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This page aims to describe the obvious defects, explain the identifiable risk of those that may be hidden and to assess the suitability of the land for development. Advice will be given on the development potential of the site, the legal constraints and opportunities of the site.
The building on site is in poor condition. There was also some signs of poor repairs which can cause further defects. It is recommended to demolish the existing building and rebuild.
The adjoining neighboour's right to light should be considered in the proposed development. The drainage systems must also be considered at the earliest stages of a project. You are not allowed to artificially channel water in a way that will cause damage to your neighbour’s land.
An inappropriate mortar mix has been used to re-point the original stonework. Stronger mortars are brittle and more suseptible to shirnkage cracking. The shrinkage of mortar has allowed rain penetration and this increases the potential for frost attack and salt-related defects. The render has also blown in parts along the lower section of wall, revealing the stonework underneath. The failure of the rendering on the stonework indicates the use of a too strong mix.
One of the steel columns has buckled, this could be due to an increase in the load applied to the column. There is cracking in the concrete block walls which suggests that the property has inadequate foundations. This may have led to structural movement which has caused the cracking. Thermal movement in the superstructure may also have caused the cracks.
The dual-pitched roof consists of a series of steel roof trusses. Steel trusses are triangulated plane frames to which the roof covering is fixed. These were used for industrial buildings up to the 1970s. They are also stronger than timber and are often preferred for long span roofs. The roof covering is in a serviceable condition and no deterioration of the roofing material was noted. However, the GRP roofing sheets were covered in moss which retains water and if left for long periods, it can lead to roofing problems.
There was significant damage to the lower section of the concrete block wall. This reveals the mixture of brick and stone masonry used and suggests the use of inappropriate materials. The damage also indicates structural movement. This could be caused by moisture movement, exposure to wet/dry periods may lead to moisture shrinkage, especially in concrete. Additionally, the shallow foundations may have contributed to the structural movement.
Created by: Laura Johnson Marchisella
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