e. for Travelodge I gave 24 hour’s notice – as stated in the lease – sometimes it says 48 hours.
During inspection
External - Method of construction, state of car park, any defects. repair and condition
Internal - defects, compliance with lease i.e. repairing for property management
Note if empty or derelict - aware of timber rot, wear durable clothing. Vandalism will often result in broken glass
Notice defects - damp, movement (type of brick like spalling caused by heating/cooling)
Types of fit out and spec for retail & office
Post inspection report writing
- IF CANT ACCESS SOMETHING i.e. roof access – THEN STATE IT IN REPORT like not possible to see roof so used google and make app assumptions based on this
pass over to client - keep them updated i.e. level 3 Travelodge
Include commentary and images - say if you were unable to access/see anything
Save and file/record securely and appropriately
Level 2 commentary
Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) – Office, Victoria, London
Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) – Office, Victoria, London
As part of the property’s health and safety compliance, I guided the fire risk assessor around the office from the basement, through the common parts and up to the roof.
In advance of the visit, I provided floor plans and the previously completed FRA. I ensured we both wore appropriate flat footwear, hard hat and high viz jacket.
While on the inspection I took note of the items highlighted by the assessor.
These included a possible hose trip hazard in the car park and a box partially blocking a fire exit.
Once received, I read the report and forwarded it onto the facilities manager to review and action appropriately.
I followed up on the required actions during our weekly calls requesting a tracker with timeframes to ensure that the appropriate actions were completed in a timely manner.
How often is an FRA completed
ON an annual basis by Ark our H&S advisers/providers
Why did you provide floor plan
Provide a layout of the property
Explain to me your inspection methodology when inspecting a property.
- Consider personal safety - PPE, pen paper, files/documents
- Considered area - location, transport, business vibrancy, hazards
- External inspection
- Internal inspection
Explain to me what information you gather when inspecting buildings.
Noting the specification for ind assets
Types of fit out
Brick work
Defects - movement, damp, common building defects
Deleterious material and hazardous material (asbestos)?
Method of construction
Fire risk assessment - What is health and safety compliance?
An ongoing process of complying with the health and safety standards established by regulatory bodies. These include annual FRA & GRA
- Part of my role as a property manager
Fire risk assessment - what properties need a fire risk assessment?
A Fire Risk Assessment is a legal requirement. All commercial properties need one - I am responsible for the common areas
As a PM manager I ensure a suitably competent person completes a Fire Risk Assessment.
Fire risk assessment - why was PPE required?
PPE required - going on roof so needed high viz and hard hat
Climbing stairs so needed app shoes
Level 2 commentary
- Strip out inspection – Office, Bedford Row, Holborn
Strip out inspection – Office, Bedford Row, Holborn
I carried out a pre and post strip out inspection of Bedford Row prior to the refurbishment taking place.
Upon my client’s request, I instructed a full drain down of water throughout the property. However, following an additional inspection, I discovered a leak which had damaged the ceiling tiles and carpet.
I immediately informed the client and instructed the contractor to revisit and remedy the situation.
During my post strip out inspection, I noticed that the contractors had been misusing the property. I found used cigarette butts, litter and food waste left on the floor.
I cleared the waste, notified the client and liaised with the project manager informing them that this is unacceptable behaviour and smoking inside poses a serious fire risk.
Strip out Inspection - what do you mean by pre and post strip out?
- Pre - what condition was it in before hand - old fashioned/ period office space. Had some wet rot caused by damp and timber. Understood there was no asbestos present
Strip out Inspection - Explain what you mean by full drain down of water.
- Drain down means stopping the property’s water supply and draining out all of the excess water sat in the systems so that the pipes in the property are empty.
- This was important as property was going thru strip out to shell form and did not need water.
Following Drain down
The contractors has failed to isolate a pipe which resulted in water ingress - damaging cieling tiles and carpet. Contractor returned and recified.
Carpet did not need replacing as refurb was taking place - stripping the internal to a shell condition.
Informed client
During post strip
Misusing property
- Cigarettes
- Litter
- Food waste
Cleared, notified parties/ informed PM this was not acceptable
Smoke free (premises & enforcement) Regulations 2007
Illegal to smoke in all enclosed public places
‘No smoking’ signs must be displayed - we not in this case as the building was shell
Penalises - £50 - max fine of £2500
Level 3 Commentary - Fire Escape - Office, Bonhill Street, London
Fire Escape - Office, Bonhill Street, London
During the common area refurbishment of this property, I received a number of complaints from tenants regarding the fire escape being blocked by the contractors.
During my site inspections, I found that the escape was regularly blocked by materials resulting in potential trip hazards and obstructions.
I immediately informed the client of the situation and instructed the contractors to keep the fire escape route clear at all times.
Owing to the complexity of the refurbishment, the project manager enquired whether we could close that particular fire escape route.
I advised the client that this would not be possible as that would involve changing the entire building’s fire strategy.
To ensure compliance, I instructed a health and safety officer to inspect who confirmed they were happy for the fire escape to remain open.
As an additional precaution, I instructed our existing onsite security to monitor the area on CCTV and to patrol frequently to ensure the contractors were not obstructing the route.
Fire escape - what the implications of a fire escape being blocked?
Could impede / impact evacuation during an emergency/fire.
Prevent people getting out of the building quickly bc of the obstruction.
What was the fire escaped blocked with?
materials such as tiles or construction materials
Fire escape - talk me through the building fire strategy and how this was created?
Fire escape - what is included in a building fire strategy?
- Description of building
- what should happen if fire - means of warning i.e. fire alarm, fire exits
- diagram, layout - fire exits
- fire exist must be kept clear or will impact fire strategy - certain distance that occupiers must
Blocking fire exit, cant be closed
prevents a smooth evacuation - delays time for people to evanctuat, creates tip hazards, panic
cant be closed - comprises fire strategy - time
It will impact the travel distance for occupiers to escape, in meters.
Closing route would impact the whole building fire stratatey
Fire escape - What do building regs say about fire strategy plans?
When it comes to the fire strategy plan, building regulations state that fire safety information must be made available to the people who are responsible for managing any building.
The fire strategy document contains all the information needed for informed decision-making and emergency response in the event of a fire.
What is a fire strategy
A technical document that sets the basis for fire safety control measures from the design of a building. Specific to ind buildings.
Sets out the strategy for in case a fire takes place
Fire strategy - assessing building, checking compliance, strategy for getting out of the building.
It includes whats is in place i.e. fire alarm, number of fire exits - testing of the fire alarm (as a means of warning), emergency lighting, fire detection
Building specific - Completed by Ark - walked around. establishes a strategy for fire safety
Fire Straetgy - what is in place if there is a fire?
FRA - reviewed every year i.e. combustible items then must be removed
What do we have in place:
- Fire detection system
- Emergency lighting - flick test every monthly
!!!! 3. fire safety - ADEQUATE MEANS OF ESCAPE from all areas - travel distance
- what kind of fire fighting facilities/system do you have
- fire extinguishes are checked annually - and advice what extinguishes to su
- What to do if mobility impaired person - instruct a PEEP form. We should be informed? what should be in place i.e. - evacuation chairs
Details what to do if you have a mobility impaired person
It states laws and property description, plans/layouts
Structure defect - budget hotel, Bedford
Structure defect - budget hotel, Bedford
During an inspection of a budget hotel in Bedford, I conducted an external inspection and noticed that structural movement had occurred, impacting the external brick work.
Upon my internal inspection, I noticed the movement had resulted in water ingress and damp.
While on site I took images of the affected area and measured the length of the external building cracks. I filled in my inspection report, which included images and details of the defects and forwarded it to my client to review.
Recognising my limitations and limited knowledge of structural defects, I advised the client to seek specialist advice by approaching a building surveyor for recommendations on how to remedy the situation.
I followed up with regular calls and emails with the building surveyor on the matter which allowed me to feedback back and advice my client accordingly.
Structure defect - did you identify where the water was coming from?
I did not on site, so instructed a professional to assist
Structure defect - how wide was the crack?
Not very large but large enough to notice it from the external
it was approx 5 cm wide and 30 cm in length
Structure defect - talk me through you site notes on the crack.
Crack appeared to be caused by structural movement causing the brick work to be spalling where the surface of the brick began to crumble
I deduced this was possibly caused by the thermal expansion/movement / freeze thaw
However i recognised my limitations
Structure defect - why did you advice a building surveyor and not a structural engineer?
Upon reflection, i now understand that if it was indeed structural movement that it would have been more app to instruct a structural engineer.
However owing to my limited knowledge i decided to utilise advice from my companies building surveyor who wold be able to advice which they did.
What do you do if you identify any building defects during your inspection
I followed the 4 steps during my inspection
- Take PHOTO of the defect –> Travelodge brick work
- Try to establish the CAUSE of the damage whilst on site —-> The spalling brick which caused movement/internal damp
- INFORM CLIENT of your investigation –> Forwarded report onto client to review
- Recommend ADVICE from a building surveyor or in the case of movement, a structural engineer.
–> I recognised my limitations / limited knowledge so client instructed a building surveyor and consequently a
