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EH RICS APC > Inspection > Flashcards

Inspection Flashcards

(58 cards)

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1
Q

What is the suggested 4 step process of an inspection?

A
  1. Consider personal safety
  2. Inspect the local area
  3. External inspection
  4. Internal inspection
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2
Q

What should you take on an inspection?

A

Mobile phone
Camera
Tape measure/laser
File, plans and other info
PPE - hi vis, gloves, goggles, ear defenders, hard hat, steel toe shoes
Pen/paper, iPad

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3
Q

What considerations of the local area could be made?

A

Location, local facilities, public transport, businesses
Contamination, environmental hazards, flooding, substations, power lines
Comparable evidence - local market conditions

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4
Q

What should you note on external inspection?

A

Method of construction
Repair and condition of exterior
Car parking, access arrangements
Defects/structural movement
Site boundaries on Ordnance Survey map or title plan
Ways to date the building - historical records, client, architectural style, date of planning consent

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5
Q

What to note on Internal inspection

A

Layout and specification
Repair and maintenance
Defects
Services - age and condition
Statutory compliance - asbestos, building regs, H&S, Fire Safety
Fixtures and fittings
Improvements
Compliance with lease

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6
Q

What are some methods of construction?

A

Traditional - onsite using brick, steel, concrete
Prefabrication - manufacturing offsite and then assembled
Modular - offsite but complete with fixtures and fittings then assembled usually for resi
Steel frame - steel columns and beams can be assembled quickly, usually industrial+ high rise
Concrete frame - using concrete framework, columns and beams. Very strong and versatile for all uses
Green construction focuses on minimising environmental impact

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7
Q

What are the different purposes of an inspection?

A

Valuation - Understand the factors that can influence a valuation including location, defects, condition, form of construction
Property Management - check lease compliance, statutory compliance, state of the building, need for repairs
Agency (marketability issues) - consider current condition, repair, maintenance, presentation, marketability

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8
Q

What are the 4 common forms of foundation?

A
  1. Trench or strip - generally used for residential for walls and close space columns
  2. Raft - a slab foundation over site to spread load of lightweight structures for sandy soil conditions
  3. Piled - long and reinforced concrete cylinders in the ground. used for less good load bearing condition or high loads
  4. Pad - slab foundations under individual or groups of columns to spread load evenly
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9
Q

What is solid wall construction?

A

Simplest type of wall, constructed with solid brickwork, at least 1 thick

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10
Q

What is cavity wall construction?

A

Two layers of brickwork tied together with a cavity that can be filled with insulation

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11
Q

What is a stretcher brick?

A

Brick laid horizontally with the long side exposed outwards

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12
Q

What is a header brick?

A

A brick laid flat with the short end exposed

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13
Q

What is efflorescence?

A

White marks caused by salts in the brickwork reacting with water

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14
Q

What is spalling?

A

Damaged brickwork where the surface starts to crumble because of free/thaw action in winter.

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15
Q

How are shops usually constructed?

A

Either steel or concrete frame.
Services capped off
Concrete floor and no suspended ceiling
Let in a shell condition ready for retailer fit out

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16
Q

How are offices constructed?

A

Either steel or concrete frame
Concrete has more columns, lower floor heights and shorter span between columns
Steel have less columns and wider span between

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17
Q

What are the current institutional specifications for offices?

A

1 cycle space per 10 staff
1 shower per 100
Ceiling heights 2.6-2.8m
maximised opportunities for daylighting
Full access raised floors
Air con
Double glazing
Passenger lifts
8m2-10m2 workspace density

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18
Q

What are the different air conditioning systems?

A

VAV - variable air volume. Expensive but flexible
VRV - Variable Refrigerant Volume
Heat recovery systems
Comfort cooling
Mechanical ventilation - fresh air moved around building

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19
Q

What are the different types of office fit out?

A

Shell and core - common parts of building complete, office floor left to fit out by occupier
Category A fit out- Grade A specs
Category B fit out - complete fit out to occupiers requirements

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20
Q

How are industrial/warehouses normally constructed?

A

Usually steel portal frame with steel cladding walls and roofs

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21
Q

What are the standard specs for warehouse/industrial buildings?

A

Minimum 8m eaves height
5-10% office content WC facilities
Main services capped off
Full height loading doors
Approx 40% site cover

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22
Q

What is an inherent defect?

A

A defect in the design or material which has always been present

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23
Q

What is a latent defect?

A

A fault to the property that could not have been discovered by a reasonably thorough inspection of the property.

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24
Q

What should you do if you identify any building defects?

Study These Flashcards
A
  1. Photograph defect
  2. Try to establish cause of damage
  3. Inform client of your investigations
  4. Recommend advice from a building surveyor or structural engineer if needed
24
What are 3 common causes of defect?
1. Movement 2. Water 3. Defective/deterioration of building materials
24
What is the purpose of snagging?
Identifying issues and faults in a newly built home to be picked up by the builder
25
What is subsidence?
Vertical downward movement of a building foundation. Could be result of changes in ground conditions
26
What is heave?
Expansion of ground beneath the building. Could be caused by tree removal and subsequent build up of moisture
27
What might cause horizontal cracking in brickwork?
Indication of cavity wall tie failure in brick wall
28
When does shrinkage cracking occur?
Often occurs in new plasterwork during drying process
29
What else can cause cracks?
Thermal expansion/movement Differential movement
30
What is wet rot?
It is caused by damp and timber decay. Signs are wet/soft timber, fungal growth and damp smell
31
What is dry rot?
Caused inside by fungal attack. Signs include fungus growth, cracking paintwork, crumbling of timber
32
Where does rising damp stop?
Usually around 1.5m above ground level
33
What caused condensation?
Lack of ventilation and background heating. Signs include mould and water on inside of walls and windows
34
What are some common building defects in period/older buildings?
Dry rot, wet rot, tile slippage, water ingress, structural movement
35
What are common defect in modern industrial buildings?
Roof leaks around roof lights, damaged cladding panels, corrosion, water damage from poor guttering
36
What are common defects in modern office buildings?
Damp penetration at roof, water damage from burst pipes or AC, structural movement, damaged cladding, cavity wall tie failure, poor mortar joints at brickwork
37
What is included in the RICS Guidance Note Contamination, Environment and Sustainability 2010?
Surveyors must understand their obligations, responsibilities and comply with the law General principle is the polluter or landowner pays for remediation Desk top study can show previous uses, local history etc Contamination can exist due to heavy metals, radon, methane, diesel Signs of contamination include evidence of chemicals, oils. oil drums, underground tanks, bare ground
38
What are signs of contamination?
Evidence of use of chemicals, oils, oil drum, underground tanks and bare ground
39
What are the 3 phases of contamination investigation?
1 Review site history with desk top study and site investigation 2. Investigation to identify nature and extent of contamination with detailed soil samples using bore holes 3. Remediation report setting out options and monitoring. Suggest specialist report if there are concerns of contamination.
40
How would you value a site with contamination?
1. Do not provide advice until specialist report completed 2. Caveat advice with a disclaimer highlighting the contamination issue and assumptions 3. Deduct remediation costs from the gross site value.
41
What assistance is there for contaminated land?
Land Remediation Relief is a tax relief for contaminated or derelict land allowing companies to have a tax deduction to cover expenditure in remediating contaminated land.
42
What are deleterious materials?
Materials that can degrade with age and cause structural problems. Indications include brown staining on concrete frame buildings. Materials include - high alumina cement, woodwool shuttering, calcium chloride.
43
What are hazardous materials?
Materials that are harmful to health. Include asbestos, lead, radon gas.
44
What is Japanese knotweed?
An invasive plant which can damage hard surfaces like tarmac and foundations. It is not easy to control and is costly to eradicate
45
What is the impact Japanese knotweed can have?
It can damage foundations and tarmac. It spreads quickly and is difficult and costly to eradicate. property lenders may refuse a loan if it is present.
46
How is Japanese Knotweed removed?
Needs chemical treatment, digging out and removed to a licenced landfill.
47
What is the RICS guidance for Japanese Knotweed?
Provides guidance on best practice. Includes a decision tree to help valuers determine appropriate management approach.
48
What is the punishment for allow it to spread?
It is a criminal offence and can result in fines or prison sentence.
49
What are the importance of desk top surveys/inspections?
Ensure safety - can check the safety of the location and what hazards might be including asbestos etc. How you can get to and access site. Context - understand the wider area, other businesses, transport links Legal elements - check plans to know the boundaries, adjoining owners etc.
50
How might inspections differ for different purposes?
Valuation mostly concerned with the property in its current state. Lease renewals might be checking condition of property, how the tenant is maintaining it and meeting lease obligations. If they are not then may decide against renewal Rent review - may check for alterations that do not have LL approval. Property management - concerned with repair and safety, security of the property.
51
What is IPMS all buildings?
Replaced previous IPMS documents. Need to use IPMS for all buildings.
52
What is difference between IPMS 3 and NIA?
IPMS usable floor area replaced NIA for office space. Main differences are measuring to IDF and including columns, party walls and areas with less than 1.5m height that were previously omitted.
53
How have you applied Surveying Safely in your approach to inspecting a potentially dangerous site?
Ensured I undertook risk assessment Attended site with colleague Followed safety protocol and rules on site Wore PPE Signed in and out of site
54
What advice did you provide the client for Stanage Avenue?
I advised them that the property did not meet the brief which was specifically for houses that would be ready to move into immediately without requirement for much works. The property did need work and there were many other better properties on the market.
55
A site subject to squatters is high risk, did you take any extra precautions?
Did a risk assessment, attended with colleague and member of council security team, wore PPE, specifically gloves due to sharps, broken glass etc.
56
What security was in place before and after at Chorlton?
Afterwards ensured it was visited and monitored frequently, installed steel panel doors to entrances and windows were all boarded up. New security alarm system was installed. Prior I think it was just whatever we inherited from the leisure centre so padlocks, some alarms, regular locked doors.

EH RICS APC (20 decks)

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