Strata and building envelope visual review

The building envelope is the part of a building that keeps weather out: the walls, windows, doors, roofs, decks and balconies and the joints between them. In a strata building it is common property, and its condition affects every owner. A visual review is a first look at it.

Who asks for it

• Strata councils and managers who want to know where the building stands before planning maintenance, applying for a depreciation report update, or deciding whether to hire an engineer.
• Buyers of a strata unit who are worried about the building and want an independent look. This needs the council's permission for access to the exterior and roof.
• Owners of small strata buildings that have not had a formal envelope assessment.
• Property managers who want a record of the building's condition at a point in time.

What a visual review is

We walk the exterior, the roof and the common areas that can be safely reached. We look at:

• cladding and sealants: cracks, staining, rot, loose or missing pieces
• windows and doors: sealant, sills, signs of water entry at frames
• balconies and decks: surface, drainage, railings, connection to the building, underside where visible
• roofs: membranes, shingles, flashings, drains, penetrations, ponding
• the junctions that matter: wall to roof, wall to deck, window to wall, base of wall
• the interior of common areas, such as top-floor hallways and stairwells, for stains
• parkade ceilings and walls under decks and plazas, for signs of leakage

Where permitted and appropriate, a moisture meter helps screen suspicious spots, and an infrared camera may point to areas of interest. These are screening tools. They tell us where to look, and they do not tell us what is inside the wall.

What it is not

A visual review is not an envelope condition assessment by an engineer. It does not involve cutting into walls, taking out windows, or testing cladding. It does not give you a repair design, a cost estimate or a certified opinion.

If the review finds signs of concern, the usual recommendation is a more detailed investigation by a qualified building envelope professional. Our report says what we saw, where, and why it matters, so the council has a clear brief to give to the engineer. For a building where there is already a known history, the review works as a status check.

Access

Access is the main limit. We need permission from the strata, and someone to unlock roof hatches, mechanical rooms and common areas. Some roofs and balconies cannot be reached safely without lifting equipment. We note what we could not see, and why.

For a buyer, the strata council may not agree to access. In that case, we look at what we can from the ground, from the unit and from common areas that residents are allowed in.

What the report contains

• a description of the building and the date
• a list of the areas reviewed and those not reviewed
• findings by elevation or by component, with photographs and ratings
• an explanation of what we saw and why it matters
• recommendations for further investigation or maintenance
• the limits of the review

The ratings use the same scale as other reports (Safety, Major, Repair, Maintenance, Monitor), so the report is readable by owners who are not building people.

Leaky condo era buildings

For a wood-frame building from roughly the early 1980s through the 1990s, the history is the main thing. The review looks for evidence of past repairs, the state of any remediation, and the condition of balconies and decks. See leaky condos and the building envelope.

Booking

Strata jobs are scoped before they are booked. Phone or send a request with the building's address area, year built, number of storeys and units, and what you want to know. The fee is quoted on request, as it depends on the size and the access.