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Inspection of render
My client has asked me to undertake an inspection of the condition of the render on the walls of his house. Are there any guidelines to help me make a systematic inspection to identify defects?
Answer
The following points should be considered when investigating renders:
- Inspection of the surface condition e.g. cracks, delamination, hollowness, staining
- Assessment of the underlying structure - it may be necessary to remove a section
- Other observations, e.g. damage by climbing plants, leaking gutters or downpipes
- Collection of samples for analysis
Additionally it may be useful if details about the original render, e.g. date of application, type of render, method of application, etc. are found out. This can help in the final assessmsent. A decision can then be made on whether to replace or repair failed rendering. This will depend on safety (e.g. the risk of falling render), appearance, water resilience and on balancing the cost against practical considerations.
Acknowledgement:
The Concrete Society
Other references:BRE Good Building Guide 18 Choosing external rendering
BRE Good Building Guide 23 Assessing external rendering for replacement or repair
BRE Good Building Guide 24 Repairing external rendering
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Rendering - defects and remedial measures
