This cpd session is focused on traditional buildings.   Old buildings are different to new buildings in many ways and they can move, crack and distort quite easily.  Clients might be worried and as professionals we need to be able to understand what we are looking at and when a crack, or other symptom of movement, might be something which needs an intrusive repair.

By the end of this cpd session you will be able to do and know the following..:

• Understand how and why buildings may sometimes crack or move
• Diagnosis and decision making leading to options for the client
• Have a greater awareness of what is serious, and what isn’t
• How to use photos in your report
• Have better confidence in yourself
• Understand about writing a professional and well presented report for your client

Content

This course will cover many issues including..:

• What does the client really need to know?
• Understanding the building and its context
• Consequences of alterations and additions
• Subsidence, and how it is different to other types of structural movement
• Drains failures
• Impact of trees
• Monitoring options
• Recommendations and prioritising actions the client should take

With specific reference to older buildings, we will look at the inspection process, diagnosis, decision making and report writing.  Develop a decision-making process that leads to justifiable, practical and pragmatic advice for clients.

A structural inspection within a building survey should be far more than simply seeing a crack or a bowing wall and immediately creating considerable concern of a structural failure.  The client expects more than this snap judgement.