Risk Management in Action
Because dilapidation surveys accurately record and display the condition of buildings and infrastructure, and are valuable risk management “tools” that can control and minimize legal and managerial challenges to major projects, we regard them as risk management in action.
We tailor our services to fit contractors’ established Risk Management procedures, particularly documents like Safe Work Methods Statements (SWMS) that we prepare before starting work on any major project. Preparing a successful SWMS requires a comprehensive understanding of contractors’ workplace needs, and with many years’ experience in major construction, property development and pre-purchase inspections (asset management) we are able to give them that.
And after construction stops, our surveys can also record Practical Completion, Post Construction and Defects Management phases, areas that often generate as many problems as the pre-construction phase.
Our reports and our experience have helped many clients resolve property damage disputes. The case studies below prove that it pays to engage well-organised practitioners with years of preparing survey reports.
We were directly involved in resolving the following disputes:
1. The owner of a 20 unit building beside a Lidcombe rail project claimed it had cracked a wall in the building. At a dispute resolution meeting our survey report showed over 250 images of cracking throughout the building before work started. The owner withdrew her claim.
2. A Rouse Hill owner claimed that excavation works outside his property had cracked internal floor tiles throughout his house. At a dispute resolution meeting our survey report clearly showed cracked floor tiles throughout the house before the works started in the street. The owner withdrew his claim.
3. Before starting the redevelopment of a sensitive Melbourne heritage site we prepared a comprehensive survey of surrounding buildings and roads the construction manager who locked it in his site office safe. From the first day he took possession of the site representatives of owners of surrounding properties arrived to argue that his work had damaged the buildings, but no claim was successful.
Long Term Benefits
Completing and distributing dilapidation surveys before work starts on a construction site can bring peace of mind to contractors and owners for the full life of the project.
The knowledge that the owners and the contractor have the same report can deter all but the most ardent claimant owner, and raise the contractor’s risk appreciation. In some ways dilapidation survey reports can be regarded as similar to “cheap insurance”.
