How Often Should Engage a Building Inspection

For the purpose of the inhabitants' and public's safety, high-rise structures, including strata properties, must now be examined every ten years, and inspection engineers have a huge obligation to guarantee that your property is structurally sound.

Unbeknownst to the general public, the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) drafted new building inspection criteria a few years ago to guarantee building owners are liable for the safety of their premises. Since 2018, every building exceeding 5 storeys (every level in the basement is treated as one 1 floor) has been required to undergo an obligatory Periodic Inspection every 10 years, beginning with the date of the Certificate of Fitness (CF) and also the Certificate of Completion and Compliance (CCC). After thereafter, every decade from the date of the initial inspection, a second periodic examination is necessary.

What is the importance of building inspections?

The Building Investigation Malaysia is very important. Also, there are many type of building repair and maintenance service. The condition of a building reflects the physical status of the structure and hence its performance. Monitoring the state of a structure is critical for preventing property issues and building failure. With Malaysia's ageing cities and townships, prominent local authorities in the Klang Valley have begun implementing Section 85A of Act 133. The goal of such an inspection is to have scheduled preventive maintenance on the degree of dilapidation for the safety of the buildings, residents, and the general public.

This expertise is especially crucial for strata building Administration Bodies, who are in charge of the management and repair of their individual buildings.

What effect does COVID-19 have on building inspections?

The construction sector has been in a slump for several years, and consulting engineers have been slamming rates into bids for tasks, eager for work. The current COVID-19 epidemic, which has created new hurdles for the sector, exacerbates the situation. However, if inspections are not carried out sufficiently, this approach might be harmful. Below, we look at periodic inspections and the value of having a skilled and trustworthy inspector.

How is the periodic inspection performed?

The SOP of such periodic inspection begins with the issuance of a notice letter from the Local Authorities to the owners or management of buildings, pursuant to Section 83 of the Act 133, on the 10th year from the CF and Certificate of Completion and Compliance date.

However, if any irregularities in structural parts are identified during maintenance, the building owner may seek an earlier assessment. The inspection will thereafter be conducted by a structural engineer who is registered with the Board of Engineers Malaysia under the Registration of Engineers Act 1967. This engineer cannot be the same person who developed the building or have any vested interests in it.

There are two stages to the examination: visual inspection and structural investigation.

The purpose of the Visual Inspection should be to discover property deficiencies, deformation, or degradation of structural element(s) that will or are likely to threaten or diminish the structural stability or integrity of any portion of the building. The following are the key areas for such inspection, however they are not exhaustive:

• Unauthorized additions or alterations to structural parts (movable shed, columns, beams, and slabs) • Unauthorized loading (i.e. from residential to commercial or industrial)

• Slopes and Retaining Walls

• Settlement

• Facades

• Water Tanks

• STP Tanks

• Drainage

• Basement

Following the Visual Inspection, a report summarising the inspection's findings will be presented to the Local Council. If the engineer has reasonable reasons to think that the building has a fault, distortion, or degradation, he must request authorization to conduct a comprehensive structural study. At this point, the Local Council may either wholly or partially approve the plan for further examination, reject it, or seek a second view based on their professional judgement.

Following the structural examination, the engineer must write to the Local Council and describe his conclusions about the structural study and the safety of the aforementioned buildings. The Mayor may order such repair works under Section 83 of Act 133 if the building's safety is jeopardised and must be repaired and restored urgently. After a satisfactory repair, an inspection certificate is produced, and the case is classified as "KIV" until further action is taken. If the building is deemed to be seriously deteriorated, no longer safe for use, and/or endangers the nearby structures, the Mayor may order its demolition.

What will happen if the building owner does nothing?

If there is a breach of the Act, the appropriate owner will face legal action in line with Act 133. Such punitive measures include a demolition order and/or a monetary fee, or both. Furthermore, the Local Council may direct that such action be taken if it is judged essential to ensure the safety of the structures. Section 81 of Act 133, for example, permits the Local Council to order building owners to create correct drainage if a building's system is judged to be inadequate.

The Ministry of Urban Well-being, Housing, and Local Government (KPKT) has proposed EN1504: Products and systems for the protection and repair of concrete structures, a globally recognised standard in the evaluation, maintenance, repair, and rehabilitation of concrete buildings. Definitions, standards, quality control, and conformance evaluation in the case of concrete diagnosis, assessment, and repair It explains scientifically sound methodologies and alternatives for non-destructive testing and inspection, which are critical during a structural inquiry to address degradation of the concrete matrix and corrosion of reinforcing steel bars.