DETAILED FACADE SURVEYS

Intrusive Investigations

UKR Facades undertakes specialist intrusive investigations and facade opening-up works to establish existing external wall construction, in order to better understand defects and non-compliances, which in turn inform robust remediation design development.

UKR Facades specialist reviewing facade drawings during a building investigation
Intrusive facade investigation exposing cladding support system and insulation
Facade specialist inspecting external wall construction during intrusive survey
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UNDERSTANDING THE EXISTING FACADE

Establishing How the Existing Facade System is Constructed

Drawings and existing records do not always provide a complete picture of an external wall. Intrusive facade investigations provide clients and design teams with a clear understanding of existing external wall construction, including concealed components, system interfaces and potential deficiencies. Establishing this information at an early stage is essential to developing informed, technically appropriate remediation strategies, reducing uncertainty and identifying potential challenges before works commence.

Opening-up works are undertaken by our specialist in-house teams, combining extensive facade expertise with careful planning to ensure investigations are carried out safely, efficiently and with minimal disruption to residents. All investigation areas are appropriately reinstated, with due consideration to the existing facade’s performance, safety and aesthetic requirements.

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BENEATH THE SURFACE

External Wall Surveys Across the Complete Facade Build-Up

An intrusive facade investigation provides a closer understanding of how an existing external wall has actually been constructed. Targeted opening-up can expose different layers and components within the facade, allowing their arrangement, condition and relationship with the wider build-up to be examined.

The scope varies according to the building and facade type, but can extend from the external finish through insulation and supporting construction to the underlying substrate. This helps identify concealed conditions that may not be apparent from drawings, records or visual cladding inspection alone.

Intrusive facade investigation showing exposed external wall build-up, insulation and supporting construction External Finish Insulation Supporting Construction Substrate Concealed Conditions

INFORMING WHAT COMES NEXT

From Existing Conditions to a Buildable Solution

Findings from an intrusive facade investigation provide a clearer technical basis for what happens next. Identified conditions can inform the remediation strategy, design development and specialist input required before works progress towards construction.

Open Up and Document the Existing Build-Up

Complete targeted opening-up works and clearly document findings around the existing wall construction and critical interfaces.

Collaboratively Review Findings

Review the findings from the opening-up works with the client and wider design team to ensure that all necessary specialist assessments are undertaken.

Develop the Solution

Coordinate a multi-disciplinary design solution that fully addresses the defects and non-compliances that have been identified during the intrusive investigation process.

Plan for Delivery

Develop the programme, logistics and overall delivery approach for the remediation works, drawing on crucial insights gained during the intrusive survey and design development stages.

HOW WE WORK

From Opening-Up to Informed Next Steps

Each intrusive facade investigation is carefully planned around the building’s existing construction, on-site constraints and the specific objectives of the survey. Available drawings, building records and project requirements are reviewed to identify appropriate investigation locations and establish the information required.

Targeted opening-up works then allow examination and documentation of concealed facade components, construction details, and critical interfaces. The findings provide a clearer understanding of existing conditions, helping reduce uncertainty and inform subsequent facade design and remediation strategies.

Review

Review available drawings, records and project information to understand the existing facade and establish the requirements of the investigation.

Plan

Identify appropriate locations for targeted opening-up, taking account of the facade construction, building conditions and information required.

Open Up

Carefully open selected areas of the facade to expose the external-wall build-up and concealed construction behind the finished surface.

Investigate

Examine and document the exposed facade system to develop a greater understanding of its specific build-up and critical interfaces.

Inform

Use the findings to provide a clearer technical basis for subsequent design development, specialist input and remediation decisions.

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WHY UKR FACADES

Specialist Expertise in Facade Investigation

UKR Facades combines specialist in-house investigation teams, extensive facade knowledge and practical remediation experience to deliver safe, thorough and carefully coordinated intrusive surveys, providing clients with reliable technical information to inform critical project decisions.

In-House Investigation Teams

Experienced in-house teams, undertaking specialist opening-up works, ensuring consistent standards of safety, workmanship and efficiency.

Complete Facade System Knowledge

Extensive technical and practical knowledge across all facade systems, enabling thorough investigation of complex external wall build-ups.

Occupied Building Experience

Extensive experience in planning and undertaking investigations to ensure that resident safety and disruption are prioritised at all times.

Detailed Technical Reporting

Robust photographic records and reports documenting existing construction and critical interfaces of the existing facade systems.

Nationwide Project Support

Established teams, specialist access resources and project delivery capability enabling investigations to be undertaken across the UK.

Remediation Delivery Expertise

Practical experience delivering complex facade remediation projects, providing valuable insight to our clients from early project planning stages.

EXPERIENCE IN PRACTICE

Expertise That Brings Value From the Outset

UKR Facades brings a wealth of remediation experience to maximise the value of intrusive investigations, ensuring opening-up works capture the technical information needed to inform subsequent project decisions. Our practical understanding of façade construction, system interfaces and installation challenges helps clients and design teams develop buildable remediation solutions and effective construction delivery strategies.

Explore our project portfolio to see this wider facade expertise applied across residential and commercial developments throughout the UK.

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Spectrum Apartments

Grand Felda House

The Central

Student Roost, Sheffield 3

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UNDERSTAND WHAT’S THERE

Need a Clearer Picture of an Existing Facade?

Targeted opening-up can provide the insight needed before important design or remediation decisions are made. Speak to UKR Facades about investigating the construction and condition of an existing external wall.

YOUR QUESTIONS, ANSWERED

Facade Investigation & Intrusive Survey FAQs

An intrusive facade survey involves targeted opening-up of an existing external wall so the construction behind the finished surface can be examined directly. Unlike a visual facade inspection, opening up can establish what is actually present within the wall build-up and provide a clearer understanding of its condition.

Depending on the facade type and purpose of the investigation, this can include examining insulation, the substrate, SFS or steel framing where present, and other concealed components. The findings can then provide valuable information for subsequent design development and remediation decisions.

Intrusive investigations are used where drawings, records or observations from the finished elevation do not provide enough information about the existing external-wall construction. Opening selected areas allows the actual build-up and concealed conditions to be examined rather than relying solely on existing information.

This can be particularly valuable during the early design or pre-construction stages of a remediation project, where an accurate understanding of the existing facade helps identify what may need to be corrected and provides a stronger technical basis for developing the proposed works.

The scope varies according to the building and facade construction. UKR Facades can carry out opening-up across brick, brick-slip, cladding and other external-wall build-ups, examining the construction behind the finished surface.

Investigations can extend to the substrate, insulation, SFS or steel framing where present, together with the condition and quality of the existing facade construction and other relevant concealed components. The areas examined are determined by the project requirements and what the investigation needs to establish.

Opening-up can reveal concealed construction and deficiencies that may not be apparent from the external appearance of a building. Depending on the project, findings may include missing insulation, combustible insulation or facade materials, issues within the existing build-up, or other conditions requiring further technical consideration.

Where findings have implications for fire safety or the remediation strategy, the information can be considered alongside appropriately qualified specialist input before the required solution is developed.

Yes. UKR Facades carries out intrusive facade surveys and opening-up works in-house as part of its early design and pre-construction capability, rather than generally subcontracting the opening-up work itself.

This provides continuity between establishing the existing construction and UKR’s wider technical role. Findings can be taken forward by the in-house facade designer and technical team during design development, helping connect what is discovered on the building with the solution subsequently developed for the project.

An intrusive survey can establish the existing external-wall build-up and identify conditions that need to be considered before facade remediation is developed. This reduces reliance on assumptions about construction hidden behind the finished elevation.

UKR Facades can use those findings during the design period to help determine what needs to be corrected and develop a coordinated technical solution. Where required, architectural, structural and specialist fire-engineering inputs can also be coordinated as the remediation strategy progresses towards construction.

Yes. UKR Facades can carry out targeted opening-up of existing cladding systems to establish the construction behind the external finish and examine relevant concealed components. This can include insulation, substrate and SFS or steel framing where present, depending on the particular wall build-up.

Where defective, unsuitable or non-compliant conditions are identified, the findings can help inform subsequent cladding remediation and technical development. UKR’s wider experience across cladding and rainscreen systems also provides practical understanding of how these components form part of the complete external wall.

Facade investigation is particularly valuable during the early design and pre-construction stages, before the proposed remediation scope has been fully developed. Establishing existing conditions at this point gives the project team better information on which to base subsequent technical decisions.

UKR commonly undertakes intrusive surveys during the PCSA or pre-construction period on remediation schemes. The investigation findings can then feed into facade design and pre-construction, helping develop the technical solution before the full construction scope and cost are agreed.

Not automatically. An intrusive facade survey, a FRAEW and an EWS1 serve different purposes, and UKR Facades does not itself issue FRAEW reports or EWS1 forms.

Where specialist fire assessment is required, UKR can appoint and coordinate an appropriately qualified fire engineer as part of its wider Principal Contractor package and provide relevant project and facade information. Elliot confirmed that a FRAEW can be an important early-design input where applicable, while an EWS1 may be issued by the appropriately qualified fire professional where required.

UKR Facades supports facade investigations and intrusive opening-up works on projects across the UK from its headquarters in Salford, Greater Manchester. Nationwide delivery is a genuine part of the company’s operating model, with facade work undertaken across multiple regions and further growth targeted in London.

The investigation service sits within UKR’s wider design-and-build facade capability, supporting complex existing buildings and remediation projects where a clearer understanding of the external-wall construction is required before technical development or site works progress.

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