Inspection

Question 1

What is a 4 step process to inspection?

Answer 1

1. Consider you personal safety.
2. Inspection of the local area.
3. External inspection
4. Internal inspection

Question 2

What to take on an inspection?

Answer 2

• mobile phone
• camera
• tape measure
• plans, leases, service charge budget
  -PPE
• Pen, paper, dictaphone.

Question 3

What should you consider about the immediate area of the property on the inspection?

Answer 3

1. Location
2. Contamination
3. Comparable evidence/ properties

Question 4

What should you consider when inspecting the external of a building?

Answer 4

• method of construction (know these)
• repair and condition
• car parking, loading access
• site boundaries

Question 5

What should you consider on an internal inspection?

Answer 5

• layout and specification
• repair and maintenance
• defects
• services - age and condition
• statutory compliance i.e asbestos, building regs. health and safety. fire safety
• tenant fixtures or fittings
• compliance with lease obligations.

Question 6

What are different purposes for inspection?

Answer 6

• valuation - looking for factors that could affect value i.e. location, tenure, construction, defects, occupation etc.
• Property management (ensuring lease compliance)
  if occupied, check for lease compliance, statutory compliacne state of repair and any maintenance and repairs required.

Agency
- consider condition of the building, compliance, any repairs or maintenance issues.

Question 7

What types of foundations are there?

Answer 7

1. Trench
2. Raft
3. Piled
4. Pad

Question 8

What types of brick walls are there?

Answer 8

• Solid wall construction - building with solid brick walls normally at least one brick thick.

Cavity Wall Construction - two layers of brick work tied together with metal ties with a cavity that could be filled with insulation.

Question 9

What are the two types of bricks found in a wall in terms of how they have been laid?

Answer 9

Stretcher - long side is exposed.
Head - short end exposed.

Question 10

What is efflorescence on brick work?

Answer 10

white marks caused by hydroscopic salts in the brick work. Formed when water reacts with natural salts.

Question 11

What is spalling?

Answer 11

when the surface of the brick starts to crumble.

Usually due to freezing temperatures.

Question 12

What is the typical construction of a shop?

Answer 12

• steel or concrete frame
• services capped off
• left in shell condition, ready for fit out.

Question 13

What is the typical construction of an office?

Answer 13

• steel or concrete frame
• steel frame usually have less columns than a concrete frame.
• raised floors (150mm)
• approx ceiling height 2.6 - 2.8m
• ceiling void of 305mm
• air conditioning. 4 pipe coil fan.
• passenger lifts

Question 14

What types of fit out are there for offices ?

Answer 14

Shell and Core - before fit out

Cat A - finished internal walls, raised floors, grid ligting

Cat A+ “plug and play” fully fitted out office with IT infastructure, kitchens etc. Just need to plug computers in.

Cat B - fully functional all office design elements completed.

Question 15

What are the typical fit outs for industrial units

Answer 15

• steel portal frame or insulated profiled steel cladding walls and roof.
• minimum 8 meter eaves
  -5-10% office content
• approximate site coverage
• LED lighting
• full height loading doors.

Question 16

What four steps should you take when you identify a building defect?

Answer 16

1. take photogrpahs
2. try establish the cause of the damage
3. Inform client of investigations
4. Recommend advice from a building surveyor.

Question 17

What are 3 common causes of building defects.

Answer 17

1. movement
2. water
3. Defective/ deteriorating building materials

Question 18

What are potential signs of movement?

Answer 18

cracks in the brick work or plaster

Question 19

What are potential signs of water damage?

Answer 19

• wet rot
• dry rot
• rising damps usually stops at around 1.5m
• condensation streak.
• mould

Question 20

What is the RICS guidance note on contamination?

Answer 20

• Environmental risks and global real estate 2018

Question 21

What are the three typical phases of contamination investigation?

Answer 21

1. Review the site history of the site with desktop study and site inspection.
2. Investigate to identify nature of contamination e.g. take soil samples.
3. Remediation report setting out remedial options.

Question 22

What are types of deleterious material ? what are deleterious materials.

Answer 22

• RAAC
• Mundic
• Asbestos

materials that break down and decay.

Question 23

Can you name some hazardous materials?

Answer 23

• asbestos
• lead piping/ paint
• radon gas

Question 24

Do you know any other invasive plants other than Buddleia

Answer 24

• japanese Knotweed.

Question 25

What does Japanese Knotweed look like?

Answer 25

Purple/green, hollow stemmed with green leaves. Needs to be chemically treated as allowing it to spread is a criminal offence.

Question 26

Is there any rics guidance on Japanese knotweed?

Answer 26

RICS Information Paper on Japanese knotweed and residential property 2022.