The Life of a Building Surveyor – Part 2
In the first blog of this series I talked about getting out of the city and seeing the far ends of the country whilst working as a building surveyor. Whilst Scotland has some of the most stunning natural scenery in the world it also has some very complex and intricate man-made structures which are equally as fascinating.
As the name implies building surveyors are commonly asked to survey and report on the condition of buildings. Such surveys may be instructed to plan the efficient maintenance of a building, to diagnose specific defects or to advise on its condition prior to the buildings purchase or lease. Building surveyors undergo several years of training to carry out such surveys and offer impartial professional advice on repairs, maintenance and alterations.
On a recent warm spring day in Edinburgh I headed to the outskirts of the city to undertake a condition survey to a large commercial unit containing office space, science laboratories and lecture theatres. GLM had been instructed to look at the fabric of the building and make an assessment on its general condition. Our findings were to be used to prepare budgets and prioritise repairs, typically over the next 5 years.
As part of my survey I found myself in one of six plants rooms in the building. A building surveyor’s remit covers building fabric including walls, floors, ceilings and other permanent elements and, in a situation like this, will often complement a survey of the services undertaken by a M&E engineer.
A significant patch of discolouration on the floor pointed to a fault with the pipework. Although this observation did not require any great expertise it nevertheless underlines the benefit of having regular checks carried out by a building surveyor with a keen eye. This procedure can often uncover wider issues which, when identified early, can prolong the life of the asset and ultimately save the client money.
Condition surveys and planned preventative maintenance on any property is important, and often overlooked until it is too late. If you have a query regarding any of the above or indeed any building related issue please do not hesitate to contact GLM.
Neil Dickson
Building Surveyor
Check back mid-June for the next installation.