Inspection of buildings and structures is a procedure for checking structures for actual technical condition and maintaining operational properties. The assessment is carried out in order to monitor the condition and identify the need for repairs or restoration work.
What is the difference between examination and examination
The technical inspection of buildings and structures should not be confused with an examination of the industrial safety of buildings. The latter is carried out at facilities associated with hazardous production and is subject to mandatory registration with Rostekhnadzor. It can be carried out only by specialized organizations that have the appropriate license to carry out these works, issued by Rostekhnadzor, and in accordance with certain regulatory documents. These primarily include the Federal Law "On Industrial Safety of Hazardous Production Facilities". The new edition of the rules for the examination came into force on January 1, 2014. The results of the technical examination are subject to mandatory registration with Rostekhnadzor. Supervisors oblige to conduct a technical inspection of industrial facilities every 5 years.
Inspection of buildings is an independent inspection of the state of structures and engineering systems, carried out on a voluntary basis. In fact, it is a collection of information about the technical condition of structures at the moment to determine the need for repair, the possibility of reconstruction or assessment of the market value of the object.
When to inspect buildings
The need for an examination may arise for various reasons. The acquisition of a building in the property involves the investment of a large amount. A preliminary examination of the condition of the building will help to obtain an objective understanding of its technical condition and save it from additional waste of time and money in the future.
In this case, it is possible to determine the degree of physical deterioration of the entire building or individual structural elements and establish the actual value of the object.
Inspection of an unfinished or fire-damaged facility
When purchasing an unfinished object, it is advisable to conduct a thorough examination of the condition of the building in order to determine the further front of work. After the audit, it will be clear whether the building needs repair and to what extent, whether reconstruction is needed, or cheaper and easier to demolish it and build a new one.
Checking the condition of the structure will adequately assess the possibility and necessity of reconstruction or repair. For example, a fairly common practice of buying a house after a fire in some cases may require a survey of the condition of the building to determine an adequate price and the feasibility of reconstruction work.
Technical inspection of buildings and structures will help in planning reconstruction of an unfinished or fire-damaged facility. It will give an objective assessment of the condition of the supporting structures, their supporting resource and stability.
Inspection before repair or reconstruction
When planning reconstruction, modernization of a building or major repairs, it is recommended to conduct a survey of building structures. The need for this procedure is dictated by the design features for carrying out these works.
Designing a new building is an easier task than planning work with an existing facility. In this case, inspection and technical examination of buildings and structures is carried out in order to determine which structural elements of the building need to be replaced or reinforced, what changes will be made in the layout of the premises.
When designing, you can change the functional purpose of the object, expand or reduce the area depending on the wishes of the owner. Technical inspection of buildings will make it possible to determine the level of permissible increase in the load on the supporting structures during the redevelopment or superstructure of the building.
The resumption of construction and installation works after a long break also requires a preliminary survey to determine the current state of the building and determine the appropriateness of continuing work.
Deformation and damage to structures - an occasion for examination
The appearance of defects or damage in structures, the occurrence of deformation changes during the operation of the building is the basis for a thorough examination.
Construction inspection of buildings is carried out to identify design flaws, violations of building codes and low-quality work. In this case, it is possible to detect marriage, hidden flaws, cases of using low-quality materials.
The examination will help identify the culprits of the damage to buildings. Damage can result from the fact that the design or construction work was carried out illiterate or neglected, there was a fire or flooding, global repairs were carried out in the adjacent room or building, leading, for example, to the deformation of the soil base. A well-conducted examination will make it possible to identify the degree of damage, recover money through the court, and determine the possibility of further operation of the building.
A survey is necessary for buildings that have been damaged in natural or man-made disasters. It will provide an opportunity to assess the condition of the building, the possibility of its further use, the need and scope of repair and restoration work.
Building Inspection - Stages
A full examination of buildings and structures includes three interrelated stages: preparation, visual inspection and a detailed examination. In some cases, it is enough to carry out the first two stages, since the latter involves the use of special equipment and, therefore, additional cash costs. The need for a detailed examination is determined by a specialist and assigned if a visual examination could not fully identify all the problems.
To examine the structure more thoroughly and efficiently, a thermal imager is used - special diagnostic equipment that captures a change in the temperature level. With it, you can detect defects hidden from the eyes, perform an analysis of malfunctions in the building structures. The operation of this device is based on recording images in infrared rays.
Preparation for the survey of the structure
In the course of preparation, the specialist acquaints himself with the object itself, design and executive documentation and all available records of previously performed repair or reconstruction works, as well as previous examinations. Studying the documents allows obtaining information about the design and construction time, erection technologies, materials used, possible deviations and changes of the project, data on operating conditions and defects and damages that appeared during its construction. In the absence of the necessary documentation, measurements are taken and a drawing is created. Based on the technical specifications received, a work program is compiled.
Preliminary inspection and detailed examination
Visual inspection includes inspection of the entire building and individual structural elements. In this case, measuring instruments and tools are used. A description of the identified problems with recommendations for their elimination is made.
If during the visual inspection significant damage is revealed that reduces the strength of the structure and individual elements, or the inability to fully study the structures, a detailed examination is recommended. Special equipment is used for it, samples of building materials are taken for laboratory study.
When the technical inspection of the buildings is completed, a technical report is drawn up, which contains all the data obtained and the results of the survey, recommendations for eliminating the problems identified, possible options for strengthening the structure.