Commercial Building Surveying Services: Healthcare
Whether you are running a GP surgery, NHS hospital or private healthcare facility, our building surveyors and structural engineers can support you with your property.
From structural input on refurbishment, renovation or defects, to building surveys and landlord & tenant matters, our experts will guide you through everything you need to know about your building.
GP Surgery Surveys and Healthcare Property Services
Our chartered surveyors and structural engineers are healthcare experts, with an in depth understanding of the challenges involved in owning, leasing and maintaining medical facilities.
- We take patient safety and confidentiality seriously. Inspection plans are discussed thoroughly with the person responsible for the site, to maintain a high standard of care and minimise disruption.
- Our surveyors are used to working with the responsible person for a site, and understand the importance of getting proper authorisation for access, particularly to restricted areas.
- We understand the unique requirements of medical facilities, both from a buildings perspective and from national and organisation constraints and obligations.
- With an in-house multidisciplinary team, we are able to advise clients on all aspects of primary care and secondary care property management, from building defects and maintenance schedules, to structural calculations, valuations and rent reviews.
Across our service types, there are several things that we commonly see in healthcare facilities:
In addition to the standard safety considerations needed in any public building, there are several additional factors that should be taken into account for healthcare properties. Depending on the building’s use, anti-ligature fixtures and safety mirrors and glazing might be recommended. Appropriate security measures around drug storage will also be assessed. Our surveyors and engineers are also trained in appropriate behaviour on site to maintain the safety of those using the building. They are aware of the importance of keeping doors locked behind them, being sympathetic to patients’ needs and maintaining patient confidentiality when taking photographs.
We have surveyed several premises that have been converted from residential buildings. The fire separation originally included in the building design is often inadequate for the requirements of a public building such as a doctor’s surgery, and often needs review. Surveyors will check that any structural adaptations have been carried out correctly; for example, checking ventilation to blocked up chimney breasts, and assessing any wall removals.
Accessibility is a crucial concern for any building used by the public, and particular those regularly accessed by unwell, disabled and elderly people. Our team take into account specific access requirements for different entrances and building spaces, and assess the suitability of provisions throughout the entire site.
If the building has been converted from a different use, such as residential, some adaptations (such as the installation of a lift) may be impractical – this is assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Because many GP surgeries and similar buildings are leased, we are often asked to support landlords and tenants when starting or ending a lease term.
We provide thorough schedules of condition to protect tenants taking on a property, and we act for tenants at lease end, producing Scott schedules and supporting disputes and preparing Section 18 valuations.
In recent years we have been regularly asked to carry out specific inspections of healthcare buildings for the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC). This material was frequently used in public sector construction in the second half of the 20th century, and is now coming to the end of its life. Its presence is of particular concern because it was mostly used in ceilings and it can fail suddenly, meaning that there can be a risk of collapse under certain circumstances.
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Our building surveying and structural engineering services
Building surveys
Commercial building surveys for healthcare properties are often carried out when someone is planning to buy a property or take on a lease (pre-acquisition).
We are often also asked to carry out condition surveys to assist with planning budgets for repairs and maintenance. These can include the preparation of a planned preventative maintenance schedule, which details out the anticipated spend for each of the next 5–10 years that will be needed to keep the building running smoothly and safely.
We also offer specific defect inspections, for example, to check for the presence of RAAC, or to investigate cracking or roof problems.
Our reports are detailed, comprehensive and tailored to your needs. As well as including in-depth information on the condition and structure of the building, along with supporting photographs, our surveyors will also comment on harmful materials that might be present, any potential legal or environmental issues and whether specialist assessments need to take place.
Landlord & Tenant services
Many of our healthcare clients are leasing their buildings. Dilapidations claims at the end of a lease are normal part of the process and need to be well-navigated by both landlords and tenants. Allcott Commercial supports landlords with interim and terminal schedules of dilapidations, so that they can claim against the tenant for any breaches of contract. We also support tenants with defending against dilapidations claims and negotiating through any disputes.
Schedules of Condition
When taking on the lease of any property, we would always recommend a schedule of condition. These are photographic reports that record the state of repair of each element of the property at the very start of the lease. Any major issues can be used to negotiate the terms of the lease, to limit the tenant’s liability for those parts of the building. Perhaps most importantly, a schedule of condition can be used to defect against a landlord’s dilapidations claims at lease-end.
Structural Engineering
Our surveyors will advise on the suitability of any proposed structural works, but if you want a more detailed assessment of load-bearing structures, along with structural designs and calculations, our structural engineers can help. Experienced in producing calculations for healthcare properties, they will walk you through the process, making sure that your alterations are safe and structurally sound. We commonly provide calculations for PV panel assessments and remodelling and refurbishment works.
Contract Administration
If you are planning significant works, we can support you with project management and contract administration. We cover all stages of the process, from feasibility and SOW preparation to tendering and monitoring the progress and standard of the works. We do everything we can to ensure that the works stay on time and on budget, and pride ourselves on making the process as smooth as possible for our clients.
Healthcare Surveys: Case studies
Brief: Our client was installing PV panels on the roof of a healthcare centre and needed a structural report.
Property: Two-storey 2016 healthcare centre building.
Instructed by: Renewable energy firm.
Brief: We were asked to prepare a photographic schedule of condition for a client taking on the lease of a GP Practice.
Property: Detached health centre, with later additions to the rear.
Instructed by: Primary care company.
We're here to help
If you would like to discuss a potential project with our consultants or get advice on any aspect of building surveying or engineering, please don’t hesitate to complete our contact form, call us on 0333 202 6386, or contact one of our regional offices.
