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RICS APC Building Surveying - Technical Competencies > Mock Interview (PK & Doug) - Competencies > Flashcards

Mock Interview (PK & Doug) - Competencies Flashcards

1
Q

Building Pathology

\what is the definition of subsidence?

A

Sinking of the ground because of underground material movement. It’s due to external factors such as defective drains or tree roots

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2
Q

Building Pathology

What would settlement be; what is the difference between subsidence and settlement?

A

Subsidence is due to external factors where as settlement is a design flaw.

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3
Q

Building Pathology

Have you looked at subsidence issues before; what are the typical symptoms?

A

Tapered cracking
Cracking both internally and externally
Cracks are wider at the top then the bottom

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4
Q

Building Pathology

How are you going to assess that once you suspect that their is subsidence?

A

Monitor for 12 months
Calipers to see if the movement was on-going

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5
Q

Building Pathology

Subsidence - what about further investigations?

A

Dig out around the foundation
CCTV survey of the drains
Check for leaking water/waste pipes
Nearby trees

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6
Q

Sulphate Attack at Withernsea

How was that concluded what happened in the end?

A

Following an on-site inspection I advised my client to remove the floor slab and sub-base.

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7
Q

Sulphate Attack at Withernsea

What was your diagnosis?

A

Visual assumption indicated towards sulphate attack to the concrete floor slab. The slab was at a point in which immediate replacement was required.

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8
Q

Sulphate Attack at Withernsea

Are there any other further investigations you could be doing before going from a visual analysis to breaking out the slab?

A

You could undertake a test. ???

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9
Q

Construction Technology

How do you calculate the u-value?

A

First you work out the R-value of each material by doing the following:

You workout the resistance of a material by dividing the thickness by the thermal conductivity.

The U-value is then worked out by adding up all the total R-value and dividing by 1.

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10
Q

Construction Technology

What checks might you do for a flat roof build-up?

A

U-value
Interstitial condensation

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11
Q

Construction Technology

Did you think the lightweight walls are relevant to a raft foundation?

A
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12
Q

Construction Technology

What is the primary reason you might use a raft foundation?

A
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13
Q

Contract Administration

What is the differences between NEC and JCT?

A

NEC:

Project Manager
Programme always need to be up-to-date
Early Warnings for both PM and Contractor

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14
Q

Contract Administration

You recommended a tender evaluation of 90/10 split. How did you evaluate the quality element?

A

I evaluated the contractor on his employment skills plan, method statement and programme.

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15
Q

Contract Administration

How did you work out the tender evaluation scoring?

A

There’s an equation that you follow i.e:

very good programme you may give them a 9 or 10. Very poor you may give them a 2 or 3.

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16
Q

Contract Administration

Are there any rules outside of the contract that are applicable to payments within construction projects?

A

The ‘Housing Grants, Construction & Regeneration Act 1996’ also known as the ‘Construction Act’

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17
Q

Contract Administration

How does the Housing Grants, Construction & Regeneration Act 1996 affect you in terms of payments?

A

If the work is expected to be longer than 45 days, interim payments must be made under the act.

Under the NEC (21 day cycle)

  1. Contractor submits their application for payment
  2. Over next 7 days, PM assess the application
  3. PM has 5 days as stated in the act to submit their interim payment certificate to the contractor (Notified sum and final date for payment)
  4. 9 days Final date for payment. Final date before a contract can envoke section 112 of the HGCR Act (right to suspend performance due to non-payment)

If the employer/PM fails to provide an interim payment certificate within 5 days of the due date, the contractor application for payment becomes known as a ‘default payment notice’ under the HGCR Act

Assessment Period - 7 days
Prescribed Period - 14 days

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18
Q

Contract Administration

What is a Payless notice?

A

If a client intends to pay less than the sum assessed or provided in a valuation then there is a statutory requirement under the HGCR Act 1996 that any party intending to pay less, has to present a pay less notice.

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19
Q

Contract Administration

You have a job on-site and an interim payment lands on your desk the day you’re due to go on holiday. What is the primary risk under this legislation?

A

Default payment notice.

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20
Q

Design and Specification

Can you tell me the difference between a performance specification & prescriptive specification?

A
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21
Q

Design and Specification- Prescriptive/Performance

What are the pros and cons; when might you use one over the over?

A
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22
Q

Design and Specification

At Hallgate Primary School, you said you did a disabled WC; did you get involved in the drainage?

A

Yes - drainage was already in place.

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23
Q

Design and Specification

Do you get involved in ramps; what is the building regulations requirement for external ramps?

A

Domestic - its Approved Document M Volume 1

Non-Domestic - Its Approved Document M Volume 2

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24
Q

Design and Specification

You said you were involved in specifying some internal work to a corridor; what did you do?

A

To get to one of the classroom you have to pass through another classroom.

The school wanted to introduce a corridor but no impede on the existing classrooms.

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25
Q

Design and Specification - Hallgate

What materials did you specify for the new corridor?

A

30 minute fire performing Knauf Partition Wall System

  • Overall partition width is 102mm
  • 70mm Knauf C Stud at 600mm centres
  • 1 layer of 15mm Knauf Performance Plus boarding to each side
  • 50mm Knauf Insulation Acoustic Roll.
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26
Q

Design and Specification - Hallgate

Did you consider acoustic performance for the classroom?

A

I referred to Building Bulletin 93 and Approved Document E.

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27
Q

Design and Specification - Hallgate

Why did you use timber and not metal stud?

A

Personal preference. I find the C-studs to be quite flimsy and comparable to timber.

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28
Q

Design and Specification - Hallgate

What about services; where they go through the wall how did you seal them??

A

Yes, some services did pass through a compartmentation wall.

I ensured the holes which allowed the services to pass through were sealed using intumescent fillers and sealant.

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29
Q

Design and Specification - Hallgate

How did you specify the fire doors?

A

I specified BM Trada Certified Fire Doors.

The doors specified providing a the contractor with a list of items for the proposed fire doors. It was stipulated that the contractor refers to the Global Assessment to provide a compliant fire door for BM Trada Certification.

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30
Q

Design and Specification - Hallgate

To sign-off completion of the fire doors is there anything in particular you’d be looking?

A

I received a certification for the fire doors

The doors are also stamped to the head of the door.

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31
Q

Design and Specification - Hallgate

Where are the fire doors stamped?

A

Top of the door.

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32
Q

Design and Specification - Hallgate

What are the main components of a fire door?

A
  • Door core
  • Glazing and beads
  • Hinges
  • Intumescent strips and smoke seals
  • Door Closer
  • Handles
  • Locks
  • Signage
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33
Q

Design and Specification - Hallgate

Anything special about the ironmongery?

A

Hinges are to be grade 13 stainless steel

All products to be kitemarked

34
Q

Inspection

You said you’re used to using moisture meters. When might they give a false reading?

A
  1. Ensuring the meter is calibrated before use. Refer to the manufacturer guidance on calibration.
  2. Incorrect use of the equipment i.e. prongs to measure moisture in masonry
  3. Presence of salts
  4. Foil back plasterboard and services
35
Q

Inspection

What are hygroscopic salts?

A

They are salts which absorb water.

36
Q

Inspection

How are you going to separate out what is hygroscopic and what is moisture?

A
37
Q

Inspection

When you say profiling what instruments are using?

A
38
Q

Inspection

How would you prove if it was condensation?

A
39
Q

Legal and Regulatory Compliance

What are the duties of a Principal Designer?

A
  • Compiling the pre-construction information
  • Preparing the health and safety file
40
Q

Legal and Regulatory Compliance

What is in the health and safety file?

A

Everything to do with the project.

  • Project Location and Description
  • Key Dates
  • As built drawings
  • O&M
41
Q

Legal and Regulatory Compliance

What is in a heritage statement?

A
  • It describes the heritage asset, its significance and the proposed works that are being applied for.
  • A Heritage Statement would be required to justify the impact upon the value or ‘significance’ heritage asset and its setting.
42
Q

Legal and Regulatory Compliance

When is it necessary to submit a heritage statement?

A
  • Development to a Listed building
  • Development in the setting/adjacent to a listed building
  • Development to properties (Inc. outline) in a conservation area
  • A development in the setting of, or adjacent to a conservation area
43
Q

Legal and Regulatory Compliance

What is a design and access statement? How does it differ from a heritage statement?

A
44
Q

Works Progress and Quality Management

You said you did some flooring replacement inspections; what was that involved in?

A
45
Q

Works Progress and Quality Management

What did you inspect; what were you looking for?

A
46
Q

Measurement

How do you calibrate a laser tape?

A
  • Check against a known distance.
47
Q

Measurement

How would you measure the verticality of an external wall?

A
  • Count bricks on an average
  • Theodolite
48
Q

Measurement

How would you check if the wall was plumb?

A
  • Cross laser
  • Theodolite
  • Long straight edge
49
Q

Health and Safety

Job at Aldbrough Primary School, you said you prepared the PCI, can you give me some hazards you identified?

A
50
Q

Health and Safety

When you go to site to check the work, what sort of checks are you making?

A
  • Segregation
  • Signage
  • Contractors site set up
  • F10 displayed
  • First Aid
  • Toilet facilities
51
Q

Health and Safety

What you check for if there was scaffolding on-site?

A
  • Scaffold tag (Every 7 days for inspection: HSE)
52
Q

Client Care

Green Lane, what were your clients requirements?

A

The building to be demolished due to coastal erosion and prevent it from falling on to the beach

53
Q

Client Care

Green Lane, what was included in your letter of appointment?

A
  • The scope of work
  • Agreed the timescales
  • Agreed the fee
54
Q

Client Care

Green Lane, in terms of the fee, how was it calculated for this particular job; what basis was the fee?

A

Percentage fee

55
Q

Client Care

What other types of fee have we got?

A
  • Percentage
  • Fixed
  • Hourly
56
Q

Client Care

Can you give me an example of when you might use an hourly rate?

A
57
Q

Data Management

You said you are aware of BCIS, can you tell me how you use BCIS and what you do with the data you get from it to make it more accurate for the jobs you’re doing?

A
  • Time (Inflation)
  • Location
  • Quality
58
Q

Data Management

In terms of data that falls under GDPR, do you come into contact with that data?

A
59
Q

Inclusive Environments

Give me an example of some alterations that you can do to make them more accessible to everybody?

A
  • Accessibility
  • Hearing loop
  • Contrasting colours
  • Wider opening
  • Ramps
  • Landing spaces
60
Q

Inclusive Environments

Where would you go for design guidance on these alterations?

A

Approved Document M Volume 2

61
Q

Sustainable Technology

Give me an example of a sustainable technology

A
  • Photovoltaics
  • Air Source and Ground Source Heat Pumps
62
Q

Rules and Ethics

Give me an example of one of those rules?

A

Professional Competence & Expertise

63
Q

Rules ands Ethics

What do you mean by Professional Competence and Expertise

A
64
Q

Rules ands Ethics

What is the purpose of a responsible principal within a regulated firm?

A

A point of contact between the firm and the RICS

65
Q

Rules ands Ethics

What are the benefits of having a responsible principal?

A

Streamlined service
Makes it easier in terms of communication with the RICS

66
Q

Rules ands Ethics

What is the responsible principals primary role within the firm?

A
  • To provide information requested by the RICS
  • Ensuring that RICS’ professional, technical and ethical standards are applied, upheld and supported by an appropriate assurance framework within a regulated firm.
67
Q

Rules ands Ethics

What is the purpose of the RICS Decision Tree?

A

When you come up with an ethical issue it is a flow chart which helps you.

68
Q

Rules ands Ethics

How many different types of conflict of interest are there?

A

3 types:

  1. Own interest
  2. A party conflict
  3. Confidential Information
69
Q

Rules ands Ethics

Give me an example of a conflict of interest that a surveyor might come across?

A
70
Q

Rules ands Ethics

CPD requirements for full members, what are they?

A

20 hours minimum

10 formal (minimum)
10 informal (minimum)

71
Q

Rules ands Ethics

CPD, anything else we must do on a regular basis?

A

Yes, RICS members must complete CPD relating to ethics every 3 years.

72
Q

Rules ands Ethics

Professional Indemnity Insurance; who does it protect?

A

Firm
Surveyor
Client

73
Q

Rules ands Ethics

How does a firm workout how much Professional Indemnity Insurance it needs?

A

Based off the previous years turnover.

74
Q

Rules ands Ethics (PII)

Give me an example of one of the insurance bands?

A

£100,000 or less turnover is £250,000 minimum level of indemnity cover.

75
Q

Rules ands Ethics

Where would you find a list of firms who could provide a compliant PI policy.

A

RICS website has a list of approved insurers.

76
Q

Rules ands Ethics

In terms of run-off insurance; how long must a firm have run-off cover for?

A

minimum of 6 years.

77
Q

Rules ands Ethics

What is the purpose of run-off cover?

A

If a firm ceases to trade

78
Q

Rules ands Ethics

What value must a firm have for run-off cover?

A

£1,000,000

79
Q

Rules ands Ethics

If you were found guilty of a disciplinary offence by the RICS; give me some examples of the different penalties that could be applied?

A

Fixed penalty
Regulatory Compliance Order
Sanctioning

80
Q

Rules ands Ethics (RICS Penalties)

What if you have done something really bad; what is the ultimate sanction they can make against you?

A

Remove your membership.

81
Q

Rules ands Ethics

Why do the RICS feel it necessary to provide guidance on the use of social media?

A

What you as an individual as member of the RICS can reflect poorly on the profession

82
Q

Rules ands Ethics

Give me an example of something a member could publish that would be found to represent poorly on the RICS?

A

Some form of illegal activity which is published in the media which reflects poorly on the RICS.

RICS APC Building Surveying - Technical Competencies (32 decks)

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