…prior to purchase of an existing property.

Before acquiring a new asset, you want to know as much as possible about its condition. Was it constructed to a high standard? Has it been maintained well in the past? To what extent has it suffered from deterioration or other unwanted influences? Only by evaluating such issues can the true value of the asset, and the future cost of maintaining and operating it, be properly estimated.

…following completion of construction of your new asset or redevelopment of your existing one.

After your asset has been newly constructed or redeveloped, you will be interested to know if the construction contractor has carried out the work to a high standard. AQUILA can carry out a so-called ‘birth certificate’-structural investigation, assessing agreed characteristics that require specialist NDT equipment and expertise. Establishing evidence of inadequacies in the construction can enable the owner to demand improvements, avoiding repairs and maximizing life-cycle performance. And even just the knowledge that an AQUILA structural investigation will be carried out post-construction will motivate contractors to take extra precautions to ensure the high quality of their work.

…in advance of the end of your construction contractor’s warranty period.

A sensibly planned NDT assessment of your asset after several years of service, before the contractor’s warranty period has expired, can enable you to ensure that deficiencies – many of which may be difficult to detect by traditional inspection methods – are identified before it is too late to require the contractor to address them.

…throughout the asset’s normal service life.

All structures require to be properly maintained on an ongoing basis, with regular assessments enabling any damage or deterioration to be recognized and evaluated. Having a two-dimensional “digital twin” of the type created by AQUILA maximizes the efficiency and effectiveness of this work by keeping all data – assessment records, observations, photographs, etc. – in one place that can be easily accessed and updated by authorized users, anywhere in the world. Monitoring of the deterioration over time of particular values or characteristics can enable risks to be managed and appropriate repair, strengthening or renovation work to be planned in an optimal way.

…prior to carrying out refurbishment or modification work on your asset.

Before designing renovation work, your engineer will need to know as much as possible about the existing structure. Are the strength and condition of existing structural elements adequate to meet future needs? Will it be possible to cut through or remove specific elements without weakening the structure too much? Where are services and utilities located, and at what depth? Understanding such matters will enable the associated risks to be minimized – contributing first to lower pricing by the contractor, and then to the completion of your project on time and within budget.

…prior to putting your property on the market

When selling an asset, you will want to highlight any positives that will help increase its value to a prospective buyer. If the structure is in good condition, demonstrate this by means of high-tech non-destructive testing. In the absence of any such verification, buyers will be likely to make overly conservative assumptions which allow for the structure’s condition to be far worse than it actually is. And seeing that the asset has been professionally assessed and maintained over the years will further increase the buyer’s confidence in the asset, enabling you to sell your asset more easily and at a better price.