Problem
Falling render fragments onto a podium roof triggered an insurer request for whole-of-facade condition evidence on an 18-storey precast office tower. The asset manager needed a survey, a make-safe, and a repair scope — without scaffolding a trading building.
Diagnosis
Full-facade rope access survey over eight days: every panel tap-tested and inspected at close range, defects tagged to a numbered elevation schedule, drone photogrammetry for context mapping. Findings: localised spalls at corroded panel fixings on the weather elevations, systemic sealant failure at precast joints past design life, and isolated carbonation-driven edge spalls. Critically, the survey showed defects were distributed and low-density — the access economics case for rope over scaffold.
Method
Immediate make-safe of loose material during the survey itself. Repair campaign by rope access: fixing-zone break-outs and reinstatement with high-build repair mortar, corrosion primer to exposed steelwork, complete joint sealant replacement (backer rod and low-modulus silicone) across all elevations, and edge spall repairs. Exclusion zones managed at podium level with the building’s FM team; zero tenant disruption recorded.
Outcome
Insurer accepted the condition report and completion evidence; the distributed-repair scope delivered by rope access came in at a fraction of the scaffolded equivalent. The building now carries certified anchor points, cutting the cost of every future facade inspection.