Inspection

Question 1

What is the structure of surveying safely?

Answer 1

1. Personal responsibilities for members and firms
2. Assessing hazards and risks
3. Work place health and safety
4. Occupational health and hygiene
5. Visiting premises or sites
6. Fire safety
7. Residential property surveying
8. Procurement and management of contractors.

Question 2

What would be your approach if you were attending a contaminated site?

Answer 2

I would inform the Client that I could only inspect the site if it was safe to do so and would ensure I avoided any areas of contamination.

Question 3

How did you identify the Japanese Knotweed?

Answer 3

It was dormant at the time as the inspection was during the winter months. However the Borrower has places hazardous tape around the areas containing the weed and multiple notices were placed around the site.

Question 4

What is the RICS guidance relating to Japanese Knotweed?

Answer 4

RICS professional standards Japanese Knotweed and Residential Property 2022

Question 5

What are the four main types of foundation?

Answer 5

Strip
Piled
Raft and;
Pad

Question 6

Does BCIS assume a foundation type?

Answer 6

Yes, a standard strip foundation

Question 7

What is deleterious material?

Answer 7

A building material that regards with ages, RAAC is one that has recently been in the press. This is Reinforced Auto-clad Aerated Concrete and degrades over a period of 30 years.

Question 8

What are the typical characteristics of a Victorian/ Georgian property?

Answer 8

Georgian: symmetrical, stone or brick faced, multi pane sash windows and gabled or hipped roof
Victorian: tend to be arranged as a terrace or semi detached dwelling, generally has more features, fire places in every room, floor tiles and stain glass windows.

Question 9

When inspecting town houses on the Isle of Wight, why did you decide not to proceed?

Answer 9

I felt it was unsafe as access was restricted, there were no health and safety notices up and the over all site health and safety looked to be poorly managed.

Question 10

When inspecting the offices at otterbourne, what grade were the offices?

Answer 10

They were of a high specification however, I considered them to the Grade B due to their rural location.

Question 11

You mentioned on your inspection that a ceiling tile was stained?

Answer 11

As the valuation was for internal accounting purposes and the staining was found on a singular ceiling tile, I decided I did not need to make an allowance for it.

Question 12

What are the typical phases of investigating contamination?

Answer 12

1. Desktop research
2. Soil sample to investigate the nature of the contamination
3. Remediation report setting out remediation works

Question 13

Are you aware of any incentives for land impacted by Japanese Knotweed?

Answer 13

I understand there is a generous tax incentive for the development of contaminated land. It is called land ‘remediation relief’. It applied to other contaminants such as radon gas and arsenic.

Question 14

What legislation governs Japanese Knotweed?

Answer 14

The wildlife and countryside act 1981

Question 15

Did you devalue the sloped are of the site?

Answer 15

As the planning permission allocated this area of the site to be handed back to the local authority as public open space I did not attribute a value to it.

Question 16

What happens if Japanese Knotweed gets out of control?

Answer 16

It is a criminal offence to let it get out of control and fines of up to £20,000 for businesses or £5,000 per person can be given.

Question 17

Who was the Japanese Knotweed Specialist?

Answer 17

Elcot

Question 18

How would you dispose of Japanese Knotweed?

Answer 18

Remove and dispose off site
Remote and treat on site
Treat and manage in situ

Question 19

What is the purpose of RICS Japanese Knotweed and residential property 2022?

Answer 19

To address and provide guidance on Japanese Knotweed.

Demonstrate the more recent research taking a more holistic view of the plant

Contains a decision tree to help valuers

The new process still produces objective characterisation of Japanese Knotweed.

Question 20

What is waste containing Japanese knotweed policed by?

Answer 20

Environmental protection act 1990

Question 21

What are the four common foundation types?

Answer 21

Strip, piles, raft and pad

Question 22

When would you use pad foundations?

Answer 22

In the construction of steel portal framed building such as industrial units

Question 23

When would you used piled foundations?

Answer 23

When the ground conditions are susceptible to movement or if there is a high water table.

Question 24

When would you use strip foundations?

Answer 24

On low to medium rise residential properties where ground conditions have a good load bearing capacity

Question 25

When would you use raft foundations?

Answer 25

Where the buildings footprint is small and the structural load is not onerous.

Question 26

What is deleterious material?

Answer 26

A building material that degrades age. Most recently, RAAC has been in the press due to its deleterious properties.

Question 27

What are the typical characteristics of a Georgian or Victorian property

Answer 27

Georgian: symmetrical, multi pane sash windows, stone, brick of flint elevations, gabled or hipped roof.
Victorian: typically semi detached or terraced, enters into a seating area, patterned brick, stain glass windows and fireplaces in every room.

Question 28

When inspecting town houses on the Isle of Wight, why did you decide it was unsafe to proceed?

Answer 28

There were no health and safety warning signs, the access seemed unsafe and the internal ladder system did not have any date tags nor did it look safe.

Question 29

The offices in otterbourne, what grade would you consider these to be?

Answer 29

Grade B as they were out of town in a rural location.

Question 30

Did you make an allowance for the stained roof tile in otterbourne within your appraisal?

Answer 30

I did not. The single stained roof tile did not lead me to need to make a monetary allowance however it was photographed and included within the report.

Question 31

What are the typical phase of investigation of contamination?

Answer 31

1. Desktop research
2. Invasive survey - soil sample and investigate nature of contamination
3. Remediation report setting out remedial works

Question 32

What are the three common causes of a building defect?

Answer 32

Movement
Water
Defective/ deleterious material

Question 33

What are the four steps when undertaking an inspection of a property defect?

Answer 33

1. Photograph
2. Follow the trail of suspicion
3. Inform your client
4. Recommend further investigation by a building surveyor

Question 34

What are the 3 different purposes of inspection?

Answer 34

Valuation
Agency
Property management

Question 35

What we’re the main defects found on the residential portfolio in Southampton?

Answer 35

Damp and mould

Question 36

Are you aware of any incentives for Japanese knotweed or other contaminated land?

Answer 36

In understand there is a generous tax incentive for the development of land where contamination is present called Land Remediation Relief.

Question 37

Development land in Fareham, did you devalue the area due to the topography?

Answer 37

I did not apply a value to this area as it was not being developed as part of the planning application.

Question 38

What are the consequences if JKW is out of control, what are the circumstances?

Answer 38

It is a criminal offence with fines up to £2,000 for an individual or £20,000 for a business

Question 39

Who was the JKW specialist in Fareham?

Answer 39

Elcot