Façade Survey

A Façade Survey is a vital part of your building maintenance programme.

It helps you manage the thermal performance, safety, stability, and aesthetic appeal of your building’s exterior.

We use the most suitable technology available to carry out the façade survey, including deploying drone technology for buildings above street level. The advantage of this is the ability to produce a digital twin of the building, allowing engineers and architects to inspect it closer to measure and annotate areas of interest or concern.

Modern building designs incorporate a wide range of cladding materials. External cladding serves a vital purpose, and it is crucial to evaluate the condition and construction of these exterior components. Our façade survey can be conducted on all types of buildings and are the safest, most detailed and accurate means of inspecting the exterior structural integrity. This assessment helps identify potential defects, ensure legal compliance, and ultimately provides the building with a clean bill of health.

Why is an external cladding inspection so important to my building maintenance?

Damaged façades can pose a safety hazard and may expose occupants to weather conditions. Unidentified issues or defects that affect the building’s structural integrity can lead to costly structural repairs in the future. Cracks or gaps can result in poor insulation, affecting energy efficiency. Deteriorating external cladding impacts aesthetic appeal and can lower value.

In many cases, building codes and regulations require regular façade survey inspections to ensure the safety and stability of a building. Failure to comply with these requirements can have legal consequences or result in fines.

Further reading

RICS explores the issue of façade guidance for the construction sector, given by two industry association.

The Engineering Council, which is the UK’s regulatory body for the engineering profession, has published a Facade Discipline document which is based on the UK Standard for Professional Engineering Competence and Commitment Contextualised for Higher-Risk Buildings (UK-SPEC HRB)