- Planning Supervision
Hurst Peirce + Malcolm offer planning supervisor services on projects which are predominantly of a structural engineering nature.
- Party Wall Advice
We assist Party Wall Surveyors by giving advice on structural matters affecting party walls. We often find that insufficient thought is given to the effect of a development on a party wall and the adjoining property and some proposals we have checked could have led to collapses.
'Special foundations' has a specific meaning under the Party Wall Act and failure to understand its implications can lead to a compromise of the adjoining owners rights.
- Car Park Appraisals
Unlike most buildings, car parks are continually subject to an aggressive environment which can lead to untimely deterioration of the structure and possibly a dangerous structure.
Deicing salt brought in by cars will build up in the concrete and when it reaches a trigger level will cause extensive corrosion of the reinforcement which is very expensive to erradicate. However, if caught in time further deterioration can be prevented by the application of relatively cheap waterproof coatings.
Before embarking on any remedial measures it is essential that the condition of the concrete is carefully determined including testing samples of the concrete to determine its condition.
Hurst Peirce + Malcolm work as a joint venture with Sandberg (www.sandberg.com) who are testing specialists, to assess the condition of car parks and to recommend the most appropriate remedial measures to maintain and extend their life.
- Construction Monitoring
Construction monitoring involves:
- Auditing of Base Build Specification agreed between our client and the developers and advising on improvements
- Monitoring progress of work on site
- Reporting on quality of work
- Representing our client in the resolution of any problems that arise during construction
- Pre-lease Advice
Signing a lease for 25 years on a pre-let for a building is a major commercial decision where it is important that the potential tenant is aware of the risks associated with the building. With extensive experience of the performance of buildings HPM is able to advise on these risks.
- Structural Appraisals
We routinely carry out structural appraisals of buildings of all types on behalf of owners, tenants and funds.
When a property changes hands it is important to all parties to know that the asset value is correct and that there are no 'risks' associated with the structure which might lead to unplanned expense.
Hurst Peirce + Malcolm will inspect the building, review any relevant documents and drawings and prepare a report outlining the risks associated with the structure of the building.
Our experience of most forms of building construction also means that we can often advise clients verbally on what are the likely problems of a building of a particular age and construction. We are happy to give this preliminary advice free of charge.
- Estate Management
Hurst Peirce + Malcolm provide structural engineering advice to a number of the major London property estates including the Grosvenor Estate, the Phillimore Estate in conjunction with Chestertons, the Crown Estate in conjunction with CB Hillier Parker and the Cheyne Court Mansions.
Our duties are to vet the proposals of tenants on the estate to check that they comply with certain standards and do not compromise adjoining properties.
For example, alterations to one flat in a block of apartments could cause damage in the flat above or could limit the ability of the tenant in the flat above to carry out his own alterations.
- Forensic Engineering
Forensic engineering involves seeking the cause of structural failure.
Structural failure does not necessarily mean that collapse occurs but can involve the failure of structural materials.
Examples where we have given advice include collapses during underpinning, collapses consequent upon vehicle impact, damage by water inundation and collapses due to structural abuse.
- Expert Witness
The partners provide expert witness advice on matters relating to structural engineering including the preparation of proofs of evidence and giving evidence in court. We also advise insurance companies on claims which have a structural engineering element.
- Bell Towers and Movement Monitoring
Hurst Peirce + Malcolm have advised on bell towers and their suitability to carry full swing bell frames since the 1930's. We are often asked to advise on the effect of lowering the bell frame or changing the arrangement of bells.
Recent commissions have included the complete restoration of a 14th Century timber framed tower and spire in Kent and advising on the condition of a tower in Charleston, USA.
- Archive Searching
Not only does HPM maintain an extensive archive of drawings and records of our own past projects, we also pride ourselves on our ability to locate original drawings and information on any other building if the records still exist.
