Diagnostics, repairs, expertise

and technical reports

Pathological expertise of

houses and buildings

We carry out technical expertise (defects, poor workmanship, hidden defects) of houses and buildings that make them unsuitable for habitation, even dangerous! We will allow you to take legal action before the Swiss Courts in the event of bad faith by an ex- owner, a real estate agency, a construction company or a construction’s independent worker. You have bought a property and you think you have made a good deal, but you discovered after the purchase problems of cracks, water leaks in a wall, infiltration during heavy rains, tiles that come off and perhaps more than you haven't seen? You don't know yet what surprises you are going to have and only an experienced professional can find out by diagnosis and estimate the repair work. In the meantime you will sleep at the hotel or temporarily rent an apartment during the works. This generates costs not foreseen before the purchase. Are you a victim of fraud? (a false sale)?

Humidity expertise

Inspection of humidity in house and building, verification with instruments, etc.

Roofing expertise

Roof inspection, tinsmithing inspection, structural and insulation inspection, search for infiltrations.

Inspection and expertise, hidden defects, judicial expertise

Electrical expertise

Compliance inspection according to Swiss Directives like OIBT (Ordinance on Low Voltage Installations). Security report.

Crack expertise

Inspection of cracks, concealed cracks, evolving cracks, measurement of cracks, hidden defects that make the house or building unsuitable for its use.

Insulation expertise

Insulation inspection, control of the energy performance of a house or building.

Property inspection - Property Survey

We seek to identify the technical problems of a property which reduce its use, its value or which present a risk to the safety of the occupants. We will provide you with a detailed inspection report and proposals for remediation or replacement of defective items.

Pre-purchase inspection of a property

Used real estate The pre-purchase inspection allows you to know the current physical condition and the real value of a property, but also to know what the costs of repairs (water infiltration, insulation, etc.) and compliance will be. mandatory (electricity, heating, asbestos, etc.) as well as the maintenance budgets that will help keep your future property in good condition. Our budget data will help you negotiate the purchase and financing of your property. The pre-purchase inspection serves to protect you in the event of hidden defects that may arise after the real estate transaction. It will allow you to negotiate, buy or abandon the real estate project for another more interesting opportunity. Our   goal   is   to   protect   you   and   reassure   you   of   the   purchase,   then   to   inform   you   about budgets   for   renovations   and   energy   efficiency   improvements.   Real   estate   is   ultimately   a long-term financial matter.

Preventive inspection of a property

Used real estate Preventive inspection is used to know the condition of a property to keep it in good condition and even increase its market value before it is put up for sale. This avoids unpleasant surprises which can be costly, by making repairs or maintenance too late. This service represents an investment to maximize a property and protect against possible claims for latent defects.

Pre-acceptance inspection of a property

1) New property. Hidden defects and poor workmanship are very common in new constructions. Water infiltration in semi-buried spaces or cellars, cracks in walls, cracks in ceilings, cracks in floors in new constructions are the most widespread defects. The pre-reception and reception inspection will allow you to see in time to inform the manufacturer of the important corrections to be made with the warranty for defects. For instance in case of buying an off-the-plan apartment. 2) Used and renovated real estate. The pre-acceptance inspection will allow you to know the current condition of the property and check that all the work has been carried out in compliance with the standards in force.

Hidden defect expertise after the purchase of real

estate

House or other real estate purchased without inspection. This type of inspection takes place after the new owner moves into their new home and after a few days discovers the first anomalies. Once there, the bad smells persist despite the cleaning, the noise of certain tiles which are gradually peeling off, a crack appears on a corner and progresses, mold appears on certain places which were clean, the paint is peeling off, infiltrations of water appear, etc. Hidden defect Features: • The hidden defect is not seen during the discovery tour of the house. • The hidden defect is concealed by the former owner, because he does not consider it serious. • The real estate agent who takes care of the sale often ignores it, because he is not informed. This hidden defect, but announced to the buyer, would have allowed a fair negotiation of the sale price to compensate for the costs incurred to put this problem in order with qualified craftsmen. The discovery of the hidden vice, after the real estate transaction by the new owner, is not pleasant. The    simplest    and    most    economical    solution    is    to    find    an    amicable arrangement   between   the   former   owner   and   the   new   owner,   so   that   the   former owner participates in the cost of repairs and compensation. In the case of a solution by the courts, the former owner risks a lot, because the conviction gives rise to administrative costs, repair costs and compensation costs which are much higher.

Reception of works in condominium apartment

(PPE)

1) Assistance with the acceptance of work when buying an apartment in PPE. We assist new owners when buying an apartment in PPE off-plan or buying an apartment in PPE. We assist you with the pre-acceptance of the works and the reception of the works. Contracts according to Swiss norm SIA 118 or CO standard. Technical assistance during the reception phases of the apartment in PPE, report (PV) of verification of the work, drafting of the list of minor and major defects. Control of contractual documents, sales contract, control of the construction description, plans or other documents that are part of the purchase of the property. Control of works in common areas in relation to the sales contract (quality of work on the structure, construction, building envelope, heating, home automation, garden, outdoor spaces, play areas, underground garage, the technical room and other elements. 2) Assistance with acceptance of work when buying a house in condominium (PPE) off-plan. We assist new owners when buying a condominium house (PPE) off-plan or buying a condominium house (PPE). Technical assistance during the reception phases of the co-ownership house (PPE), report (PV) of verification of the work, drafting of the list of minor and major defects. Control of contractual documents, sales contract, control of the construction description, plans or other documents that are part of the purchase of the property. Control of works in the common areas in relation to the sales contract (quality of work on the structure, construction, envelope of the house, heating, home automation, garden, outdoor spaces, play areas, the underground garage, the technical room and other elements.

Our services

• Home inspection before purchase. • Inspection of apartment in condominium PPE before purchase. • Tailor-made expertise when buying real estate. • Hidden defect expertise after buying a house or apartment. • Assistance in the reception of work when buying an apartment in PPE off-plan. • Assistance with the reception of works when buying a house in condominium (PPE) off-plan.

Gallery

Here are some examples of our real estate inspections. • Property survey • Pre-purchase home inspection • Expertise of hidden defects after a house purchase • Inspection of cottages • Building inspection • Apartment inspection before purchase • Expertise in building foundations • Seismic expertise • Houses with moisture problems • Houses with thermal bridge problems • Assistance in the reception of work when buying an apartment off-plan. • Assistance with the reception of works when buying a house in condominium off-plan.

Building pathologies - Building problems - Disorders

The problem of the building arises by a bad design, a choice of constituents badly adapted to the conditions of environment, errors in the implementation, or a lack of maintenance. On the other hand, the market demand for quick and inexpensive work, push some builders and craftsmen to offer mediocre solutions where the price is the only important element when choosing a technical solution.

Foundations and

infrastructure

Lack of recognition of ground risk. Settlements. Differential settlement of foundations. Exceptional movements in sensitive soils. Settlement of paving in individual dwellings. Collapse of masonry retaining walls. Serious defects on the foundations. Disorders of deep foundations. Disorders in the roads and various networks. Clogging of on-site sanitation systems.

Structures and structural

work

Structural cracks. Building basement humidity. Corrosion of reinforced concrete reinforcement. Facade leaks. Disorders of pavements for industrial use. Disorders affecting balconies and waterproofing. Problems related to wood treatments. Disorders on swimming pools. Disorders of timber frame constructions. Capillary rise. Termites.

Roofs and frames

Infiltrations in tiled roofs. Condensation on the underside of metal roofing. Mess in flat roofs. Thermal expansions and shrinkages. Readings and waterproofing. Waterproofing of parapets. Deformations of wooden structures. Collapse of lightweight covers under the weight of water. Lost roof spaces: risks of transformation. Roofing in bituminous shingles. Under-roof disorders.

Exterior casings and

coatings

Disorders of monolayer plasters. Infiltration by window-shell connection of buildings. Infiltrations by French window sill. Disorders after recovery on restorations of plaster facades. Degradation of facade impermeability coatings. Bedrock Disorders. Disorders of thermal insulation systems exterior facades. Micro-organisms on facades. Aging and deformation of translucent plates. Multi-risk structures: verandas. Degradation of stains and paints on exterior wooden joinery. Detachment of facade coverings laid with adhesive mortar. Falling Thin Stones Attached.

Equipment

Condensation in dwellings. Disorders in sanitary water networks. Disorders of hot water underfloor heating. Leaks from pipes incorporated in the slabs. Disorders affecting the flues. Corrosion and leaks of steel sanitary water circuits. Sludge of heating installations. Acoustic insulation defects. Closed fireplaces and inserts. Drainage network flow fault. Disorders of mechanical ventilation systems (VMC). Electrical installation outside Swiss standards.

Interior fittings

Detachment of bonded resilient floor coverings. Tile breakage in supermarkets. Cracks and detachment of tiles. Parasitic air infiltrations. Industrial Floor Disorders. Recoveries of humidity in the shower corners. Parquet and risks related to humidity. Mess on terracotta element ceilings. Mess on floor paints. Disorders of metal paint systems. Peeling paint on new concrete ceilings.