Structural problems can incur significant repair costs which is why our qualified engineer pays particular attention to checking all structures during his inspection. Getting a professional pre-purchase building report can save you thousands. Structural areas checked and reported on include but are not limited to, the below.

Structural Cracking and Movement Across Various Areas

• Roof Structure: Concrete roof slabs.
• Wall Structure: Masonry; external render and stucco; internal solid plaster; internal lath and plaster, plaster sheet and plasterboard.
• Floor Structure: Reinforced concrete construction.

Deformation of Various Load Bearing Structures

• Roof Structure: Roof framing and roofing.
• Wall Structure: Framed and masonry construction.
• Floor Structure: Suspended concrete slabs, suspended timber floors, cantilevers and stairways.

Dampness in Wall and Floor Structures

• Wall Structure: Ceilings, internal walls and external walls.
• Floor Structure: Suspended floors and slab-on-ground construction.

Structural Timber Pest Damage in Structures

• Damage caused to roof, wall and floor structures caused by chemical delignification, fungal decay, borers and/or termites.

Conditions conducive to structural damage can be difficult to identify to the untrained eye. That’s why all of our building inspections are completed by an independent, impartial qualified engineer. Particular areas of interest include, but are not limited to:-

Defective Plumbing and Defective Roof Plumbing and Flashings including:

• Non-existent rainwater goods including flashings, gutters and down-pipes.
• Lack of general storm-water drainage.
• Faulty, decayed or lack of parapet / chimney flashings.
• Cracked or rusted out roof cladding.
• Inadequate pitch / lap of roof cladding / no sarking.
• Damaged vent / flue flashings.
• Damaged ridge cappings, gutters and down-pipes.

Defective / Bridged Damp Proof Course including:

• Non-existent damp-proof course in masonry walls.
• Failed / defective damp-proof course.
• Bridged damp-proof course by earth, mulch, path, floor, rendering, re-pointing and additions.

Shoddy Work including:

• Construction which is obviously unsatisfactory / dangerous.
• Construction which has been built without regard to any recognised standard.
• Repairs to the building structure of a superficial / makeshift nature.
• Materials unsuitable for the purpose for which they were intended.

For the purposes of our building inspections, the building’s finishes are categorized between internal and external elements. They include but are not limited to:-

• Ceilings and cornices for sagging, nails popping, defective lining, cracking and water damage.
• Internal wall finishes (load bearing and non-load bearing walls) for bulging, nails popping, out of plumb, cracking / crazing, loss of adhesion, blowing and pitting, cracked glass blocks and glazed partitions.
• Floor finishes (e.g. polished wood, terrazzo, ceramic tiles or slate for surface cracking / crazing, cracking at doorways, lifting and/or damp damage.
• Floor coverings (vinyl carpet / planking, cork, carpet etc) for wear and tear, lifting and/or damp damage.
• Paintwork for blistering, flaking, cracking, peeling and/or mould growth.
• Windows / window elements for crazing putty, failed glazing seals, broken glass, sash operation, sash fittings and hardware, water staining, rotting wooden frames and/or corroded metal frames.
• Door / door elements for defective door hardware, damaged doors, binding doors, loose / badly fitting doors, corroded and/or rotted frames.
• Fly-screens for fixing, damaged frames and/or damaged screens.
• Architraves / skirtings for fixing and/or water / termite damage.
• Fireplaces / chimneys for broken / missing grates or inserts, damaged timber / stone surrounds, damaged hearth tiles, smoke stains on fireplace openings and/or water stains on chimney breast.
• Kitchen bench tops for damage / delimitation and/or water damage.
• Kitchen cupboards for fixing, fitting / operation of doors, drawers and hardware and/or water damage.
• Kitchen pantry for defective doors and shelves.
• Kitchen tiles for cracking, being drummy / loose, missing / cracked grouting and/or sealant.
• Kitchen paintwork for blistering, flaking, cracking, peeling and/or mould growth.
• Kitchen sink / taps for leaking taps / pic pipes, water damage and incomplete assembly.
• Bathroom floor finish for imperviousness, grade to floor waste and/or water damage.
• Bathroom wall sheeting for fixing, watertight joining and/or water damage.
• Bathroom tiles for cracking, being drummy, fixing, missing and/or cracked grouting / sealant.
• Bathroom paintwork for blistering, flaking, cracking, peeling and/or mould growth.
• WC cistern and bidet for cracking, leaking and/or fixing.
• Taps for operation, leaking and/or incomplete assembly.
• Bath and spa for being adequately sealed and properly recessed at junction with wall, water damage.
• Shower for screen, leakage, leaks and water damage around cracks and shower rose and/or broken glass.
• Vanity for water damage, fixing, leaking trap and/or waste pipe.
• Washbasin for fixing, cracking, leaking trap and/or waste pipe.
• Laundry floor finish for imperviousness, grade to floor waste and/or water damage.
• Laundry wall sheeting for fixing, water-tight joining and/or damage.
• Laundry tiles for cracking, being drummy, fixing, grouting and/or sealant.
• Laundry paintwork for blistering, flaking, cracking, peeling and/or mould growth.
• Laundry washtubs / taps for leaking trap and waste pipe, operation, corrosion of cabinet, incomplete assembly and/or leaking taps.

• Masonry walls ( incl. face brickwork, block work, external render or stucco) for bricks fretting and spalling, mortar eroding, blocked / obstructed weep holes, cracking brick / block work, corrosion of steel framing / lintels and associated cracking, movement, crazing and surface cracking and/or sheet spalling.
• External cladding for wind damage, decayed weatherboards, warping / splitting and/or corrosion.
• Damp-proof course / flashing for fixing, damage, corrosion, being loose and/or dislodged / deteriorated.
• Windows / window elements for gaps to wall structure, sealing to junction between frame and wall, state of glazing putty, weathering, rotted timber and/or corrosion.
• Door steps for damage, cracking and/or cracked thresholds due to bad bedding practice.
• Slab floor finishes (balconies and patios) for damage, lifting and/or cracking.
• Paintwork for effect of lack of painting on water-tightness of external walls and parapets, blistering, flaking, cracking and/or peeling.
• Chimneys for lack of chimney support, continuity and intactness within roof space, intactness above roof line, missing chimney pots / cowls, dislodgement or deterioration of flashings, mortar erosion and/or metal flue corrosion.
• External joinery (e.g. barge boards, gable ends etc) for fixing, badly weathered and/or rotted timbers.
• Garage doors for fixing, badly weathered or rotted timbers, corrosion and/or damage.
• Underside of roofing for corrosion, deterioration ad/or water-tightness.
• Roofing for corrosion, secureness of fixing screws, lifting, damage, water-tightness, pointing, state of ridge tiles, shell ends and/or barge tiles.
• Skylights for leaking and/or damage / corrosion.
• Valleys for fixing and/or corrosion.
• Flashings for being loose, dislodged or deteriorated and/or damaged.
• Rainwater goods ( including gutters, downpipes, and rainwater tanks) for fixing, damage and/or corrosion.
• Eaves linings for fixing and/or damage.
• Roof insulation for fixing and/or damage.
• Roof sarking for fixing and/or damage.
• Vermin proofing / birdproofing (mesh and plates) for fixing, damage and/or corrosion.
• Termite shields for fixing, damage and/or corrosion.
• Small retaining walls (non-structural) for cracking, movement and/or tilting.
• Paths and paving for cracking, breaks and/or evenness.
• Driveways for cracking, breaks and/or evenness.
• Stairs and handrails for corrosion, rotted timber and/or safety.
• Steps for cracking, breaks, evenness and/or safety.
• Fences for fixing, being plumb, cracking and movement, badly weathered or decayed palings, corrosion and/or damage.
• Site drainage for defective piping, possible drainage problems if the inspection is conducted during a prolonged dry spell.