RAAC Surveys

Identification, condition assessment and remediation planning for Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete

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Service overview

Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) is a lightweight precast concrete used extensively in UK public and commercial buildings between the 1950s and the mid-1990s. It has since been identified as a material with a defined design life, prone to structural failure as it approaches or exceeds that life. Panels can deflect, crack and in some cases collapse without warning signs visible from below. This is why RAAC has moved from a technical footnote into a matter of building safety, procurement urgency and duty of care for asset owners.

A RAAC survey answers the questions asset owners need answered. Is there RAAC in the building. Where is it located. What is its condition. What is the immediate risk. What remediation is required, on what timescale, and at what cost. Delivered properly, the survey removes uncertainty and gives the client a defensible basis for decisions on continued occupation, restricted use, remediation or replacement.

CRS delivers RAAC surveys across the range of buildings likely to contain the material. Schools and educational estates. NHS estates and healthcare buildings. Local authority buildings, offices and libraries. Housing stock, particularly system-built blocks. Commercial buildings from the period of RAAC use. The survey is scoped to the client’s known exposure and the level of investigation required.

The survey combines desktop review, on-site inspection, physical opening-up where required, condition assessment and prioritisation. Desktop review identifies where RAAC is likely to be present based on construction date, building type and available records. On-site inspection confirms presence, extent and access. Where positive identification requires it, physical opening-up exposes the panels for direct inspection, measurement of deflection, condition of the reinforcement, and evidence of cracking or deterioration. Panels showing critical indicators are prioritised for immediate action.

Output is a written report identifying the presence and location of RAAC, the condition of each identified panel or area, the immediate risk classification, and prioritised recommendations for remediation. Where the survey identifies panels requiring urgent action, CRS can deliver make-safe works, propping and remediation from the same team, providing continuity from identification through to resolution.

RAAC surveys and any follow-on remediation are delivered with the discretion the situation requires. Where the client needs findings communicated carefully to occupants, staff or students, we coordinate the reporting timing and messaging with the client’s communications team.

What this service covers

Desktop RAAC Assessment

Review of construction records, drawings and building history to identify likelihood of RAAC presence. Suitable as an initial screening exercise before committing to on-site inspection.

On-Site RAAC Identification

Structured on-site inspection to confirm RAAC presence, identify affected areas, and quantify the extent of the material in the building. Includes visual identification and non-destructive investigation where drawings are inconclusive.

Panel Condition Assessment

Detailed condition assessment of identified RAAC panels including visual inspection of the underside, measurement of deflection, identification of cracking, and assessment of bearing conditions at support points.

Reinforcement & Bearing Investigation

Where the panel condition requires it, controlled opening-up to expose reinforcement and bearing details for direct assessment. Coordinated with a structural engineer where the intervention affects load paths.

Risk Classification & Prioritisation

Findings classified against the current guidance from the Institution of Structural Engineers and the Health and Safety Executive. Panels prioritised for immediate action, planned remediation or ongoing monitoring based on condition and risk.

Remediation Planning

Written recommendations for follow-on action, including options for propping, panel replacement, structural strengthening or removal. Costed budget ranges provided where the client needs them for planning purposes.

Why choose Concrete Repair Solutions?

Technical depth grounded in delivery

RAAC surveys are informed by concrete repair and structural refurbishment experience. We identify RAAC accurately, assess condition to current guidance, and produce recommendations that are informed by what remediation actually involves. Where remediation is required, the same team can deliver it.

Whole life of the structure

CRS surveys, propose, remediates and maintains. Where the client wants continuity, the same team returns for make-safe works, prop installation and permanent remediation. Where the client wants to competitively tender the remediation, our survey supports that route openly.

Accredited and approved

SafeContractor accredited, with a CSCS-carded workforce and SSSTS-qualified site supervision. IRATA Level 3 rope access operatives where surveys require high-level access. Independent external HSQE consultancy oversight of health, safety, quality and environmental management on every project.

Track record

Concrete condition surveys and structural investigations delivered across public sector, healthcare, education and commercial buildings throughout the UK. Live projects viewable in the Projects section.

Our process

1. Discuss & Scope

Initial conversation to understand the building, the client’s known or suspected exposure, the level of investigation required, and any communication constraints around occupants or users. Survey scope agreed at this stage.

2. Mobilise & Inspect

Desktop review of available records followed by on-site inspection to confirm presence, extent and access. Physical opening-up delivered where positive identification and condition assessment require it.

3. Assess & Classify

Panels and areas assessed against current guidance. Risk classification applied. Prioritisation of immediate action, planned remediation and ongoing monitoring completed.

4. Report & Next Steps

Written report delivered with defect mapping, photographic evidence, risk classification and prioritised recommendations. Follow-on make-safe, remediation or replacement works quoted separately where the client wants to progress them.

Recent projects

Related Surveys & Services

Frequently asked questions

RAAC stands for Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete, a lightweight precast concrete used extensively in UK buildings between the 1950s and the mid-1990s. It has a defined design life and, as panels approach or exceed that life, they are prone to structural failure. Panels can deflect, crack, and in some documented cases collapse without visible warning signs. Because failure can be sudden and difficult to predict visually, RAAC in buildings requires proactive identification, condition assessment and management rather than reactive response.

The starting point is the construction date and building type. RAAC was widely used between the 1950s and mid-1990s, particularly in schools, hospitals, offices and other flat-roofed buildings. A desktop review of available construction records and drawings identifies likelihood of presence. On-site inspection confirms whether RAAC is actually installed and where. If drawings are missing or unclear, physical investigation is used to confirm identification.

No. Depending on condition, some RAAC panels can remain in place with monitoring. Others can be structurally supported by propping or strengthening while a longer-term plan is developed. Some require immediate replacement. The right approach depends on the panel condition, the building use, the loads applied and the available access for remediation. A survey establishes what is present, what condition it is in, and which category each panel falls into.

Where the survey identifies panels requiring urgent action, we can deliver emergency make-safe works, propping and access restriction from the same team, on the same mobilisation where possible. This avoids the delay of finding a follow-on contractor while the risk sits unaddressed. Longer-term remediation is then planned once the immediate situation is stabilised.

Yes. RAAC surveys often need to be delivered carefully in relation to occupants, staff, students or public users of the building. We coordinate the reporting timing, on-site presence and communication with the client’s facilities or communications team. Findings are reported to the client first, giving them time to plan any communication before the information becomes wider knowledge.

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