How long does a compartmentation survey take?

The answer depends more on the building than on us. A small block with one stair is half a day and a medium one is a full day. Put a school with several wings in front of us and we are talking days, plural.

Counting flats tells you very little. Counting separate areas and cores tells you a lot. One stair core over six floors comes to about a day, and then every riser, plant room and roof void goes on top, because each one has to be opened up, looked at, photographed and marked on the plan.

Keys decide the rest. We lose more time to a hatch painted shut than to a whole extra floor, and a cupboard that nobody can unlock is worse. With someone around who has the keys, it moves along. Stand about for an hour waiting on a plant room and the day is gone.

The report follows a few working days after the visit, and longer for a big site. You get the date when you book, and the page on the survey report shows what is in it.