Building Inspection and
Defect Assessment

At OCS Civil and Structural Engineers, we have experience in the assessment of existing buildings and other structures.

We can investigate structural defects or provide general condition surveys for the following purposes:

General structural inspections

Before major work begins on a property or before a property purchase, our qualified structural engineers can conduct an assessment of the building’s structural condition, stability and any defects affecting its performance.

The survey is a non-intrusive visual examination of a property’s structure and condition, including foundations, walls and roofs, to identify any structural issues, defects and potential problems that may impact planned work on the property or present risks to occupants.

  • Inspection and reporting on traditional and non-traditional buildings
  • Assessment of previous structural alterations
  • Reports for mortgage applications and insurance claims

SPECIFIC DEFECT REPORTING

Also known as a Specific Structural Survey or Specific Structural Inspection, a Specific Defect Report is a focussed survey to assess a particular problem or suspected problem with a building’s condition or structure.

Unlike a full structural condition survey, the purpose of this specific defect assessment is to investigate a single problem in detail, such as:

  •     A crack in a wall
  •     Roof damage
  •     A suspected structural fault within a floor structure.

We then provide a clear explanation of the cause, severity, and recommended next steps.

Class Q and other planning reports

We can assess structural matters relevant to the planning requirements for development and provide supporting information where required, including:

  • Planning permission structural reports
  • Permitted development structural reports

Statement of Structural Adequacy Reports

After remedial work to fix structural problems has been completed, we can assess the building and provide a written professional opinion on structural adequacy for the stated purpose, based on a visual inspection of accessible areas and available information.

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