Sava Level 6 Surveying key terms

A structured inspection of a building that records its construction, condition and defects element by element, so that repair needs and risks can be prioritised and clearly explained to the client.

A tabulated list of identified faults, each with its location, probable cause, severity and recommended remedy, used to price works and to monitor whether repairs have actually been carried out.

Opening up part of the structure, such as lifting floorboards or cutting a trial hole, to see concealed construction or confirm a suspected defect that surface inspection alone cannot resolve.

An infrared camera technique showing surface temperature differences, which helps reveal hidden heat loss, missing insulation, air leakage or damp patches without cutting into the building fabric.

A schedule of minor unfinished or faulty items recorded at handover of newly built or refurbished property, used to prompt the contractor to complete or correct the work.

Moisture drawn upward from the ground through permeable walls by capillary action, typically showing as a low-level band of damp and salt staining above skirting where damp-proofing is missing or bridged.

Water entering the building envelope from outside through a defect such as failed roof covering, blocked gutter, cracked render or open joint, usually appearing in localised patches that grow after rain.

Moisture in warm air that condenses inside the fabric, such as within a roof or wall build-up, when water vapour reaches a point cool enough for the dew point, hidden from view and often causing decay.

A local area of the building envelope where heat passes more easily than through surrounding fabric, such as a lintel or balcony slab, creating cold internal surfaces prone to condensation and mould.

Decay of timber by the fungus Serpula lacrymans, which thrives in damp, poorly ventilated conditions, spreads through masonry and produces deep cuboidal cracking and a distinctive fruity smell.

A chemical reaction in which sulphates in ground water, soil or bricks react with cement compounds in mortar or concrete, causing expansion, cracking, crumbling and loss of strength over time.

Downward movement of a building's foundations caused by ground losing support, for example through clay shrinkage, mining, leaking drains or poor subsoil, producing cracks that usually widen towards the top.

Upward ground movement that lifts foundations, often when clay swells after trees are removed or soil rehydrates, producing cracks that are typically widest near the bottom of the wall.

The estimated amount for which an asset should exchange on the valuation date between a willing buyer and a willing seller in an arm's length transaction after proper marketing, each acting knowledgeably and without compulsion.

Sale, asking or rental information for similar properties nearby, adjusted for differences in size, condition, location and date, which underpins a supported opinion of value.

The amount needed to rebuild or repair a property to its pre-loss condition, including demolition, site clearance and professional fees, used to set buildings insurance cover rather than to estimate market value.

The floor area of a building measured to the internal face of external walls, including internal partitions, used for comparing residential units and for some valuation and reinstatement calculations.

The statement of the fundamental measurement assumptions underlying a valuation, such as market value or market rent, which must be disclosed so readers understand what the reported figure represents.

A disclosed situation where the valuation is affected by events or market conditions so unusual that the reported figure carries more risk than normal and readers must be warned accordingly.

The state in which a buyer or tenant can occupy the whole property without interference from people or goods, allowing the premises to be used freely from the date of completion.

English legislation governing works to shared walls, excavations near neighbouring foundations and boundary structures, requiring notice and, where owners object, an agreed or appointed surveyor award.

Statutory minimum standards for construction, alteration and change of use covering structure, fire safety, drainage, energy efficiency and accessibility, enforced through approval, inspection and completion certification.

Permission required before altering, extending or demolishing a listed building in a way that affects its special architectural or historic interest, separate from and additional to any planning permission.

UK statute imposing duties on those who build, convert or repair dwellings to do the work properly, and on landlords to keep tenants safe from defects they knew or should have known about.

The time limit within which a claim must be started, commonly six years for simple contract and tort and twelve years for deeds, after which the right to sue is normally lost.

A binding obligation registered against a property that prevents or limits certain uses or building works, and which can override what planning or building control would otherwise permit.

A certificate rating a dwelling's energy efficiency and environmental impact on a scale from A to G, accompanied by improvement recommendations and required when a home is sold or let.

The reduced data version of the Standard Assessment Procedure, which produces an energy rating for an existing dwelling from a survey of its construction, heating, insulation and glazing.

The rate at which heat passes through one square metre of a building element for each degree of temperature difference, so that lower figures indicate better insulation performance.

A measure of how much air leaks through the fabric of a building under test pressure, expressed as cubic metres per hour per square metre, indicating the quality of draughtproofing and construction.

A British standard setting out a risk-based process for retrofitting dwellings, requiring assessment, a whole-dwelling plan, appropriate detailing and evaluation so energy works do not cause damp or other defects.

Regulations that make it unlawful to let certain domestic or non-domestic properties below a set energy performance rating unless a valid exemption has been registered.

A retrofit strategy that improves the building envelope, including insulation, glazing, draughtproofing and ventilation, before adding new heating technology, so equipment is correctly sized and savings last.

The written agreement between surveyor and client setting out scope, limitations, assumptions, fees, timescales and liability, which defines what the instruction does and does not cover.

A situation where a surveyor's personal, financial or other interest could improperly influence professional judgement, requiring disclosure and, usually, withdrawal from the instruction.

Insurance covering a professional firm against claims for financial loss caused by negligent advice, errors or omissions in its work, and required by most professional bodies and lenders.

Failure to exercise the standard of care and skill that a reasonable professional in the same field would show, which causes loss and gives rise to a claim in tort.

The legal and ethical obligation to act with reasonable skill and care towards people who may foreseeably rely on your work, including clients and sometimes third parties.