Concrete Repair Scheme - BRE Group
Pre-cast reinforced concrete Homes Repair Scheme
This scheme is operated by BRE Global and enables all necessary repairs to be made to homes that use pre-cast reinforced concrete (PRC). This means that only essential repairs should be carried out, and they should not be prohibitively expensive. Approved repairs should improve the energy performance of the building, extend the normal life of the property, and improve the saleability of the property.
About pre-cast reinforced concrete (PRC)
Many PRC homes were built following the Second World War. There was an urgent need for housing and traditional building materials and skilled labour were in short supply. This led to the construction of cheap ‘non traditional’ and easily erected properties. These houses were only ever meant to be a short-term solution.
Tens of thousands of PRC properties still remain and structural repairs are needed because of the effect of concrete carbonation. Additionally, mortgage lenders show a reluctance to continue to lend on these properties, or to offer home insurance, leaving owners and tenants wishing to buy with few options.
Equally, bad repairs can be unsafe and threaten the ability of the home owner to secure a mortgage on the property or insure it a reasonable price, if at all.
The PRC Homes Repair Scheme
This certification scheme by BRE Global will enable all necessary repairs to be made to homes with PRC.
The key elements of the scheme are:
Register of repair Specifications (Specifications to be reviewed by BRE).
Register of practitioners (who will be certified as a competent person).
Register of repaired properties (which will be used by third parties such as mortgage lenders, to assure themselves of a robust repair).
The scheme will provide:
Qualified practitioners who design and undertake the repair of the PRC home for the homeowners.
Confidence to third parties such as mortgage lenders, that the repair has been undertaken properly to an agreed and robust specification.
The scheme will not preclude the inclusion of Green Deal measures and/or of BREEAM refurbishment assessments.
Individual mortgage lenders have stated their support of the scheme. The scheme will provide mortgage lenders and home insurers with confidence that the repair has been undertaken satisfactorily and will provide reassurance to lend the money, enabling the home owner to purchase and insure the house.
FAQs
Find answers to some of our frequently asked questions about the PRC repair scheme.
No – the BRE Global scheme issued its first certificate in July 2016. Any repair certificates from before this date will not be from the BRE Global Scheme and BRE Global will not be able to respond to any queries regarding such repairs or certificates.
A significant number of repairs were undertaken within the PRC Homes Scheme operated by PRC Homes Ltd who were themselves a subsidiary of the NHBC. The NHBC may be able to help you better understand the nature of the changes/repairs made to your property. Please see the NHBC Homeowner’s website for contact details regarding any enquiry of this nature.
BRE Global is the operator of the PRC Homes Repair Scheme. Within the Scheme BRE Global has established a Register of Practitioners. It is only these Registered Practitioners who survey, cost and undertake repairs on PRC homes using the BRE Global approved Repair Specifications (see FAQ No. 3) within the BRE Global Scheme. These repairs can then be certified through the Scheme.
BRE Global itself does not undertake the surveying, costing or repairs within the scheme and all enquiries should be directed towards these practitioners.
Contact details for the Registered Practitioners can be found on the listings pages.
If your repair enquiry is for a house type outside of those listed in FAQ No. 3 then please follow the suggestion in the final paragraph of FAQ No. 3.
The most important first step is to identify what type of house it is. There were nearly 200 different types of PRC house types built in the UK and they all have differing types of structure requiring differing repair solutions.
If you are unsure what type of PRC house it is that you are interested in then you may be able to identify the type by:
Carefully checking any paperwork associated with the original construction of the dwelling, or any earlier structural repairs on the dwelling.
Using a Building Surveyor who with a capability concerning PRC houses.
Contacting the Local Authority.
Speaking to neighbours with similar dwellings.
Currently the BRE Global Scheme has registered Repair Specifications for the following PRC house types:
Airey
Reema
Underdown/Winget
Wates
The BRE Global Scheme doesn’t currently cover other PRC house types.
If your house type is not one of these and you continue to be interested in having certified repairs undertaken then BRE would recommend contacting one of the Registered Practitioners within the Scheme and explore whether they will develop a Repair Specification for the house type in which you are interested. Once a Repair Specification is developed and approved then a Registered Practitioner would be able to undertake appropriate repairs and provide a repair certificate from the BRE Global Scheme.
The scope of the BRE Global PRC Repair Scheme is strictly limited to the Certification of new repairs by Registered Practitioners (see FAQ No. 4) on specific types of PRC houses (see FAQ No. 3). The scope of the BRE Global Scheme does not include answering general questions on the nature of PRC home construction and the implications of this construction type.
If you have this type of generic question these should be addressed to a Building Surveyor or qualified Structural Engineer who is a specialist in PRC houses.