Inspection - Summary Of Experience

Question 1

What do you consider when you go on Inspection?

Answer 1

1) I would consider my personal safety.

2) Inspection of the local area

3) External Inspection

4) Internal Inspection.

Question 2

What should you take on an inspection?

Answer 2

• Mobile phone
• Camera
• Tape measure/laser
• File, plans and other supporting information.
• PPE
• Pen & Paper

Question 3

What considerations would you take in of the immediate area?

Answer 3

Location / Local Facilities / Public Transport / Business Vibrancy

Contamination / Environmental Hazards / Flooding

Comparable Evidence / Local Market Conditions / Agent’s Boards

Question 4

What are the different purposes that one may need to inspect?

Answer 4

Valuation - understand the factors that can influence the valuation of a property such as location, tenure, aspect, construction, defects, current condition.

Property Management - Check lease compliance, statutory compliance, state of building, requirements for repairs. If unoccupied, security arrangements, damage to the building / vandalism.

Agency (Marketing Issues)

Question 5

What are the FOUR Common Forms of Foundation?

Answer 5

1) Trench and Strip Footings - Generally used for Residential Buildings.

2) Raft - A slab foundation that spreads the load of the property over the whole site.

3) Piled - Long and slender reinforced concrete cylinders into the ground vertically.

4) Pad - A slab foundation system, under individual columns or units so column load is spread evenly.

Question 6

Can you name some types of brickwork/terminologies to do with brickwork?

Answer 6

1) Solid Wall
2) Cavity Wall
3) Stretcher
4) Header
5) Efflorescence
6) Spalling

Question 7

Describe an Institutional Shop Building?

Answer 7

• Either steel or concrete frame
• Services capped off
• Concrete floor and no suspended ceilings
• Let in shell condition with no shop front, ready for retailers fitting out works.

Question 8

Describe an Institutional Office Building?

Answer 8

As described by the British Council for Offices Guide to Office Specification, 2019:

• Steel or Concrete frame.
• Floor to ceiling height of 2.6-2.8m
• Raised floors, 150mm
• Suspended ceilings, 350mm
• Air Conditioning
• Double glazed
• 1 cycle space for every 10 staff
• 1 shower for every 100 staff
• 8-10m2 space for every worker.

Question 9

What are the different types of air conditioning systems & their benefits?

Answer 9

VAV - Variable Air Volume (high capital cost but most flexible)

Fan Coil - 4 pipe is the most common (low initial cost and high flexibility but expensive to maintain)

VRV - Variable refrigerant volume (low capital cost but expensive to maintain)

Question 10

What would be the noticeable difference between a steel framed office and concrete framed office building?

Answer 10

A steel framed building would have less columns and larger/wider floorplates.

Question 11

What are the different types of fit out?

Answer 11

• CatA is to grade A as above and to the highest spec.
• CatB is to complete the fit out to the occupiers specific requirements. Some landlords do this to reduce the void periods between lettings becoming more common.
• Shell and Core - Common parts of the building are completed, and the office floors areas are left as a shell ready for fit out by the occupier.
• Typical space allowance for normal office use is approx 1 person for 7.5-9.25 sq. m

Question 12

Can you describe an Institutional Spec Industrial Asset?

Answer 12

• 30KN/Sq.M minimum loading capacity.
• Steel Portal Frame Structure
• Insulated profiled Steel cladding (Plastic Insulated Good)
• Brick or blockwork walls to 2m height.
• Minimum 8m clear heights (now more likely 12m)
• 10% lighting panels in the roof
• 5-10% office space
• Full height loadings doors, electric operated
• Access level loading door always included.
• Approximate site cover of 40%

Question 13

What are the three common causes of defects?

Answer 13

Water, Movement and Deteriorating Materials

Question 14

What are some common building defects for period residential/shop/office properties?

Answer 14

• Dry Rot
• Wet Rot
• Tile Slippage on roof.
• Damp penetration from the roof.
• Water ingress (Doors and Windows)
• Settlement

Question 15

If you identify any building defects during your inspection, what FOUR steps should you take?

Answer 15

1) Take Photographs of the defect.
2) Try to establish the cause of the damage whilst on site.
3) Inform your client of your investigations.
4) Recommend advice from a building surveyor or in the case of movement, a structural engineer.

Question 16

What are some common defects of modern industrial buildings?

Answer 16

Roof leaks around roof lights, damaged cladding.

Cut edge corrosion.

Blocked valley gutters

Question 17

When you inspect a property, what is on your checklist?

Answer 17

My checklist varies depending on the purpose of the inspection however, for all inspections I will have the site contact details on my checklist, including access codes if needed and site contact details.

For property management purposes:

• I will be looking at defects, both externally and internally.
• The condition of the common areas, cleaning etc.
• Vacant unit inspections, ensuring security is in place and obtain meter readings.

For Valuation purposes:
- My checklist will include, nature of the area, location, footfall and whether other agency boards are up in the surrounding area.

Question 18

How did you ensure the safety of others and yourself in your Scrutton Street Example (Leaking Basement) ?

Answer 18

With this property, we have on site porter staff who first informed me of the leak and where is was coming from, which was a section of pipework in a large meeting /screening room on Basement Level (away from any cabling/electrics.) I inspected with a hard hat in the first instance and instructed the contractor to do the same as well as steel toed footwear in case of standing water. Once we assessed the risks, we reduced the leak by reducing the water pressure and eventually turning the water off to ensure repairs could be made.

Question 19

Why did you instruct the contractor to turn off the water supply? (Scrutton Street Example)

Answer 19

Turning off the water supply was the only way to repair the section of pipework safely as advised by the contractor. The water was turned off outside of working hours however I still notified the client and the occupiers and it was uncertain how long the repair works would take.

Question 20

Explain some of the measures you undertake to ensure your own safety on inspections?

Answer 20

First and foremost, I will ensure that I record all inspections in our office calendar, notify a colleague when I am leaving and make sure my mobile phone is fully charged in line with our lone working policy.

If I am inspecting an office site, I will ensure I carry the necessary PPE if required and ensure all visitors / contractors joining me to the same.

If it is an industrial site / development land that I have not inspected before, I will undertake a desktop risk assessment and ensure I view the property / area on Google Maps to see if I can assess any risks before inspecting. When on site I would carry out a dynamic risk assessment.

Question 21

What does a Dynamic Risk Assessment involve?

Answer 21

In accordance with the RICS Professional Standard: Surveying Safely 2018.

When inspecting, the risks may have changed from the last time I inspected previously or I may not have inspected the property before. Therefore, I continually re-evaluate:

• Is the activity still safe to continue?
• Is the working environment still safe for the activity to continue?
• Am I or those still working within their limit of competence.
• Are there appropriate control measures in place?

Question 22

Who reported to you that unauthorised vehicles were being parked in the rear car park? (Archway Example)

Answer 22

The tenant’s notified me of the unauthorised vehicles stating one car and one van had not moved for a period of 10 days.

Question 23

How did you notice the Japanese Knotweed and what time of year did you notice it?

Answer 23

I noticed a green hollow stemmed weed with green leaves in a zig-zag formation growing in the rear car, I noticed this plant whilst on an inspection in June (Summer)

Question 24

What is the RICS Paper that was published on Japanese Knotweed?

Answer 24

RICS Professional Standard - Japanese Knotweed and Residential Property, 2022.

The purpose of the updated document is to address both the findings and provide guidance based on market informed industry best practice.

Question 25

How would you assess the damage to the building structure and how would you advise your client on the impact on value of the property resulting from JK?

Answer 25

In accordance with the RICS Professional Standard - Japanese Knotweed, 2022.

Substantial structures on sound foundations are unlikely to suffer structural damage due to Japanese Knotweed. However, in this case, the root of the plant was growing below the flashing of the external wall to the property causing cracking in the brickwork. In this case, as we implemented a Japanese Knotweed Management Plan there was no impact on the value of the property and my client was not willing to sell the property. However the cost of the management was in fact the cost to the client.

SEEK SPECIALIST ADVICE

Question 26

What are surveyors recommended to do if Japanese Knotweed is encountered during an inspection?

Answer 26

In accordance with the RICS Professional Standard on Japanese Knotweed, surveyors are recommended to note its location on a site plan and record details such as:

• Proximity to built structures.
• The location, height and area.
• Whether stands are on or off site, or crossing boundaries.
• Any evidence of previous management.
• Photographic records.

Question 27

Why did Japanese Knotweed come into the UK mainly?

Answer 27

Railway Companies used it to sure up the banks of railway cuttings as it is incredibly effective at making soil not slip.

Question 28

Can you tell me any recent case law for damages relating to the spread of Japanese Knotweed?

Answer 28

Williams vs Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd. 2018.

The court held that network rail were liable for the cost of treating the invasive plant plus damages for the loss of use of the neighbours property (but not the reduced value of the property) even after the knotweed at gone.

Question 29

Can you tell me under what Act is it a Criminal Offence to allow the spread of Japanese Knotweed?

Answer 29

The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Maximum fine of £5,000 or prison sentence of 6 months.

Question 30

Tell me a little bit about The Japanese Knotweed Management Category Assessment?

Answer 30

In accordance with the RICS Professional Standard (Effective March 2022)

A member should make the decision whether the JK is on-site or off-site and assess whether it is causing visible material damage to a structure.

• Management Category A - Significant impact, action required.
• Management Category B - Potentially significant impact, action required.
• Management Category C - Manage, Limited Impact.
• Management Category D - Report

Question 31

Why did you engage a building surveyor, couldn’t you have just employed a roofer to make good the damage? (Birmingham Example)

Answer 31

This was a recent management that I became involved in, there had been previous issues with the flat roof concerned and a building surveyor had been involved prior to my involvement. I thought it necessary to get the firm back on board and notify them that the issue had not been resolved.

Question 32

What are the typical defects of a flat roof? What are the remedies?

Answer 32

Crazing - surface crazing is caused where there is a lack of adequate protection from harmful effects of exposure to the sun for example. If widespread, the areas would have to be re roofed and specialist protection introduced.

Blistering - caused by water vapour pressure occurring below the roof covering. The blister should be cut and re-bonded.

Question 33

What other sorts of cracks would you expect to see on a brick building and what might have caused them?

Answer 33

Subsidence - a movement down in the ground level. The cracks will be larger at the top and thinner at the bottom.

Heave - A movement upwards in the ground level. The cracks will be larger at the bottom and thinner at the top.

Question 34

What is damp and how can you test for damp?

Answer 34

Damp is only to be considered if the moisture becomes visible through discoloration and staining of finishes or causes mould growth.

You can use a protimeter moisture meter to test for damp.