Surveying an Office Building

Surveying an Office Building

As a commercial building surveyor, you are required to undertake surveys on numerous different property types and these could be for pre-acquisition surveys, schedule of condition, Party Wall Award and schedule of dilapidation. 

The following blog outlines the different types of construction and the various defects which may be found within a modern office building. 

Foundations

The sub-structure of a building is typically hidden from view. A commercial building surveyor should therefore try to obtain as-built information where possible which will assist with identifying the exact construction type. Sometimes the superstructure of a building can assist with identifying the sub-structure, for example a high rise framed building will not have traditional strip foundations, as will likely have special foundations such as piles or pads. In some high rise office buildings, a basement or lower ground floor containing a car park or plant room may be provided which may indicate the type of construction. 

When assessing sub structure defects, it is important to assess the surrounding ground conditions to see if any movement has occurred. Also, by assessing the superstructure for signs of cracks or distortion then this will provide an indication of any issues. Given the nature of office buildings it is likely that any significant cracking will require the input of structural engineer to help diagnose the exact course and appropriate remedial methods. For all types of surveys including schedules of dilapidation, schedules of condition and technical due diligence surveys it is important to appropriately identify these issues. 

Structure and External Wall

Modern office buildings will typically be of steel frame construction, with an external cladding system. Offices which are circa 30-60 years old may be of concrete frame construction. It is important that a commercial building surveyor understands how to identify the type of construction. 

Issues with the structural frame are only likely to occur if there has been significant changes to the ground conditions, or if the structural frame has been insufficiently designed or constructed. Any issue will likely be significant and require the input of a structural engineer. In the 60’s and 70’s certain types of construction and materials were used which could impact the structural integrity of a building such a high alumina cement and calcium chloride additive. These are found in concrete buildings of a certain era and a commercial building surveyor should be aware of these.

There are numerous different types of cladding panels used in office buildings and these can all have varying issues. It is important to understand the make up of the cladding panel to understand the insulation type used, finish etc. Typical issues can be poor restraint back to the structure, issues with spread of flame, poor detailing etc. A commercial building surveyor may need the input of a cladding consultant to provide expert input especially for technical due diligence reports. 

Roof

A high rise office building will likely have a flat roof which will typically be constructed from concrete or a concrete and metal composite system. The buildings have flat roofs as they often are used to locate centralised plant etc. especially where space may be restricted. A commercial building surveyor should be able to identify the construction of an office roof by lifting some of the suspended ceiling tiles on the floor below. It is likely that the roof structure will be similar or the same as the construction as the intermediate floors. 

The types of waterproof system to a roof can vary, although on a flat roof you would typically expect to find a bitumen, felt, single-ply, or liquid plastic coating. The build-up of the flat roof can also differ with the possibility of cold roofs, warm roofs and inverted roofs. 

A commercial building surveyor should take sufficient time to inspect the condition of the roof covering as this can have significant cost implications especially when the commercial building surveyor is assessing for the purpose of completing a technical due diligence survey, schedule of dilapidations and planned preventative maintenance schedule. Tell-tale signs are water ingress which could be identified from staining to ceiling or wall finishes. This may have resulted from poor detailing, blocked rainwater goods/outlets, defective waterproof coating etc. 

Windows and External Doors 

Offices will typically be provided with powdercoated metal framed double glazed windows. Some older offices may contain single glazed metal framed windows, although likely to be pre-1980’s. Doors are likely to be of a similar specification to the windows. Some offices may have glazed curtain walling systems which can provide full height glazing to office accommodation and atrium spaces. 

The factory powdercoated finish can degrade overtime which is typically owing to UV degradation. Where older coatings have been renewed/overcoated then new coatings can flake and look unsightly. The mastic and window gaskets can also degrade and fail overtime and will require renewal. If the double glazing seal fails, then the glazing units will be misted and require renewal. It is important for a commercial building surveyor to try and identify the age of the windows as they typically have a design life of 20-25 years. If they are reaching the end of their design life then there can be a significant cost to replace which would be an important issue to raise if undertaking a technical due diligence survey. Isolated repairs/replacement are important to raise as part of a schedule of dilapidation. 

Internal Finishes

The internal finishes within office accommodation will generally comprise a suspended ceiling which is normally a 600 x 600 metal ceiling grid incorporating either metal or mineral ceiling tiles. Wall finishes are likely to be decorated plaster with decorated joinery. Floor coverings will likely comprise commercial grade carpet tiles. Modern office buildings will incorporate a metal raised access floor to aid flexibility of mechanical and electrical installations. 

Not only is important for a commercial building surveyor to assess the type and condition of the various finishes, they should also take suitable measurements and count quantities to enable them to accurately produce budget costs. This is especially relevant for planned preventative maintenance schedule and schedules of condition. For schedules of dilapidations a commercial building surveyor will also need to review the fit out against any legal documents to understand what elements are tenant alterations and which form part of the landlord’s base build.

External Areas

City centre office accommodation will typically have very limited external areas. A lower ground floor or basement car park may be provided which will typically be of very basic ‘shell’ construction. Out of town office accommodation will have more space and may have large surface car parks and landscaped areas providing areas for occupiers to use. Surface car parks are often finished in tarmacadam or brick pavers. Pedestrian routes and steps may also be brick pavers or paving slabs.

It is important for a commercial building surveyor to inspect external areas as this may assist with understanding why defects have occurred to the office building, for example if trees are growing in close proximity to the building. Typical defects which may be identified to the external areas are undulating and/or worn car park surfaces, damaged external light fittings, cracked paving slabs, faded line markings etc. A surveyor should also try to understand whether there are any issues with the below ground drainage. A commercial building surveyor may be able to identify these by pooling water or staining to adjacent surfaces, or hardstanding may be sunken around drainage. A CCTV survey of the below ground drainage should be undertaken if a surveyor is unsure of the condition, particularly when undertaking a survey for the purpose of a technical due diligence report.