The City of London's commercial and historic building stock presents distinctive building pathology challenges. From the stone-clad facades of Victorian and Edwardian commercial buildings to modern curtain-walled towers, facade deterioration, mechanical service failures and stone decay are the most commonly investigated defects.
Facade deterioration is a primary concern in the City, where the combination of age, pollution exposure, thermal cycling and vibration from traffic and construction causes progressive degradation of stone, terracotta, faience and brick facades. Many City buildings are listed, requiring investigation approaches that respect heritage fabric.
Modern commercial buildings in the City present their own pathology, including curtain walling water ingress, flat roof failures, building services interactions with the envelope and the premature deterioration of cladding materials. We investigate defects across the full spectrum of City building types.
Investigation of stone, terracotta, faience and brick facade deterioration, including spalling, delamination, salt damage and the effects of pollution and past cleaning methods.
Diagnosis of decay mechanisms in Portland stone, limestone and sandstone facades, including frost action, salt crystallisation, biological growth and inappropriate past repair materials.
Assessment of building defects caused by the interaction between mechanical services and the building envelope, including condensation from ductwork, drainage failures and vibration damage.
Investigation of water ingress, sealant failure, gasket deterioration and thermal performance issues in curtain walling and rainscreen cladding on modern commercial buildings.
RICS regulated building condition surveys for residential and commercial property.
View ServiceRICS Home Survey Level 2 and Level 3 reports for property purchases.
View ServiceParty wall advice for extensions, loft conversions and basement projects.
View ServiceStone decay in the City is driven by pollution exposure, frost action on saturated stone, salt crystallisation from de-icing or rising groundwater, biological colonisation and, frequently, inappropriate past repairs using incompatible cementitious materials that trap moisture and create stress concentrations.
Yes, we investigate commercial building facades across the City of London. Our investigations may include visual inspection from rope access or platform, material sampling and laboratory analysis, moisture measurement and review of past maintenance and repair records.
Yes, building pathology applies equally to modern construction. We investigate curtain walling leaks, cladding failures, flat roof defects, building services interactions and the premature deterioration of specified materials in modern City buildings.
Yes, we regularly work alongside building managers, facilities management companies and managing agents. Our building pathology investigations complement ongoing maintenance programmes by identifying root causes of persistent or recurring defects.