Example commercial dilapidations condition report

Commercial Dilapidations Condition Report

Company History

Fieldstone Building Surveys is an independent practice providing commercial building inspections, schedules of condition and lease-end property advice. Reports separate observed condition from professional interpretation, identify inspection limitations and direct specialist matters to appropriately qualified advisers.

Legal Disclaimer

This report records a non-destructive visual inspection of the accessible areas described. It is not a structural design, measured survey, services test, valuation or legal opinion on lease liability. Concealed construction was not opened up. The client and its legal advisers must interpret repairing covenants, supersession and any formal claim; specialist testing is required where the report says “Seek Further Advice”.

Client Instructions

Record the accessible condition of Unit 7 before the stated lease end, identify material repair and reinstatement items, relate observations to recorded locations, and provide budget allowances for discussion with the client’s legal and property advisers. Review the warehouse, office pod, welfare areas, envelope, yard and visually accessible services. The signed lease, licences for alteration and full services records were not provided, so covenant liability is outside this instruction.

Executive Summary

Primary defect. Localised water staining below the north-west rooflight aligns with a split rooflight kerb seal and corrosion at the adjoining box-gutter lap. The area was damp at inspection following overnight rain; the remainder of the warehouse roof lining was dry on comparative checks.

Other repairs. The east roller-shutter bottom rail is corroded, one yard slab has a raised edge, and local office ceiling finishes below the rooflight require renewal after the envelope repair and drying period.

Services. Services were observed but not tested. No current electrical inspection record was made available; a competent electrical contractor should review the installation and records. This is a further-advice item, not an assumed repair cost.

Overall position. The unit remained operational and no immediate instability was observed in accessible areas. The rooflight/gutter repair should be prioritised to limit deterioration. Budget allowances total £5,490 excluding VAT, with electrical advice excluded from that total.

Scope & Definitions

Inspection extent

Ground and first-floor accommodation, warehouse floor, accessible elevations and yard were inspected. The roof covering was viewed from ground level, the first-floor window and an internal access platform supplied by the occupier. Stored goods restricted approximately 12% of the north warehouse wall. No destructive opening-up, drainage test or service isolation was undertaken.

Reporting basis

Observations distinguish visible evidence, surveyor interpretation, recommended work and matters requiring specialist advice. Cost entries are budget allowances rather than quotations. The report can support dilapidations discussions but does not determine legal liability.

Technical Definitions

Observation

A condition or feature visible within the recorded inspection limits.

Interpretation

The surveyor’s evidence-based view, subject to the stated limitations and any further investigation.

Budget allowance

An indicative figure for planning; not a tendered price or valuation of a legal claim.

Seek Further Advice

Obtain advice from an appropriately qualified person before the scope or cost of work is determined; no allowance is included until that advice is received.

Energy Performance (EPC)

Property type: industrial unit with ancillary offices. Recommendation: review lighting controls and roof insulation when planned envelope work is scoped. The EPC provides energy context; it does not establish the cause or liability for any defect.

Description of Property

Detached light-industrial unit constructed circa 1997. Steel portal frame with insulated composite wall and roof cladding above a masonry plinth, translucent rooflights, internal box gutters and a two-storey masonry/blockwork office pod. The site includes a surfaced service yard, palisade boundary fencing and marked parking. Approximate gross internal floor area from the supplied EPC is 742 m².

External Observations

• Split sealant and slight kerb separation at the north-west rooflight; corrosion and staining at the adjacent box-gutter lap.
• East roller-shutter bottom rail locally corroded, with coating loss but no visible distortion of the guides.
• One concrete yard slab edge raised by approximately 18 mm on the pedestrian route beside the loading door.
• Wall cladding, masonry plinth and rainwater downpipes otherwise appeared generally serviceable from accessible viewpoints.

Internal Observations

• Localised brown staining and softened ceiling tile directly below the north-west rooflight/gutter junction.
• Comparative pinless moisture readings reduced away from the affected area; no similar staining was found at other rooflights.
• Office, welfare and warehouse finishes were generally serviceable, with ordinary wear consistent with use.
• A fine vertical finish crack at the office stair enclosure measured 0.5 mm and showed no associated distortion.

Services Assessment

Electrical distribution, gas-fired unit heaters, hot-water point, fire-alarm components and above-ground drainage were viewed where accessible but were not operated, isolated or tested. The occupier supplied a fire-alarm service sheet dated February 2026. No current electrical inspection report was presented. Condition, safety and statutory compliance must be confirmed from records and by appropriately qualified contractors.

Methodology

Visual inspection supported by laser distance measurements, a crack-width gauge and comparative non-invasive moisture readings. Roof areas were viewed only from the positions stated in the scope. No drone, pole-camera survey, thermal-imaging survey or laboratory analysis was undertaken.

Floor Plan

Diagrammatic plan · not to scale · use for inspection-location reference only

Weather & Property Orientation — North-West

Approximately 6 mm of rain was recorded overnight before the inspection. The north-west roof slope and box gutter are comparatively exposed to prevailing weather. Weather data provides inspection context and does not, by itself, establish defect causation.

Subsoil & Drainage Details

No conclusion about structural movement or drainage capacity is drawn from the modelled soil dataset. The observed rooflight/gutter defect provides direct evidence for the local internal staining.

On-site Assessments

External Analysis

External Inspection Record

Internal Room Findings

Essential Summary of Costs

Cost Review Notes

• Obtain competitive quotations against a defined repair specification.
• Confirm safe roof access, edge protection and disposal requirements with tenderers.
• Keep electrical testing and resulting remedial work outside the allowance until a competent contractor has defined the scope.
• Legal advisers should assess covenant liability and whether any item is superseded by the client’s intended works.

Important Notes

• This report describes accessible condition on 28 July 2026; it does not guarantee concealed areas are defect-free.
• Repair the rooflight/gutter defect before renewing internal finishes, then verify drying and water-tightness.
• Services were not tested. Obtain and review relevant records and commission specialist advice where records are absent or concerns arise.
• Budget allowances are not contractor quotations and exclude professional fees, access design, disruption, statutory fees and unforeseen work unless expressly stated.
• The report supports evidence gathering. Lease interpretation, formal notices, quantified demands and negotiations remain matters for appropriately appointed professional and legal advisers.

Declaration

I confirm that this report records the observations, limitations, interpretations and recommendations stated. I have reviewed the relationship between the roof defect and internal evidence, separated visible condition from legal liability, and identified where specialist advice is required.

The report has been checked for internal consistency. Costs are budget allowances for planning and are not contractor quotations or an assessment of lease liability.