A vacant parcel of land in Essex was ripe for development to provide a residential refuge for women and children with support needs requiring temporary accommodation. It consists of 5 self contained 1 and 2 bedroom flats with a communal lounge and office for 24hr support for East Thames Group.

Existing domestic garages to the rear of an established Housing Estate made way for this single storey building providing 6 self contained flats for people with learning difficulties and included a staff office, sleepover room with en-suite shower facilities and communal room. It was developed for East Thames and included extensive communal gardens provided for the benefit of the residents.

Godstone Road is a scheme of 12 self contained flats split between two detached buildings one being three storey and the other four storeys due to the sloping site formerly occupied by a large detached house. It had a project value £1.6M
 

This £1.9M scheme was to deliver 20 one and two bedroom flats for a Shared Ownership as part of a larger residential/commercial development for East Thames Group. The seven storey block of flats was constructed using a bison concrete frame clad in coloured metal panels. To achieve Planning Conditions for car parking a Katopark car stacker was used.

An extensive, modern residential apartment block, the buildings had been finished with a proprietary ‘thin coat’ render system, coloured white. The Directors were concerned that after 10 years the buildings were not keeping their appearance and that many water leaks were reported.

This luxury apartment block is approximately 10 years old. It was designed with the objective of low maintenance. Building materials were used that supported this concept. However, it is a mistake to believe nothing needs to be done. Low maintenance does not mean no maintenance.

A 1960’s residential apartment block. The residents were becoming increasingly concerned about the unexpected costs they had to pay out for adhoc building repairs. An example was water leaking into top floor apartments due to deterioration of the flat roof coverings and the ensuing costs and disruption. They felt they did not have an understanding of the state of their building; they could not plan maintenance or budget.

This prestigious property in Docklands is a modern apartment complex with in excess of 400 flats.  It has brickwork elevations, flat roofs and powder coated aluminium windows, doors and trims.  The internal common parts are extensive but are similarly unfussy.  As would be expected in such a building there is a substantial amount of M&E. It could be assumed that there is little to be done to maintain such a building. 

Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors completed a Condition Survey and compiled a detailed ten year Asset Management Plan for this major further education college with an estate ranging from the Grade II listed main building to 1950’s and 70’s multi storey buildings and a new wing constructed in 2002.

A very large apartment block in Docklands has a considerable amount of rainscreen cladding to the elevations.  This type of cladding has powder coated surfaces and many seams, mastic joint seals, gaskets, pop rivets and weep holes all of which have periodic maintenance and renewal needs.  Metcalfe Briggs used a large cherry picker to reach the ‘nooks and crannies’ of each elevation so that all building elements could be identified, the quantity accurately assessed and the maintenance regime defined.

A high rise apartment complex in Docklands presented particular difficulties to survey and complete a Asset Management Plan.  Tiered roof balconies and rising to 16 storeys meant external access using scaffold or a cherry picker was physically and economically impossible.  Instead rope access was chosen to get close to the elevations to understand the building’s construction and condition.

This important Further Education College was considering selling its site within three years but needed to maintain its estate in the meantime without unnecessary expenditure.

A new development, a local authority Welcome Centre was to be built next to the Adjoining Owner’s site comprising residential care home flats.  Although there were no boundary structures the new development required foundations deeper than those of the flats.

Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors were instructed to act as Party Wall Surveyor for the proposed retrofit in a two storey terraced house in Becton.   The works entailed the introduction of a mezzanine floor in the roof space, requiring supporting beams from the party walls and raising of the roof, a party structure between the adjoined properties.

A party fence wall between two owners had become unstable due to the construction and lack of foundations. The Building Owner had decided to take the wall down and re-construct. However, a detailed design and agreement on the reinstatement works was required beforehand. Following detailed investigations by East Thames, an engineer and Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors, a proposed scheme for repair was agreed.

Acting for the Building Owner, six parties with a party wall interest were identified to either side of this Victorian house development into three flats. After serving Notices, three separate surveyors were appointed representing the Adjoining Owners.

As Building Owner, our District Council client wanted to demolish all buildings on two sites ready for redevelopment. Being surrounded by separate businesses, they were concerned to respect any Party Wall matters.

A mansard roofed new flat was to be added to the top of the conversion of this Victorian house. This required the use of a wall that had been previously raised by the adjoining property to enclose the new flat. As Building Owner’s surveyor we established this was a party wall.

Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors agreed a Party Wall Award with the Building Owner’s surveyor. Subsequently it was found that the Building Owner’s obligations had been breached. Unauthorised scaffold and building materials had been placed on the Adjoining Owner’s land and an access cut through a boundary wall from our client’s land.

A significant loft conversion was proposed to this semi-detached property. Being on good relations with his neighbour, the Building Owner wished a surveyor to act in a co-ordinated manner for both parties.