Façade Care & Maintenance
A building’s façade is its first and most exposed line of defence – against weather, against time, against the slow wear that eventually shows up as a failed seal, a stained panel, or a leak nobody can quite trace. At Façade Creations, façade care isn’t an afterthought bolted onto installation work. It’s a standing service, delivered by the same in-house teams who design, procure, manufacture and install façade systems in the first place – so when we inspect a curtain wall or investigate a leak, we’re reading a system we understand, not guessing at someone else’s work.
We look after every element of the external envelope, not just glazing. That means curtain walling, windows and doors, rainscreen cladding, glass balustrades, louvres and ventilation systems, and structural glazing – the full range of what we design and install is also the full range of what we maintain.
This isn’t a UK-only service. The Midlands and London are our core UK operating areas, but our façade care and maintenance capability travels with our design and installation projects internationally, so an overseas client working with us on a new build can also call on us to look after it once it’s built.
The systems we care for
- Curtain walling – stick and unitised systems, structural silicone glazing, spandrel and vision panels
- Windows and doors – aluminium and steel commercial systems, automatic and manual doors, fire doors
- Rainscreen cladding – ventilated rainscreen panels, metal composite and mineral-board systems, brick-slip and terracotta façades
- Glass balustrades – structural fixings, glazing condition, handrail and connection integrity
- Louvres and ventilation systems – weather performance, blade and frame condition, drainage
- Ancillary glazing and structural glazing – rooflights, canopies, atria
What our façade care & maintenance service covers
Planned, proactive inspection programmes, scheduled to system type and building age rather than a generic annual tick-box – so a 20-year-old curtain wall and a newly completed rainscreen aren’t inspected on the same cycle.
Reactive repairs across the full envelope: failed seals and gaskets, glazing unit replacement, fixing and bracket repairs, door and hardware servicing, and louvre or ventilation component replacement.
Water testing and leak investigation, tracing problems to their actual source rather than resealing the first joint that looks suspect – see our dedicated Water Testing & Leak Detection page.
Façade Technical Office – ongoing technical oversight, planned maintenance scheduling and compliance monitoring for landlords, managing agents and building owners, across a single building or a portfolio.
Cladding and rainscreen condition surveys, including fire-stopping, cavity-barrier checks, and drone-assisted inspection of hard-to-access elevations.
Renovation and diagnostic studies for ageing or underperforming façades, moving from investigation straight into a renovation scope when that’s the right call.
Façade care within the full Façade Creations service
Maintenance sits alongside – and often leads back into – everything else we do as a vertically integrated façade consultancy. If a survey shows a system is genuinely beyond economic repair, the same organisation that inspected it can take you through our full six-step delivery process: pre-construction guidance, in-house project management, design and engineering, procurement and manufacture, installation, and on-site performance testing. There’s no handover to a separate contractor and no loss of knowledge partway through.
For buildings working through fire safety remediation or a wider compliance programme, our maintenance and inspection work connects directly to our fire safety and compliance services, and to drone surveying and structural assessments for elevations that are difficult or costly to access by conventional means. Where a maintenance or remediation programme involves multiple contractors, insurers or a formal claims process, our construction consultancy team can support with project controls, contract administration and claims management – so technical findings translate cleanly into commercial and contractual outcomes.
Why building owners and managing agents choose us
- Vertically integrated: the same organisation that designs, procures and installs curtain walling, cladding and glazing also maintains it – and brings that engineering depth to systems we didn’t originally install, whatever the manufacturer
- One team, full lifecycle: inspection, testing, repair, renovation and full replacement are all handled in-house, so nothing gets lost in a handover between separate contractors
- Minimal disruption: surveys and repairs planned around occupied buildings, with access and working hours agreed in advance
- Documentation-led: every survey, test and repair produces a written record – useful for your building safety case, insurance, and lease compliance
- Global reach: based in Leicestershire with the Midlands and London as core UK operating areas, and an established track record delivering façade care and full façade projects internationally – we are not restricted to the UK
Who this service is for
- Landlords and property owners with ageing curtain wall, cladding, window or balustrade systems
- Managing agents responsible for planned maintenance schedules and building safety case documentation across a portfolio
- Developers and main contractors who need a maintenance partner once a building completes
- Asset managers and investors carrying out due diligence ahead of an acquisition, refinancing or insurance renewal
- Anyone dealing with water ingress, failed seals, or a façade that’s underperforming and needs proper diagnosis before it needs full replacement
The kind of work this covers
- A planned annual inspection and testing programme for a mixed-use block with curtain walling and rainscreen cladding
- An urgent leak investigation on a commercial curtain wall, from first call to signed-off repair
- A cladding and fire-stopping condition survey ahead of a Building Safety Act submission
- A diagnostic study on an underperforming façade, followed by a full renovation scope
- An ongoing Façade Technical Office arrangement covering several buildings for a single managing agent
Water Testing & Leak Detection
Water ingress rarely announces itself where it actually enters. A stain on a soffit two floors down, a damp patch behind plasterboard, a musty smell in a stairwell – by the time it’s visible, the water has usually travelled. Finding the real entry point, not just the symptom, is the difference between a repair that lasts and one you’re paying for again next winter.
Common causes of façade water ingress
- Failed or perished sealant joints, particularly at movement joints and corners
- Blocked, damaged or poorly formed weep holes and drainage paths
- Damaged flashings, copings and cills
- Thermal movement opening up joints that were sealed tight at installation
- Poor original detailing around penetrations – brackets, fixings, service runs through the façade
- Cladding panel joint failure, or gasket and glazing bead degradation on windows and curtain walling
Systems we test
- Curtain walling – stick and unitised systems, transoms, mullions and glazing joints
- Windows and doors – sills, frames, thresholds and drainage
- Rainscreen and cladding – panel joints, cavity drainage and cavity-barrier interfaces
- Glass balustrades – base fixings and connection details
- Louvres and ventilation systems – blade seals, frame joints and drainage penetrations
How we test
We start with a visual survey and history review – talking to occupiers, checking previous repair records, and identifying likely failure points before a single test is carried out. Then we apply controlled, section-by-section water testing, methodically working across the affected area so we isolate the exact point of failure rather than reporting back that the problem is ‘somewhere in this wall’. Every section tested, whether it passes or fails, is logged with photographs and a written note – evidence, not a verbal opinion given on site and forgotten by the time the report is due.
From diagnosis to sign-off
- Initial survey and risk assessment
- Method statement agreed for testing – particularly important in occupied buildings, where access and timing need to be planned around residents or tenants
- Section-by-section water testing carried out on site
- Root cause identified and repair scope agreed with you, in plain language as well as technical detail
- Repair carried out – reseal, gasket replacement, flashing repair, drainage clearance or component replacement, depending on the cause
- Retest to confirm the fix has actually worked, not just that the visible symptom has gone away
- Signed test report and photographic evidence issued for your records
Why testing – not guessing – matters
Resealing the wrong joint doesn’t just waste money. It delays finding the real problem while the underlying damage keeps developing inside the building fabric.
For leaseholder disputes or insurance claims, a documented test report is often the evidence that’s actually required, not just a contractor’s word that it’s ‘fixed’.
And a leak that keeps recurring is frequently a symptom of a design or installation issue elsewhere in the system – our engineers can trace it back to that cause, not just patch what’s visible.
Repairs handled in-house, without third-party delay
Because Façade Creations procures and manufactures façade components as part of our core business, replacement gaskets, glazing units, brackets and sealing systems don’t have to go through a separate supply chain once a leak investigation identifies what’s needed. Where a fault turns out to be bigger than a simple reseal – a failing gasket run across a whole elevation, for example – we can move straight from diagnosis into a proper repair or renovation scope, using the same team throughout.
Related: Façade Technical Office
For buildings that need water testing built into an ongoing planned maintenance schedule, not just a one-off callout.
Suspect a leak?
The sooner a leak is properly investigated, the less damage it does. Get a water test booked in.
Call: +44 (0)116 289 3343 · Email: info@facadecreations.co.uk · facadecreations.co.uk
Façade Technical Office
Most building owners don’t need another contractor on speed dial – they need someone who understands the whole façade, keeps track of what’s due for inspection, and can tell them honestly whether a problem is urgent or can wait. That’s what our Façade Technical Office service is built to do: ongoing technical representation for your building’s external envelope, whether or not we installed it originally.
What a Façade Technical Office does for you
- Maintains a live record of your façade systems – materials, warranties, known issues and inspection history, across curtain walling, cladding, windows, doors, balustrades and ventilation systems
- Plans and schedules routine inspections in line with manufacturer guidance and good practice, so nothing is left until it fails
- Reviews contractor proposals and repair quotes on your behalf, acting as an independent technical check rather than a party with an interest in the outcome
- Supports your building safety case documentation – increasingly important since the Building Safety Act placed new duties on owners of higher-risk buildings
- Provides a single point of contact for façade-related queries, from a leaseholder complaint to a pre-acquisition due-diligence survey
Services a Façade Technical Office arrangement can coordinate
Rather than commissioning separate contractors for each need, a Façade Technical Office arrangement lets us schedule and oversee the full range of façade care under one relationship:
- Planned water testing and leak investigation across the building or portfolio
- Cladding and rainscreen condition surveys, including fire-stopping and cavity-barrier checks
- Drone and structural assessments for elevations that are difficult or costly to access conventionally
- Fire safety and compliance reviews as part of your ongoing building safety case, including PAS 9980 fire risk appraisals and EWS1 forms where required
- Diagnostic studies where a façade is underperforming, and renovation scoping if a study recommends it
- Construction consultancy support – project controls, contract administration and claims management – when remedial works go out to tender or a defect claim needs managing
Who relies on this service
- Managing agents overseeing portfolios of mixed-age buildings
- Landlords who inherited a building without full knowledge of its façade history
- Asset managers preparing for refinancing, sale or insurance renewal, who need an independent condition statement
- Building owners working through fire-safety remediation who need a technical adviser who isn’t also trying to sell them the remediation job
How it works
- We start with a baseline condition survey and document review, covering every façade system on the building
- Agree an inspection and reporting schedule matched to your building and risk profile – this can be as light-touch or as thorough as your situation needs
- Deliver clear, plain-language summaries alongside the detailed engineering record, so decisions can be made quickly at board or asset-management level
- Flag issues early, with cost and urgency clearly explained, before they become emergencies
- Coordinate any follow-on survey, testing, repair or renovation work directly, or manage third-party contractors on your behalf
Related: Cladding & Rainscreen Inspection and Façade Renovation & Diagnostic Studies
The two services most often scheduled as part of a Façade Technical Office arrangement.
Ask about a Façade Technical Office arrangement
Whether it’s one building or a portfolio, we can scope an oversight arrangement around your risk profile and reporting needs.
Call: +44 (0)116 289 3343 · Email: info@facadecreations.co.uk · facadecreations.co.uk
Cladding & Rainscreen Inspection
Cladding scrutiny has changed permanently in the UK. Whether your building is high-risk under the Building Safety Act or simply ageing, owners are now expected to know – and be able to prove – what’s behind their rainscreen. Our inspection service gives you that evidence, from a team that understands cladding systems as designers and installers, not just as surveyors looking from the outside in.
Types of façade survey we carry out
Not every building needs the same depth of survey. We scope the right combination of the following, rather than defaulting to the most invasive or expensive option:
- Visual surveys – street-level, drone, or rope-access checks to identify surface cracks, staining, corrosion and loose or displaced panels
- Intrusive surveys – small, carefully controlled openings made in the wall build-up where a visual survey alone can’t confirm what’s hidden behind it, checking insulation, fire-stopping and cavity barriers directly
- Compliance and fire safety reviews – including PAS 9980 fire risk appraisals of external wall construction and EWS1 external wall system forms, assessing fire performance and the presence of combustible materials
- Leak testing – water spray testing and thermal imaging to trace hidden moisture and draught paths (see our dedicated Water Testing & Leak Detection page for the full process)
Systems we inspect
- Ventilated rainscreen panel systems
- Metal composite and high-pressure laminate (HPL) panels
- Mineral-fibre board systems
- Brick-slip and terracotta façades
- Curtain wall spandrel and infill panels
The build-up we assess
A rainscreen or cladding system is a stack of layers, and a defect in one layer often shows up as a symptom in another – a stain on the cladding face can trace back to a failed weather barrier several layers behind it. Where an intrusive survey is agreed, we assess the system through its full build-up:
- Primary structural frame – the steel or concrete support the system is fixed to
- Air barrier – the continuous membrane that should be preventing air infiltration
- Insulation layer – condition, coverage and whether it matches the original specification
- Weather barrier – the waterproof membrane behind the cladding, including its drainage detailing
- Cladding panels and finish – the visible face, plus confirmation of material and fire classification
- Fixing system – the brackets, clips and fasteners holding the panels in place
What we inspect
- Panel fixings and pull-off condition – checking panels are secured as designed, not just visually intact
- Cavity barriers and fire-stopping – location, condition and compliance with the original design intent
- Insulation and substrate condition behind the rainscreen, where access allows
- Sealant and weather-line condition at joints, corners and penetrations
- Signs of panel material degradation, corrosion, or previous unrecorded repairs
Fire safety and compliance
Cladding and fire safety are inseparable in the current regulatory environment. Where a survey covers fire-stopping and cavity barriers, our findings are set out specifically to support your fire safety and compliance obligations – identifying where fire-stopping is missing, damaged, or no longer matches as-built drawings, and setting out what’s needed to close the gap. Where a fuller appraisal is required, we can carry out or contribute to a PAS 9980 fire risk appraisal of external wall construction, and complete EWS1 forms where a lender, insurer or managing agent needs one. This work sits alongside our wider fire safety and compliance services for buildings undergoing remediation or preparing safety case documentation.
Drone and structural assessments
High-rise elevations, internal courtyards, and areas without safe rope-access anchor points are often the hardest – and most expensive – parts of a building to inspect conventionally. Our drone surveying capability lets us capture high-resolution imagery of full elevations quickly, without scaffolding or extended access equipment, complementing hands-on inspection where physical testing is needed. Where a survey raises questions about the structural condition of fixings, substrates or supporting brackets, our structural assessment capability can investigate further.
What the final report includes
- Condition score – clear, graded notes on defects, corrosion, rot or decay by building element, so priorities are obvious at a glance
- Photographic evidence log – marked and annotated images showing exact problem locations, keyed to an elevation drawing wherever possible
- Repair and remediation advice – practical, prioritised recommendations for fixing issues safely, with indicative cost guidance where scope allows
- Compliance verification – findings set out against relevant UK building regulations and standards, including the Building Safety Act, PAS 9980 and EWS1 where applicable
Findings are graded by urgency, so you know what needs attention now versus what to monitor, and reports are structured to support insurer or lender requests as well as your own building safety case documentation – not just filed away internally.
If remediation is needed
Where a survey identifies non-compliant or failing cladding, we can scope and deliver the remediation ourselves – panel removal and replacement, cavity-barrier renewal, and reinstatement – using the same in-house design and installation teams. That means no handover gap between ‘here’s what’s wrong’ and ‘here’s how we fix it’, and one team accountable for the outcome throughout. Where remediation involves a warranty claim, developer dispute or multi-party contract, our construction consultancy team can support with contract administration and claims management alongside the technical works.
Related: Façade Renovation & Diagnostic Studies
For underperformance issues that go beyond what a condition survey alone can diagnose.
Request a cladding condition survey
Get a clear, evidenced picture of your cladding’s condition and what – if anything – needs to happen next.
Call: +44 (0)116 289 3343 · Email: info@facadecreations.co.uk · facadecreations.co.uk
Façade Renovation & Diagnostic Studies
Not every façade problem has an obvious cause, and not every ageing building needs a full replacement. Before we recommend a scope of works, we investigate – thermally, structurally and visually – to understand what’s actually happening, so any renovation solves the real problem rather than the symptom someone happened to notice first.
When a diagnostic study makes sense
- Recurring issues without a clear single cause – draughts, condensation, intermittent leaks, or thermal discomfort in specific rooms
- Buildings approaching the end of a system’s expected service life, where owners need to decide between renovation and replacement
- Pre-acquisition or pre-refurbishment due diligence
- Underperformance against expected energy or comfort standards
- Curtain walling, cladding, windows, balustrades or ventilation systems that have had repeated repairs without the underlying issue being resolved
What our diagnostic process includes
- Document and drawing review, including original design intent where available
- On-site visual and instrumented survey – thermal imaging, moisture readings and structural checks where relevant
- Root cause analysis, distinguishing design issues, installation issues and straightforward wear-and-tear
- A clear written report setting out findings, risk and options – including a genuine ‘do nothing yet’ recommendation where that’s the honest answer
From diagnosis to renovation – our six-step delivery process
Where renovation is the right call, the diagnostic findings feed straight into the same process we use for new-build façade projects, so nothing has to be re-explained to a different team:
- Pre-construction – our commercial team guides the renovation from concept through to an agreed scope and programme
- Project management – an in-house team coordinates delivery to time and budget
- Design and engineering – material selection and detailing worked through collaboratively, informed directly by the diagnostic findings
- Procurement and manufacture – components sourced and manufactured to the agreed specification
- Installation – carried out by skilled teams, sequenced around occupied buildings wherever the building remains in use
- On-site performance testing – the renovated areas are tested before sign-off, closing the loop on the original diagnosis
Construction consultancy support
Renovation projects on occupied or multi-let buildings often involve more than one stakeholder – a managing agent, a warranty provider, an insurer, or a developer still within a defects liability period. Our construction consultancy service can support the technical renovation work with project controls, contract administration and claims management, so the practical fix and the commercial and contractual side of the project move forward together rather than stalling each other.
You get one point of accountability from diagnosis to completion – not a study that sits on a shelf while you go and find someone to act on it.
Related: Cladding & Rainscreen Inspection
Often, the trigger survey that leads to a diagnostic study being commissioned
Commission a diagnostic study
If your façade isn’t performing the way it should and no one has told you why, start with a proper diagnosis.
Call: +44 (0)116 289 3343 · Email: info@facadecreations.co.uk · facadecreations.co.uk
Façade Care & Maintenance: Frequently Asked Questions
How often should a façade be inspected?
It depends on the system, its age, and the building’s risk profile, but as a general guide, most curtain wall and cladding systems benefit from a visual inspection annually, with a more detailed condition survey every 3–5 years. Higher-risk buildings under the Building Safety Act, or façades with a known history of issues, usually warrant more frequent checks. We can recommend a schedule once we’ve seen your building
Do you only maintain façades you originally installed?
No. While our in-house knowledge of a system we designed and installed gives us a head start, our engineers regularly survey, test and repair façades installed by other contractors, across most major curtain wall, window, cladding, balustrade and ventilation systems.
Do you maintain glass balustrades, louvres and ventilation systems, or just curtain walling and cladding?
All of the above. Our façade care service covers the full external envelope we design and install – curtain walling, windows and doors, rainscreen cladding, glass balustrades, and louvre or ventilation systems – not only glazing.
What's the difference between a water test and a leak investigation?
A water test is the diagnostic tool – controlled, section-by-section testing used to find where water is actually getting in. A leak investigation is the broader process: reviewing history, testing, identifying the root cause, repairing it, and retesting to confirm the fix worked. In practice, most leak investigations involve one or more water tests.
Can you carry out drone surveys as part of an inspection?
Yes. Drone surveying is part of our capability for elevations that are difficult or costly to access conventionally – high-rise buildings, internal courtyards, or areas without safe rope-access points. It’s typically used alongside hands-on inspection and structural assessment, not as a replacement for it where physical testing is needed.
Is façade maintenance a legal requirement?
For higher-risk buildings, the Building Safety Act introduced specific duties on owners to manage building safety risks, including those relating to the external wall, and to keep records demonstrating that. Outside that regime, most leases and insurance policies still expect a landlord to maintain the building fabric in reasonable condition – and a documented inspection history is the easiest way to demonstrate that. We can advise on what applies to your specific building.
What are PAS 9980 and EWS1, and do I need them?
PAS 9980 is the published standard for carrying out a fire risk appraisal of external wall construction, looking at the materials and detailing of the façade to assess fire performance. EWS1 is a standard form, often requested by lenders, insurers or managing agents, that records the outcome of that kind of external wall assessment – it’s frequently needed when a building with cladding is being sold, re-mortgaged or reviewed for fire safety purposes. Whether either applies to your building depends on its height, cladding type and use; we can advise and carry out the appraisal where one is needed.
Do you provide construction consultancy support alongside maintenance?
Yes. Where a repair, remediation or renovation project involves multiple stakeholders, a warranty claim, or a formal tender process, our construction consultancy team can support with project controls, contract administration and claims management, working alongside the technical maintenance team rather than as a separate engagement.
Can Façade Creations design and install a full replacement if maintenance shows a system is beyond repair?
Yes. If a survey or diagnostic study shows a system is genuinely beyond economic repair, we can take the findings straight into our full design, procurement, manufacture and installation process, using the same six-step approach we use on new-build projects – so there’s no gap between diagnosis and delivery.
How much disruption should occupiers expect during a survey or repair?
We plan access and working hours around your building’s occupation wherever possible, and agree this with you before work starts. Most surveys and many repairs can be carried out with minimal impact on occupiers – we’ll always tell you upfront if something is likely to be more disruptive, such as scaffolding or extended access equipment.
What happens if a survey finds a serious issue?
We grade every finding by urgency in the survey report, so you’re never left guessing whether something needs attention this week or can be scheduled into next year’s maintenance budget. For anything urgent, we’ll flag it directly and can usually mobilise a repair or interim mitigation quickly.
Do you provide documentation for insurance or lender purposes?
Yes – every survey, test and repair we carry out is documented with a written report and photographic evidence, formatted to be usable as supporting evidence for insurers, lenders, or your own building safety case file.
How quickly can you respond to an active leak?
Response times depend on the building and access arrangements, but active water ingress is treated as a priority. Call us directly and we’ll advise on the fastest realistic route to getting it investigated.
Do you work on both commercial and residential buildings?
Yes. We work across commercial, residential and mixed-use buildings, as well as infrastructure projects, in the UK and internationally.
Do you only operate in the UK?
No. The Midlands and London are our core UK operating areas, but we design, install and maintain façades internationally too. Façade care and maintenance can be arranged as part of an international project or as a standalone service for an existing building – get in touch to discuss your location.
How do I get started?
Call or email us with a brief description of the building and the issue – or no issue at all, if you’re setting up a planned maintenance programme – and we’ll recommend the right starting point, whether that’s a single survey or an ongoing Façade Technical Office arrangement.
Still have a question?
Get in touch, and we’ll point you to the right service, or straight to a member of the team.
Call: +44 (0)116 289 3343 · Email: info@facadecreations.co.uk · facadecreations.co.uk
