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The appearance of cracking at a commercial property can be the start of a complex and uncertain period for any owner. When this occurred at a vacant commercial unit with residential flats above in Romford, Glenny’s Building Consultancy team was appointed to investigate.
'Our first step was to prepare a Specific Defect Report’ explained Michael Carter, AssocRICS, MCIOB Building Surveyor at Glenny. ‘This initial assessment is crucial, as it provides a clear, technical diagnosis of the visible issues’. In this case, the report identified evidence of an insured peril, which confirmed that further, more detailed site investigations were justified and necessary.
With the potential for an insurance claim established, the team’s role expanded. Our building consultancy team became the central point of contact, liaising with the appointed Loss Adjusters and managing the required site investigations on behalf of our client. This involved coordinating trial pit excavations and organising specialist soil and tree root analysis to build a complete picture of the sub-surface activity.
The data from these investigations allowed the team to compile a detailed Summary of Findings. This document provided the clear, factual evidence required to substantiate the insurance claim, removing ambiguity and providing the client with confidence in their position.
The cause has now been formally recognised by insurers as subsidence, resulting from tree root action and the desiccation of clay sub-soils. The appropriate trees are scheduled for removal, which will be followed by a nine-month period of crack monitoring to ensure the building has stabilised before remedial works are undertaken.
By managing the process from the initial report through to claim substantiation, Glenny provided the client with an expert team, a single point of contact, and a clear, evidence-based strategy to protect their asset.
For more information regarding our Building Consultancy services, or to book a meeting, please contact the relevant team members below.
