Building Surveying (TC50290E) - Assignment 1: Defects, Causes & Remedies, Conversion and Adaptation

This assignment explores common building defects, their causes, and remedial solutions. It covers both exterior and interior issues, including cracks, frost attack, rotten doors, sulphate attack, pipe freezing, mould, painting problems, and gaps in parquet flooring. The assignment also discusses constraints placed on proposed designs for conversion and adaptation of a building project, considering design, technical, economic, environmental, time, and legal factors.

Building Surveying and Adaptation
(TC50290E)
Assignment 1
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Table of Contents
Defects, Causes & Remedies.......................................................................................................................4
Outside....................................................................................................................................................4
1. Cracks..........................................................................................................................................4
2. Frost attack..................................................................................................................................5
3. Rotten door..................................................................................................................................5
4. Sulphate attack or efflorescence..................................................................................................7
5. Pipe..............................................................................................................................................9
Inside.......................................................................................................................................................9
1. Mould..........................................................................................................................................9
2. Cracks..........................................................................................................................................9
3. The space between parquet boards.............................................................................................10
4. Painting......................................................................................................................................10
5. Incomplete finishes around the pipes.............................................................................................11
Constraints placed on proposed designs for conversion and adaptation of the project...............................12
References.................................................................................................................................................13
List of Figures
Figure 1- Rotten Door.................................................................................................................................5
Figure 2- Sulphate Attack............................................................................................................................6
Figure 3- Sulphate attack-2..........................................................................................................................7
Figure 4- Incomplete finishing around pipes.............................................................................................10
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Defects, Causes & Remedies
Outside
1. Cracks
There are cracks on the walls in different areas such as cracks on the interior walls which are on the
gyprock and the plasterboard, cracks on the exterior walls in places such as on the external brickwork or
the surfaces of the walls and the cracks in the walls which define the foundation.
Possible Causes for this defect
 Subsidence
When a house is constructed, there is a significant amount of soil that needs to be dug out. When the soil
that has been disturbed starts settling down, it leads to the formation of cracks on the walls.
 The soil which is reactive
There are some types of soils that become expandable when exposed is required. These types of soils lead
to the cracks on the walls.
 The Climatic change
The climatic changes lead in expansion and contraction of the soil and water. These dramatic changes
may lead to the cracks on the walls.
 In case of any construction work nearby
If there is a construction work which is going on in the vicinity, then due to the excessive machinery use
and due to the vibrations, the cracks in the walls occur.
 Degraded construction materials used
The cracks can also occur as a result of degraded materials being used for the construction of the walls.
The wall can become vulnerable to the cracks if the quality of the construction materials is not
maintained.
Remedial Methods and Techniques
 Re-blocking can be used as a method where the deteriorating materials are replaced.
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 Levelling can be used as an effective way for bringing to the original level.
2. Frost attack
The bricks on the walls have undergone frost attack. This defect has taken place on the exposed outer
walls such as the top and the sides of the walls. The exposure of these sides of the walls to the extreme
temperatures lead to the frost attack on these walls.
Possible Causes for this defect
 Wet brickwork
If there is the use of an extensive wet brickwork, the water is retained in the pores of the bricks and due to
the exposure to extensive temperatures, the walls become vulnerable to frost attack.
 Very low (freezing) temperatures
In areas where the temperature is freezing, the walls can become vulnerable to frost damage because the
water content increases when the ice freezes on the bricks. The expansion because of the water can cause
spalling which turns the bricks into crumbing conditions (Buildings Department, 2015).
Remedial Methods and Techniques
 Using of damp proof course technique can be an alternative.
 Facilitating access to high-quality brickwork.
 We should focus on maintenance of mortar joints.
3. Rotten door
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Figure 1- Rotten Door
After inspection it was noted that the doors had undergone both dry rot and wet rot. The paint coatings
had been rugged off due to the attack of the fungus. The timer of the doors had been decayed due to the
presence of excessive moisture.
Possible Causes for this defect
 Fungal attack
The main possible cause for the rotting of the doors can be the fungal attack. The fungus uses the damp or
wet environments as its host and it spreads through the timber of the door and causes the door to rot.
 Presence of excessive moisture
The doors when undergoing a dry rot can be treated and a coating of paint works. But in the presence of
excessive wet environment, the doors can undergo wet rot which is comparatively harder to manage
(Hunt, 2018).
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Remedial Methods and Techniques
 Proper isolation and ventilation of doors should be done.
 The doors should have a membrane which is damp proof.
 The proper coating of paint should be ensured.
4. Sulphate attack or efflorescence
Figure 2- Sulphate Attack
The disposition of sulphate can be clearly found on the front surface of the concrete. At such places, there
is an intensive crack on the concrete, expanded areas and there is a loose hold between the aggregate
materials and the cement. This makes the easy drain of the concrete mixtures from the gaps between the
bricks and it becomes very loose.
Possible Causes for this defect
 Presence of seawater
If the seawater has somewhere come in contact with the concrete mixture or the cement, there is a
possibility of the sulphate attack on the concrete walls.
 Oxidation
When the sulfide minerals present in the clay are oxidized, this reaction results in the production of
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sulfuric acid which in turn possess threat to the concrete as it reacts with it.
 Action of bacteria
If there are any sewers present in the vicinity, the bacterial action occurs in the sewers which results in the
production of a gas known as sulfur dioxide which then oxidizes and results in the production of sulfuric
acid which is a direct threat to the concrete because it reacts with it.
Figure 3- Sulphate attack-2
 Moisture movement
The moisture movement can also be a possible cause for efflorescence (Understanding cement, 2018).
Remedial Methods and Techniques
 Ensuring that there is good quality of concrete.
 The water table should be maintained.
5. Pipe
The pipes of the building have frozen and are in a condition of bursting.
Possible Causes for this defect
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 Exposure to extreme cold
The exposure of the outdoor pipes to extreme cold can be a cause to their freezing and bursting.
 The Pipes present at the unheated areas
The pipes below the kitchen cabinets, hose bibs on the outdoor can be vulnerable to the freezing and
bursting.
 Absence of insulation
The absence of insulation against the interiors are causes for bursting.
Remedial Methods and Techniques
 Paraffin wax should be used.
Inside
1. Mould
The mould or fungus growth was found at the corners at the space.
Possible Causes for this defect
 Moisture: The main cause of the problem of the mould inside the homes is the presence of excess
moisture from seeping of rains, any leaking pipe etc.
Remedial Methods and Techniques
 Carry a plastic bag to carry it.
2. Cracks
The walls in the indoors were also filled with cracks.
Possible Causes and the remedial solutions
The causes and remedial method for the indoor cracks is same as the cause and remedial method of the
outdoor wall cracks.
3. The space between parquet boards
After inspection, it was found out there were abnormal spaces between the parquet boards on the flooring.
The gaps were irregular.
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Possible Causes for this defect
 One of the possible causes of the spacing is the edge bonding which is caused by the adhesive which
is applied to the tongue and seam of the parquet boards.
 Another reason may be the presence of the moisture in huge amount.
 It may also be that the weather is dry.
 It can also be caused by the edge bonding which is caused by applying finish on the surface between
the boards.
 It can also be a result of large area (Fine Homebuilding, 2018).
Remedial Methods and Techniques
 In case, there are environmental changes, the changes in the gaps should also be made.
 The pre-finished solid thing, i.e., adhesive selection and tongue and seam selection should be done
nicely.
 The filling between the spaces must be just good.
4. Painting
According to the inspection, the paint is flaking on the walls, both interior and exterior and the ceilings.
The preparation of surface is also not neatly done.
Possible Causes for this defect
 Water is the main cause of peeling of the paints.
 The primer which was chosen may not be correct.
 The dirt can also be one of the reasons.
 Different types of coatings or too many layers can also be the reasons.
Remedial Methods and Techniques
 Adequate time for flash off should be given.
 Proper primer should be taken.
 The coating of paints should be uniform.
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5. Incomplete finishes around the pipes
Figure 4- Incomplete finishing around pipes
According to inspect, shrinkage defects have been found around the pipes.
Possible Causes for this defect
 It may have occurred because of the absence of the feed metal in place of the shrinkage and the
solidifying of the metal.
 Formation of hot spots
Remedial Methods and Techniques
 The strength of the core should be increased.
 The mold should be weighed.
Constraints placed on proposed designs for conversion and adaptation of the
project
The constraints that will be applied to the existing building in respect of what services will be on the
proposed designs for the conversion and adaptation of this project are:
1. Design Constraints: It will include the available technology, budget, infrastructure, boundaries and
other things that limit the design patterns.
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2. Technical Constraints: It includes the construction planning, taking care of requirements and site
mapping.
3. Economic Constraints: It includes the estimation of the costs and developing a budget for
construction. Additional costs are also counted.
4. Environmental Constraints: It includes the use of sustainable materials, develop effective ways to
reduce the water, air and noise pollution.
5. Time Constraints: It includes the time estimation of the project, i.e., how much time will be required
for the current building to convert and adapt into a new one.
6. Legal Constraints: It includes the legal formalities involved (Designingbuildings.co.uk, 2018).
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References
 Buildings Department 2015, Building Defects, viewed 18 March, 2018,
http://www.bd.gov.hk/english/services/index_bsi_defects.html
 Hunt, R 2018, Door and window maintenance in old houses. [online] Real Homes, viewed 18 March,
2018, https://www.realhomes.com/advice/door-and-window-maintenance-in-old-houses
 Understanding cement 2018, Sulfate attack in concrete, viewed 18 March, 2018,
https://www.understanding-cement.com/sulfate.html#
 Fine Homebuilding 2018, 11 Wood-Flooring Problems and Their Solutions - Fine Homebuilding,
viewed 18 March, 2018, http://www.finehomebuilding.com/2008/11/12/11-wood-flooring-problems-
and-their-solutions
 Designing Buildings 2018, Constraints on construction projects - Designing Buildings Wiki, viewed
18 March, 2018, https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/w/index.php?
title=Constraints_on_construction_projects&oldid=96785#Introduction
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