Inpsection

Question 1

Foundations

Answer 1

Shallow:
Strip - used for resi/walls/columns close together, most soil but especially good, light loads
Raft - poor soil eg. remediated land and sandy soil, spread over whole site
Pad - slab system under individual columns to spread load
Deep:
Pile - 3x breadth, goes through weak strata to firmer soil/rock, columns steel/reinforced concrete/timber

Question 2

Brickwork

Answer 2

215mm x 102.5mm x 65mm
Solid wall
Cavity wall with metal ties - 50-75mm
Stretchers and Headers eg. Flemish
Efflorescence - natural salt and water
Spalling - damage through freezing and thawing

Question 3

Shop Specification

Answer 3

Steel/concrete
Concrete floor and no suspended ceiling
Services capped
Shell condition for tenant fit-out

Question 4

Office Specification

Answer 4

Steel/reinforced contrete (steel less columns & wider span & higher ceiling)
Full access raised floors with floor boxes
Suspended Ceilings
Floor to Ceiling 2.6m
Ceiling void 350mm
Raised floor void 150mm
LG7 compliant lighting
Aircon

Question 5

Types of Aircon

Answer 5

VAV - variable air volume (high cap but flex)
VRV - variable refrigerant volume (low cap, high mainten)
Fan coil - usually 4 pipe (low cap, high oper)
Static cooling - chilled beam & displacement heating
Comfort cooling
Mechanical ventilation
Heating recovery systems
NOTE: R22 refrigerant systems now illegal.
TM44 - air con over 12kW energy must be inspected at least every 5 years

Question 6

Steps when finding a defect in an inspection

Answer 6

1. Take photos
2. Try to establish cause whilst on site
3. Inform client
4. Recommend specialist advice

CONSIDER: warranties from contractor

Question 7

Types of Defects

Answer 7

1. Movement
   - Subsidence (downward movement of foundation cause my loss of support beneath foundation, could e result of changes in underlying ground conditions)
   - Heave (expansion of ground underneath building, could be from tree removal and subsequent moisture build up in soil)
   - Horizontal cracking (may indicate cavity wall tie failure)
   - Shrinkage cracking (in new plastework during drying out)
   - Other cracks due to differential movement e.g. settlement cracks
   - Cracks due to thermal expansion
2. Damp
   - Wet rot caused by damp and timber decay (signs: wet, soft timber, high damp meter readying)
   - Dry rot caused by fungal attack (signs: fungus, strong smell, white strands, red spores, cracked paint, crumbling timber - can destroy timber and masonry)
   - Rising damp stops 1.5m above ground. can be caused by no damp proof course (dpc should be 150mm / 2 bricks above external site)
   - Condensation caused by lack of ventilation and background heating (signs: mould, water on inside window)
   - Can be caused by leaking plumbing/air-con/pipes
3. Defective Building Materials
   - Period buildings = dry rot, wet rot, tile slippage from roof, water ingress from doors/windows,deathwatch beetles, structural movement
   - modern office buildings = damp at roof and ground floor, water damage from burst pipes/air-con, structural movement, damaged cladding, cavity wall tie failure, efforescence, poor mortar joints
   - modern industrial buildings = roof leaks at roof lights, damaged cladding, water damage from poor guttering, cracking in brick work panels

Question 8

Contamination

Answer 8

Environmental Protection Act 1990
- contamination land is where signif pollution of controlled waters or harm is caused or theres a possibility it could be cause
- polluter pays, unless not ppossible then landowner
Signs: previous land use, leaks, contam surface runoff, disposal of waste, demolition of buildings containing contam
Types: heavy metal (arsenic and lead), oil/tar, chemicals, gases, asbestos, radioactive substance, japanese knotweed, unexploded ordance
Investigation:
PHASE 1 - prelim risk assessment (site history) and site inspection
PHASE 2 - further investigation if risks are moderate or high eg. soil samples through bore holes
PHASE 3 - Remediation report with recommendations on mitigation and site remediation
Envrionmental Risks and Global Real Estate 2018
- chartered surveyor should use advice and apply to property activity
- surveyor should not provide advise until specialist report is commissioned, environmental surveyor should advise
- vet prosepctive tenants (envrio mission statement, envrio compliance records
- look out for tenant doing polluting activity, could need to report to a regulator
LRR - tax relief allows company to claim up to 150% cor tax deduction for expenditure in remediating sites

Question 9

Deleterious Materials

Answer 9

• can degrade with age, causing structural problems
• signs: brown staining on concrete framas
• high alumina cement
• woodwool shuttering
• mundic
• calcium chloride

Question 10

Hazardous Materials

Answer 10

Harmful to health
- asbestos
- lead piping/paint
- radon gas
Recommend specialist report
Always check contents of asbestos report/register

Question 11

Disposal of Water

Answer 11

Surface water runs of into water course (soakaway or storm drain)
Foul water drains from soil pipes into a sewerage system
Statutory undertakes own a private sewer from boundary of property

Question 12

Japanese Knotweed

Answer 12

Envrionmental Protection Act 1990
Invasive, damages hard surfaces, hard to control, costly to eradicate
Specialist company must remove and dispose, using chemical treatment, digging and removing to licences landfill
Criminal offense under Wildlife and countryside Act 1981
Authorites can grant ASBO and fines up to £2.5k if landowner ignores it and allows to grow to adjoining land
Other invasives = hogweed, Himalayan Balsam
CASELAW Williams v Network Rail 2017 - network rail had to pay from treating knotweed and diminution of value