Inspection

Question 1

What are the different reasons for property inspection?

Answer 1

Valuation (valuation influencers)
Property management (policing the lease)
Agency (marketability issues)

Question 2

What reasons have you conducted inspections?

Answer 2

Valuation, agency (for development land).

Question 3

What procedures do you follow when conducting an inspection?

Answer 3

Consider personal safety + initial dd
Inspection of local area
External inspection
Internal inspection

Question 4

What are your company’s H&S procedures?

Answer 4

Follow lone working policy
Undertake desktop risk assessment

Question 5

How do you adhere to RICS Surveying Safely 2nd Edition 2018?

Answer 5

I ensure that I am a safe person, and ensure the appropriate PPE I worn on site by both myself and others.

Question 6

How familiar are you with RICS Surveying Safely 2nd Edition 2018?

Answer 6

Sets out basic good practice principles for management of H&S for firms and members.

Question 7

Structure of Surveying Safely 2018 document:

Answer 7

1. Personal responsibilities
2. Assessing hazards and risks
3. Workplace H&S
4. Occupational hygiene and health
5. Visiting sites
6. Fire safety
7. Residential property surveying
8. Procurement and management of contractors

Question 8

What are the key factors to note when inspecting a property?

Answer 8

For valuation – location, tenure, forms of construction, defects, current condition.

Question 9

Why is it important to record all inspections using notes and photographs?

Answer 9

Able to describe in greater detail and include in valuation report to be clearer to the client.

Question 10

How do you ensure that all inspections are recorded correctly?

Answer 10

Clear note taking and lots of pictures taken which can be recorded and filed

Question 11

What do you do to ensure that you are up to date with the latest regulations and guidance

Answer 11

Attend CPD on inspection

Question 12

What would you take on an inspection?

Answer 12

PPE, Camera, disto, notepad and charged phone.

Question 13

What is the step-by-step process in which you would undertake an inspection?

Answer 13

Consider safety
Inspect local area
External inspection
Internal inspection

Question 14

What do you consider when inspecting a building externally?

Answer 14

Defects in brickwork
Car parking
Loading arrangements
Check site boundaries

Question 15

What do you consider when inspecting a building internally?

Answer 15

Layout and specification
Defects
Services age and condition
Statutory compliance
Fixtures fittings and improvements.

Question 16

How do you conduct a safe inspection?

Answer 16

Part 6 of the surveyign safely guide

Question 17

Why PPE required?

Answer 17

To ensure the safety of surveyors whilst inspecting.

Question 18

What are the four common types of foundation?

Answer 18

Trench
Pad
Piled
Raft

Question 19

What are the different types of brickwork / wall?

Answer 19

Solid wall
Cavity wall
Bricks = stretcher or header.

Question 20

How can you tell if there is a cavity wall?

Answer 20

No headers used.
Air brick or weep holes may be seen.

Question 21

What would you typically see in an industrial Grade A specification?

Answer 21

Min. 8m clear eaves.
30kn/m2 floor loading
LED lighting
Full height loading doors
3 phased power.
5-10% office content.

Question 22

Define latent and inherent defect

Answer 22

Inherent defect – defect in the design / material which has always been present.

Latent defect – fault in property that could not have been recently discovered on inspection

Question 23

What are the three most common causes of defect?

Answer 23

Water
Movement
Non performance / deterioration of materials.

Question 24

What are the different types of movement?

Answer 24

Subsidence – vertical downwards movement of foundation
Horizontal cracking in brickwork – cavity wall tie failure
Shrinkage cracking – cracking in plasterwork during drying process.
Heaving - building increases in height

Question 25

What are the different types of damp? Where could they come from?

Answer 25

Wet rot – caused by damp and timber decay. Dry rot – caused by fungal attack. Rising damp – usually stops 1.5m above ground. Condensation – caused by lack of ventilation. Damp also caused by leaking plumbing/AC.

Question 26

What is a deleterious material? Some examples

Answer 26

Material that can degrade with age and cause structural problems. 1. RAAC (reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete) 2. High alumina cement 3. Woodwool shuttering.

Question 27

What is a hazardous material? Some examples

Answer 27

Material harmful to health. 1. Asbestos 2. Lead piping/paint

Question 28

What is Japanese Knotweed? How would you identify it?

Answer 28

Is a plant with green/red stem and white flower. Invasive plant that can damage hard surfaces.

Question 29

How must it be disposed of?

Answer 29

Chemical treatment, digging out and removing and placing in a licensed tip.

Question 30

What are the penalties of allowing JK to spread?

Answer 30

£5k or 6 months prison.

Question 31

How identify 1990's building

Answer 31

move from minimalism to more decorative architecture including lots of curvature

Question 32

3 types of movement

Answer 32

Subsidence heave thermal movement

Question 33

What is cut-edge corrosion

Answer 33

On industrial metal sheets - paint the sides but the thin ends aren't painted and begin to corrode.

Question 34

How would you review the condition of a roof and recommend works?

Answer 34

I would advise that a Client instruct a building surveyor to undertake the works as I am unqualified to do so.

Question 35

When did you reference the H+S act 1974? What is it?

Answer 35

Primary piece of legislation in Great Britain covering occupational Health and Safety.

Question 36

What is spalling?

Answer 36

Damaged brickwork where the surface of bricks crumbles due to freeze/thaw

Question 37

What is the standard institutional specification for retail units?

Answer 37

1. Main sales area 2. Ancillary area for storage or stock or office space 3. Staff toilets Retail institutional spec no longer static as constant changing needs and requirements for occupiers.

Question 38

Where is Japanese knotweed commonly found?

Answer 38

Embankments

Question 39

What do you look out for when conducting an external inspections?

Answer 39

Method of construction repair and condition of exterior car parking/access/loading defects site boundaries ways to date building

Question 40

What do you look out for when conducting internal inspections?

Answer 40

Layout and specification repair and maintenance defects services statutory compliance fixtures fittings imrovements lease obligation compliance

Question 41

What is the purpose of an interim schedule of dilapidations?

Answer 41

Formal document issued by the Landlord to a tenant during a term to highlight specific areas of concern regarding the properties condition and highlighting the tenants repair obligations.