This service answers
“What can this building actually carry?”
You receive: DEA report with test results, member-by-member capacity checks and remediation options
What a DEA is
A Detailed Engineering Assessment is a systematic investigation of an existing structure to decide whether it is safe for its current and intended use. The term became widely known through the ready-made garment sector's safety programmes, but the method applies to any building: factories, warehouses, offices, apartments, schools and hospitals.
A DEA replaces assumptions with measurements. Original drawings are often missing or do not match what was built, concrete strength is frequently lower than specified, and loads have usually changed. The assessment finds out.
What we do
- Document review and as-built survey. We collect any drawings and calculations, then measure grids, member sizes, slab thicknesses and storey heights.
- Material testing. Concrete cores tested in a laboratory, supported by rebound hammer and ultrasonic pulse velocity readings across the building, and ferro-scanning to locate reinforcement. See our NDT service.
- Load survey. Machinery, storage, partitions, generators and water tanks are recorded as they actually are.
- Foundation and soil review. From existing soil reports or, where needed, new investigation.
- 3D structural analysis. A model built from measured geometry, tested strengths and actual loads, checked against BNBC 2020 gravity, wind and seismic requirements.
- Report. Demand-to-capacity results for every member, immediate safety actions if any, and costed strengthening options.
Who asks for a DEA
- RMG and textile factory owners responding to buyer or RSC requirements — see RMG factory structural assessment.
- Owners planning a vertical extension or change of use.
- Banks and insurers assessing a property.
- Owners who have seen cracks, settlement or corrosion and need a reliable answer.
What happens after
If the building is adequate, the report is your evidence. If it is not, the DEA becomes the basis for a remediation design and structural retrofitting.
Questions owners ask
How much of the building is tested?
Enough to represent each structural element type and each floor. The testing plan is set out before work starts, following recognised sampling practice, and is adjusted if early results show wide variation.
Will coring damage my building?
Cores are small, taken from locations chosen to avoid reinforcement and critical zones, and are repaired immediately with non-shrink mortar.
Do I need drawings for a DEA?
No. Drawings help, but when they are missing we produce as-built drawings as part of the assessment.
What is the difference between a DEA and a visual inspection?
A visual inspection identifies obvious risks. A DEA measures material strength and reinforcement and checks every member by analysis, so its conclusions are based on numbers, not appearance.