What should you take on inspection?
- Fully charged phone
- Tape measure and Distometer
- Scheme plans / Site plans
- PPE
- Pen and Paper
What do you look out for when out on an inspection?
- Location / local facilities / public transport / business vibrancy
- Contamination / environmental hazards / flooding / substations
- Comparable evidence / local market conditions / letting boards
What are the different types of building foundations?
- Trench/strip – residential
- Raft – whole site – spread load – lightweight structures
- Pile – reinforced concrete cylinders
- Pad – slab foundation under groups of columns (RWH / Industrial)
How do you identify the difference between a solid wall and a cavity wall?
- Solid Wall – normally at least one brick thick
- Cavity Wall – two layers with gap, no headers
- Cavity Wall will have weep holes
- Measurement of a brick – 215mm x 102.5 mm x 65mm
What is a typical shop specification?
- New – steel / concrete frame
- Concrete floor, no suspended ceiling
- Shell condition – no shop front
- Ready for retailers fitting out
What is a typical industrial / RWH specification?
- Steel portal frame
- Min. 8m clear eaves height, 10% roof lights
- Full height loading doors
- Min 30kN/sqm
- 5-10% office content
- Approx site cover – 25-40%
What is the typical office specification?
- Steel / Concrete frame
- Full access raised floors
- Carpeting
- 2.6m approx. ceiling height
- Ceiling void-350mm, raised floor void – 150mm
- Suspended ceiling, LG7 compliant lighting
- Approx floor loading - 2.5-3.0 kN/sqm
- Air conditioning, double glazing, passenger lift
What is Japanese Knotweed?
Invasive plant, damages hard surfaces
Heart shaped leaves with clusters of white flowers.
- Can be disposed of via chemical treatment or removing.
- Offence under Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to not maintain
Land Remediation Relief (LRR) – Tax relief offered to companies who remediate contaminated sites or those with Japanese Knotweed. Up to 150%.
What hazardous material can you come across on inspection?
Something that could cause harm to health
Asbestos (white, blue, brown)
Lead piping
Radon gas
Give an example of deleterious materials?
(Materials that degrade with age)
This causes structural problems
Alumina cement
Dangerous as it weakens over time
What can cause damp?
Wet rot
Dry rot
rising damp (1.5m)
condensation
faulty plumbing
What are the different types of movement defects?
Subsidence
Heave
What procedures do you undertake to identify a contamination defect?
Contamination (Environmental Protection Act 1990)
- Review site history (desktop) to identify e.g. radon gas
- Investigate nature and extent of contamination
- Remediation report setting out remedial options
Suggest specialist report if there are concerns of contaminations. Do not value until reviewing report. Deduct remediation costs from value.
What are the different reasons for an inspection?
Valuation
Factors which influence the value of a property: Location, tenure, aspect, spec, occupation details
Agency
Factors which influence the marketability of a property: Spec, repair, statutory compliance
Management
Lease compliance if occupied, statutory compliance / repairs if vacant
Can you undertake lone inspections?
No, it is prohibited to undertake lone inspections as a graduate. I attend inspections with a colleague. I also make sure to let other colleagues know when I arrive and exit the site.
What do you check before attending a site for inspeciton
Before I attend an inspection, I will undertake a desktop inspection to know the PPE I am required to take. I will check local area and access links and make sure i have a fully charged phone and distometer
What is the size of a brick?
215 mm x 102.5 mm x 65 mm.
Header - Short
Stretcher - Long
Tell me about how you would ensure safe working at height / on a site with working machinery.
I would ensure:
* Listen and understand the safety briefing by the person in charge
* Ensure equipment is suitable and stable
* Wear relevant PPE – hard hat, steel cap boots
* Take responsibility and make sure that the areas
What building characteristics do you look for when inspecting a RWH property?
- Check the accessibility of the site
- The sustainability of the site
- If the units tall enough to fit a mezzanine (min 6m)
- The building specification
- Check if car parking is free
What is an easement?
An easement is a propriety right over a piece of land which exists with the benefit of another piece of land. They transfer with the land when sold.
What do dry and wet rot look like?
Dry rot:
* Caused inside by fungal attack
* Fungus – fine and fluffy white strands
* Orange mushroom-like fruiting bodies
Wet rot:
* Caused by timber decay
* Wet and soft timber
* High damp meter reading
* Visible fungal growth and musty smell
Tell me about what an inherent/latent defect is.
Inherent defect – is a defect is a result of the design or construction material that has always been present
Latent defect – these cannot be discovered during a reasonable inspection
What does the Red Book say in relation to inspections?
Under VPS 2 – valuers must take the steps to verify the necessary information being relied upon for a valuation and is adequate for its purpose.
If the valuer is not inspecting the premises due to it being a revaluation, then this must be specified with in the ToE. They must also be satisfied that no material changes have occurred to the property.
What are the common defects with Industrial / RWH
Cut edge corrosion - Aluminium sheet cladding doesn’t rust but corrodes over time due to oxidation.
Leaky roof - leaks around the sky lights
Servicing bay / car park - damaged floor with pot holes due to heavy loaded vehicles constantly driving over.
Loading bay - damaged / chipped bays due to wear and tear, constantly collision with vehicles.
