EWS1 Surveys Across the UK

In June of 2017, the Grenfell Tower in North Kensington caught on fire. Following this tragic event, cladding compliance and the potential fire risks of external wall systems came under the spotlight.

The External Wall Fire Review process (EWFR) was developed and became an industry-wide process agreed by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), UK Finances and the building Societies Associations (BSA).

An EWS1 Survey allows for the inspection of the external wall systems of a building to make sure that it does not pose a fire risk to the people that may live or work inside it. The survey will identify if any remedial work is needed, and the findings of the survey are confirmed using an EWS1 Form.

The cost and time it can take to complete an EWS1 survey can depend on the size of the building being assessed and the complexity of the existing wall systems.

The person that is responsible for completing the survey must be an experienced and qualified professional.

An EWS1 form is intended for recording consistently what assessment has been carried out for the external wall construction of residential apartment buildings.

An External Wall Fire Review requires an inspection and assessment to be carried out by a qualified and competent professional and confirmed using the EWS1 Form.

An EWS1 certificate will be valid for five years, and only one assessment is needed for each building.

EWS1 surveys are designed to assess:

• Buildings higher than 18m where there are concerns regarding the external wall systems

• Buildings with attachments such as balconies that can be a fire concern

• Multi-storey and multi-occupied buildings with any other significant fire safety concerns, such as cladding systems.

The External Wall Fire Review process (EWFR) was developed by collaboration of stakeholders that have an interest in the fire safety of buildings, including fire engineers, surveyors and lenders.

Certain steps are part of the process, and include:

Site Visit

The first step in the process is that the assessor, who is both qualified and experienced, will visit the site.

Building Inspection

At the site, the assessor will inspect the outer wall coverings including brick slips, PVCu, wood and metal cladding. Sometimes invasive work is required to obtain samples for testing the outer cladding and inner insulation.

Form Completion

The EWS1 Form will be completed with a summary report of the findings and signed.