What is Building Pathology?
Building pathology is a holistic approach of studying and understanding buildings, and in particular, building defects and associated remedial action.
Building pathology involves the methodical study of buildings, their components, and environment, to address failures.
Defects can be 'patent' or 'latent'. Patent defects are those which can be discovered by reasonable inspection. Latent defects are those which cannot be discovered by reasonable inspection, for example problems with foundations which may not be apparent.
High Rise Building Inspection
Facade Rectification Works
Defects may occur because of wide a range of issues, such as:
Design Deficiencies
Material
Deficiencies
Specification Problems
Workmanship Deficiencies
Maintenance & Repair Deficiencies
Deterioration
Improper
Use
Environmental & Other External Factors
Why you need us as your Building Pathologist?
When defects become apparent, remedial work may be necessary to correct them. However, this is not always straight forward
It is not always clear what constitutes a defect
It is not always clear what has caused a defect. It may be a combination of design and workmanship deficiencies, or an apparent defect in finishes may actually be caused by a structural problem
It is not always clear where the fault lies, or it may lie with more than one party
The remedial works necessary to correct a defect may be very extensive, complex, costly, time consuming or out of proportion with the nature of the defect itself
Building pathology consists of three primary activities:
Identifying, investigating and determining the nature of building defects
Recommending the most
appropriate course of action
Design, supervision and monitoring of remedial works
Each material or component that makes up a building has its own characteristics and requirements, which can lead to different kinds of failure. These must be investigated and carefully considered in order to diagnose problems and develop an appropriate remedial strategy.
Advantages of having us as your building pathologist:
Provide confidence for a potential purchaser or tenant
Establish liability for dilapidations
Determine stability and risk of failure
Diagnose defects when symptoms appear
Identify and understanding the reasons for present condition
Ensure compliance with legal requirements
Provide a strategy for repairs or maintenance
Provide expert witness evidence
Provide damage assessments following an incident
Assess performance
Provide management solutions
Value remedial works
Backed by over 15 years’ experience of dealing with all aspects of building surveys and investigations, we carry out Visual Inspections, Physical Investigations, Defects Diagnosis and Prepare Reports & Recommendations where necessary, covering issues / services such as:
of component elements, including brickwork and timber works
of external envelope elements such as Cladding works, Glass & Windows and Roof finishes
Including penetrating damp, rising damp, condensation and failure of heating and acoustic insulation
Anthrax in plaster and heavy metals in paint
Wood boring beetle and others
Dry rot and wet rot infection and decay