The true origins of building defects can often be confused due to the wide range of potential failures, and their contributing factors that may affect a typical building. Consideration of the broad principles rather than the specific details of defects will illustrate that the origins of defects can be categorised into three broad groupings:
Ensuring Quality
- Failure of materials
- Design defect
- Workmanship error
It could also be suggested, that there are two further origin categories; damage by external agencies and simple wear and tear.
Clear Understanding Means Effective Remedy
Effective remedial action relies on having a clear understanding of defect origin. The analysis of defects will be affected by the structural form of the building being examined. As Chartered Building Surveyors we exercise a uniform methodology for defect analysis which takes such structures into account.
