Our Services
The condition appraisal survey has been developed beyond standard stock condition surveys to give a sophisticated and highly useful tool for estate professionals.
The survey provides a costed, graded and timed assessment of building defects that is prioritised by risk. The survey information is delivered in a powerful relational database that enables planning and forecasting of long-term maintenance. The Risk Assessment methodology used is compliant with NHS guidance issued to efm-standards as published by NHS Estates 2004 edition. The database produces standard reports that facilitate the completion of ERIC returns and HESA University/ FE returns.
Surveys are carried out on using tablet computers that record the survey in an elemental structure. The survey data is costed and validated in the field including capturing photographs of significant defects or issues.
• The survey captures the condition of a building including:
• The remaining life of the element across the building
• An assessment of its condition graded A-DX
• The cost of any repairs or upgrading required to rectify defects or deficiencies
• The year when the defect or deficiency requires repair or replacement in the range 1-10
• A risk assessment of each costed deficiency
• Embedded photographs of significant issues
The Statutory Non-compliance survey has been developed from our experience in the Health and Higher Education sector over the last 40 years.
This appraisal seeks to identify significant items of work required to bring the buildings of an estate into compliance with the principal items of legislation applicable to these buildings. Operational, managerial and other non-constructional issues are not included. In summary the appraisal provides a costed, graded and timed assessment of Non-compliance that is prioritised and risk assessed. The survey information is delivered in a user friendly relational database that provides a tool for work scheduling and financial planning that enables budgetary control and forecasting of long term maintenance requirements. The Risk Assessment methodology used is compliant with NHS guidance issued to efm-standards as published by NHS Estates 2004 edition. The database produces standard reports that facilitate the completion of ERIC returns and HESA University/ FE returns.
The firm undertakes 6 facet NHS Surveys
The facets are:
• Risk Assessed Condition Appraisal
• Function
• Space Utilisation
• Quality of The Estate
• Risk Assessed Legislation Non-Compliance Appraisal
• Environmental Management
The Quality and Function Appraisals are carried out by experienced Medical Planners together with input from the Building Surveyor and Engineer. The appraisal is based upon departmental areas or functional portions within the buildings. Unit managers are consulted to discuss the appraisal and raise any local issues. The assessment of Environmental Management is based on a pragmatic approach that identifies costed improvements to the building fabric and services, that would be considered as betterment in a traditional condition survey.
D&K LLP carry out Functional Suitability Surveys for Higher and Further Education Estates in accordance with the guidance note D21 as issued by HEFCE (HESA). In summary this guidance requires an assessment of facilities against a set of criteria to which a scoring system is applied to establish an appropriate over-all grade for a facility or functional area.
The areas to be considered in the survey include the following:-
• Legislative Compliance
• Energy Performance
• Environment
• Layout
• Location
• Flexibility
• Servicing
• User Perception
• External Environment
The results of the appraisal show an overall Functional Suitability rating by department that is compatible with the HESA scoring requirements. Each of the above issues are scored and allocated a grade as defined below:-
1 Excellent - High degree of satisfaction. 2 Good – no major changes necessary. 3 Fair - Below acceptable standard requiring change. 4 Poor - Unacceptable requiring significant improvement.
D&K have carried out Functional Suitability surveys for NHS estates since 1980 and with the firms experience in HE and FE estates it was a natural progression to provide these surveys for the Education Sector. Our system of appraisal takes the best from both systems including analysis at room level utilizing HESA departmental codes augmented by our own additions. This provides analysis by room, department and building. Our system automatically calculates over-all grades suitable for use in annual HESA return.
The key objective in developing software for appraisal systems was to ensure ease of operation by client users to enable quick retrieval of information together with analytical reporting and simple data maintenance facility. Complex analysis is possible across different survey facets enabling great flexibility in reporting.
Drake and Kannemeyer LLP have developed and used estate management software since 1980 for surveys on Health, Education, Government Research, Central and Local Government and Private/Commercial and Charity Estates.
Our systems were originally developed for use in the NHS estate and comprised software for the analysis of Condition Surveys, Functional Suitability, Space Utilisation and Energy Appraisals. The systems have developed in house and currently include the following:-
• Estate Terriers
• Condition Surveys
• Statutory Compliance Surveys
• Function, Space and Quality Surveys
• Energy Audits
• Access Audit
Typically the above software is provided free of charge under a user license agreement with no further annual charges to all clients who commission our surveys.
Our survey IT systems and methodologies are fully compatible with requirements for HESA reporting in Higher Education Estates and with DH requirements for ERIC returns, PAM Metrics and Risk Assessed Condition Surveys and Statutory Compliance Surveys.
We provide a full range of Architectural Design and Project Services for our public and private sector clients in addition to our services of maintenance and repair works procurement. Our services include the following:-
• Architectural Design for new buildings, extensions, alterations and refurbishment
• Listed Building Conservation, restoration and repair projects
• Option Appraisals for reuse, remodelling or change of use
• Feasibility Studies
• Cost Planning and Consultancy
• Project Management
• Project Coordination
• Procurement and Contract Administration
• Processing Statutory Applications for Planning and Building Regulations
• CDM Coordinator services
Over the past 40 years the range of projects carried out by the firm have been extensive and varied including redevelopment of hospital sites, new teaching blocks for colleges and public schools, conversion and refurbishment of acute and mental illness health facilities, new doctors surgeries, conversion of a castle to country house hotel, Carnaby Street and Shaftsbury Avenue retail/commercial upgrades/conversions and many others. The majority of our current workload relates to Local Authorities, Schools, Hospitals and Universities.
We provide a wide range of Professional Building Surveying and other Services to both public and private sector clients including:-
• Building Surveys
• Defect Surveys and Analysis
• Schedules of Condition
• Schedules of Dilapidation
• Party Wall Awards
• Measured Building Surveys – as built drawings
• Asset Surveys
• Annual and Long Term Maintenance Plans
• Fire Damage Reinstatement
For more information on these specific services contact one of our Partners.
Fire safety is a priority for all building owners and operators.
Working with our surveying Partners Sircle we can carry out detailed surveys of fire stopping and compartmentation issues in existing buildings to create costed and risked action plans to assist our Clients in mitigating the dangers from fire.
We have recently surveyed Brunel University and Rutherford Appletion Laboratories in Oxfordshire on this basis.
Our approach to DDA is based on a thorough understanding of the nature of disability, both physical and mental, and the difficulties that disabled people confront whilst using buildings.
Compliance with the Approved Document; Part M of Building Regulations does not equate to compliance with The Equality Act 2010 and associated ACOPs. The Act is concerned with equality and inclusivity within an organisation, not just physical alterations to buildings.
The Act requires the service provider to make reasonable steps to overcome physical features, which make it impossible or unreasonably difficult for disabled people to use a service by reasonable alternative methods. The Disability Rights Commission has published a Code of Practice for Guidance in defining what reasonable steps means. Without intending to be exhaustive, the following are some of the factors, which may be taken into account when considering what is reasonable:
• Whether taking any particular steps would be effective in overcoming the difficulty that disabled people face in accessing services
• The extent to which it is practicable for the service provider to take the steps
• The financial and other costs of making the adjustment
• The extent of any disruption which taking the steps would cause
• The extent of the service provider’s financial and other resources
• The amount of any resources already spent on making adjustments
• The availability of financial or other assistance
Our surveyors have extensive experience acting for clients under the Party Wall Etc. Act 1996.
The Act is the legal procedure for resolving disputes between adjoining building owners, where one of the parties intend to carry out building works affecting a party wall or the construction of a new party wall. This can also occur when an excavation could undermine a neighbouring building.
Our Party Wall Surveyors regularly attend the The Pyramus and Thisbe Club, a non-profit making society that provides training in relation to the act based on current case law. We offer a free 20 minute phone consultation through the RICS to help members of the public understand if their circumstances fall under the remit of the legislation.