Periodic Maintenance Inspection

Even apparently well-maintained buildings and structures can suffer from deterioration of the fabric and defective items such as gutters, roof coverings and joinery, which if left unattended will go on to become very expensive and complicated problems to manage and rectify.  As well as directly affecting the integrity of the fabric, poorly maintained buildings can also suffer a lowering of their capital values.

Periodic maintenance inspections can help keep buildings in good condition by ensuring that defects are identified before they get to a stage where they become larger problems with more serious and costly impacts on the structure.  By spreading and evening-out housekeeping and related costs it is also possible to make best use of capital and other tax allowances in many circumstances.

Maintenance inspections are based on a visual survey of the property and primarily look at the external fabric.  This will include the main envelope as well as ancillary items such as gutters and downpipes where these are considered to be the main risk areas.  Where defects are encountered we try and determine the cause of such problems and that can enable us to recommend the appropriate follow-on repair or replacement action may be required.

As with a full condition survey we look at each building holistically, where the construction methods and materials are considered along with its age, and how it may have changed, been altered or adapted over the years.  We view each property as an historical structure with all the problems and foibles that arise with time and the use of what are now generally considered as archaic building methods, vernacular materials and styles which can be causing on-going damage.

As part of the maintenance survey a schedule of defects is prepared, and from that detailed repair specifications can be prepared and either put out to tender or the work undertaken by retained contractors.  This ensures that work is carried out to the appropriate standard for the situation at a known and controlled cost and also helps to forecast future outlays for more major replacement blocks of work.