The Survey Phases

Within the framework of the overall methods discussed elsewhere on this site, three stages of operation are usually required :

	Preparation: Survey Design - Briefing, appraisal, pre- documentation, stock pre-appraisals, variant coding, sample selection, surveyor briefing, final survey planning and documentation
	The Survey: - Survey teams on-site. Data progressively input to computer.
	Analysis, Database and Reporting :- Collation, and analysis of survey results; unit cost estimates; Conversion & transfer of data, production of final output documents and report, etc.

Stage 1: Preparation: Survey Design

Normally between 5 and 6 weeks are necessary to undertake the various tasks required to prepare the ground for the full survey. These include:

Defining the Objectives

Adequate discussion is required in order to define both the broad aims and the detailed objectives of the survey. These will, obviously, have a significant impact on the survey design

Preparing the Property register :

One of the first operations undertaken, following project inception, must be the compilation and validation of a comprehensive address list for the housing stock - in order to derive a full computerised listing that contains key information for all properties - sufficient to ensure adequate sample design.

Survey Design

The scope, format and computer codes of the survey forms need to be developed and agreed to ensure that they will provide data sufficient to meet all the objectives defined.

Sample Design

Following the completion of the 'Property Register', above, and when all data relating to property types has been configured and coded, the sample options need to be evaluated, sample design agreed and properties selected for survey.

Notification of Householders

When the properties have been finally selected for survey, publicity, notification, access and appointment arrangements need to be defined and put in place

Surveyor Briefing

Guide-Notes need to be prepared and distributed to all surveyors for each of the main topics and operations of the survey. A full briefing of the survey team is required, covering such topics as customer care, appointment systems, access arrangements, health and safety issues, etc.

Stage 2: The Survey

Under normal circumstances a single surveyor will undertake both the internal and external inspection at a single visit, starting with an internal survey of the dwelling, which will involve a visual inspection in all rooms, stores, cupboards, fittings, fixtures and services, including the roof space, where access is available). Once the internal survey is completed, the surveyor progresses to the outside of the building.

Adequate administrative support is required during the survey phase to ensure swift transfer of data, information, appointment and messages from householders. Adequate supervision is required to ensure the completion of quality control measures.

During this phase, data is progressively input &/or downloaded to database systems.

Stage 3: Analysis, Database and Reporting

On completion of the survey and all data input a number of operations are required to generate the final survey outputs

Extrapolation

Data from individual sample surveys require extrapolation to provide records against each property on the housing register. The extrapolation following the criteria of the original sample design whereby data is transposed from surveyed dwellings to unsurveyed dwellings of the same type and in the same location

Costings

Average unit costs and standards of specification need to be formulated, tested and applied to the survey findings

Benchmark Standards

The survey, in addition to identifying 'maintenance' needs (i.e. repair and renewal of existing elements), normally identify actions which are designed to improve the standards of accommodation, amenity or service up to an agreed 'Benchmark Standard'. The 'raw survey data' requires evaluation to identify where dwellings fall below the defined standard and, consequently, the required improvement works identified.

Existing Information and data

The accuracy of extrapolated data (i.e. data for unsurveyed properties) can be enhanced by accounting for any existing information and records that the stock owner maintains. Such information is commonly available for gas heating appliances, rewiring years, decoration cycles, cavity insulation, etc. Such information needs to be compiled and configured to the database and allowed to overwrite the sample survey findings in order to improve accuracy.

Repair Programmes

Planned programmes of repair and upgrading action are then developed, to run over a period of five to ten-years.

The programmes allocate works to specific years and identify a Decent Homes Delivery Programme within a comprehensive and co-ordinated maintenance strategy. While planned maintenance must, obviously, reflect the priority assessments made at the time of the survey, a full assessment and appraisal exercise is required in order to develop programmes designed to:-

	satisfy a range of priority criteria - safety, health, deterioration of structure, methodical sequence and operational logic, preventative maintenance, general and internal amenity, etc.
	satisfy further, and often competing, practical and budgetary objectives and constraints - balance of trade inputs, balance of annual expenditure, economy in use of scaffold, adequate 'production runs', relationship to existing programmes and decoration cycles, balance of annual resource requirements, limitation of repeat visits

Energy Efficiency

Where the survey includes for energy efficiency analysis:-

	all relevant data collected by the survey need to be configured in order to determine the heat loss, energy efficiency rating and CO² emissions for all dwellings.
	A full evaluation is then required to identify improvement measures and costs and develop a programme of energy efficiency measures

Reporting and Software

Finally, hard-copy reports and database outputs need to be designed and agreed