Frequently Asked
Questions

A structural inspection is a systematic, professional assessment of a building's structural elements - including foundations, columns, beams, slabs, walls and the building envelope - to identify defects, damage, deterioration and safety risks. New Nordic structural inspections combine visual assessment with non-destructive testing (NDT) to provide a technically accurate picture of the building's structural condition.

The inspection is carried out by qualified structural engineers and results in a detailed report documenting findings, risk classifications and recommended actions. Reports are stamped by a UAE-licensed professional engineer and are suitable for authority submission, insurance purposes, property transactions and investment decisions.

A structural inspection should be commissioned whenever visible cracking, spalling or deflection is observed; the building has experienced a fire, flooding or impact event; before a property purchase or major renovation; as part of an ongoing maintenance programme; or when an insurer, lender or authority requests a structural assessment report.

In the UAE climate, where high humidity, salt exposure and thermal cycling accelerate concrete degradation and rebar corrosion, proactive structural inspection every 5-10 years is recommended for buildings in all age categories - regardless of visible condition. Many structural defects are not visible to the naked eye without NDT testing.

NDT - Non-Destructive Testing - is a range of testing techniques that evaluate the condition of structural materials and elements without damaging or removing them. NDT testing is used to detect defects, measure material properties and assess structural integrity in ways that are not possible through visual inspection alone.

In structural engineering, NDT testing is essential for verifying concrete strength, locating rebar position and corrosion, detecting voids and delamination, and assessing the internal condition of structural elements that cannot be visually inspected. All data is interpreted by qualified structural engineers and forms a critical part of every New Nordic inspection report.

Our in-house NDT capabilities include Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) for rebar detection, void identification and subsurface mapping; Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity (UPV) for concrete quality assessment; Rebound Hammer testing for surface hardness and concrete strength estimation; Half-Cell Potential testing for reinforcement corrosion probability; and Impact-Echo testing for delamination and void detection in slabs and walls.

The selection of NDT methods for each project is determined by the structural engineer based on the building type, visible condition and the specific questions that need to be answered. New Nordic never applies a fixed NDT package - the testing scope is tailored to each building.

Consultancies that rely on subcontractors for NDT testing introduce extra coordination steps, scheduling dependencies and accountability gaps. Equipment availability depends on the subcontractor's workload, data interpretation is separated from the engineering team, and problems with test quality often surface only when the report is being written - too late to revisit the site promptly.

New Nordic owns and operates all key NDT equipment in-house. Our engineers select and control the testing scope on site, interpret data in real time, and can run additional tests immediately if findings require it. The result is faster mobilization, better data quality and one point of accountability throughout.

When defects are identified during an inspection, New Nordic documents them fully in the preliminary findings and the final structural report - including severity classification, risk assessment and recommended remediation actions. Where remediation is required, our in-house structural strengthening team can design the solution.

Clients do not need to engage a separate engineering consultant for remediation design. New Nordic provides a complete service from initial inspection through defect identification, remediation design and supervision of the works - under a single contract with a single point of accountability.

Yes. We provide full structural strengthening design where defects or capacity deficiencies are identified. Our engineers design appropriate solutions - carbon fibre reinforcement (CFRP) jacketing, concrete repairs, column or slab strengthening, foundation remediation, or a combination, depending on the defects identified.

Strengthening designs are produced to relevant international standards and submitted for authority approval as required. The design takes account of the building's operational status, construction programme constraints and budget - practical, constructable solutions rather than theoretical ideals.

Yes. We provide site supervision of remediation and structural strengthening works - attending site to monitor contractor execution against the approved design, verifying materials and workmanship, and certifying the completed works. Supervision by the design engineer matters for both quality assurance and the approval process.

After remediation we can carry out a follow-up inspection and NDT testing to confirm the structural condition has been adequately addressed. This end-to-end capability is the core of the New Nordic service model.

We mobilize to site within 48 hours of contract signing for standard structural inspections. For urgent situations - fire damage, suspected structural failure, post-flood assessment or an emergency authority request - we can typically deploy within 24 hours, subject to team availability and site access readiness.

Because all NDT equipment is owned and operated in-house, mobilization does not depend on subcontractor availability. That gives us a significantly faster response than firms relying on external NDT providers.

On-site NDT testing typically takes 1-3 days depending on building size, access conditions and the scope of testing required. For a standard mid-rise residential building, NDT is generally completed within 2 days of the visual inspection.

Because we operate all equipment in-house, testing can begin immediately after the visual inspection, and any additional tests identified during the inspection can be carried out on the same visit or the following day.

We ask for as-built drawings (if available), previous inspection or maintenance reports, the building completion certificate, title deed or ownership documentation, and site access arrangements. New Nordic does not require comprehensive historical documentation - we carry out a full independent assessment that is not dependent on historic records.

If as-built drawings are not available, which is common in older buildings, our engineers work from site observations and NDT data. Their absence may extend the on-site assessment duration, which is scoped and confirmed at proposal stage.

Yes. All structural engineering reports produced by New Nordic are stamped and signed by a qualified professional engineer licensed in the UAE. That stamp represents the engineer's personal accountability for the findings and conclusions in the report.

Our reports are not generated from standardized templates. Every report is a bespoke document produced from the specific data collected during inspection and NDT testing of that building. It takes longer per report, but produces technically robust documents that provide genuine value to the building owner.

An executive summary of findings and risk classification, building description and scope of assessment, visual inspection findings with photo documentation, NDT test results and interpretation, laboratory analysis results where applicable, structural defect mapping, risk assessment and prioritization, recommended remediation actions with preliminary cost guidance, and the professional engineer stamp and signature.

Reports are bespoke to each building - not generated from templates - and written to be understood by both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Rejections typically occur for one of the following reasons: insufficient technical content or analysis depth; incomplete NDT data or missing test results; generic template language not specific to the building assessed; inadequate photographic documentation; recommendations that do not align with the findings; or submission by an engineering office not properly licensed for that category of work.

New Nordic's bespoke, data-driven approach significantly reduces the risk of rejection. Our reports are written by the engineers who conducted the inspection and reviewed the test data - not by junior staff applying templates to field notes.

If the reviewing authority requests technical revisions to a structural report we have produced, we carry out those revisions and resubmit at no additional charge to the client - subject to the terms of the engagement contract.

It is not a standard offering across the structural engineering industry; many firms charge for each revision cycle. We include it because if revisions are required, the engineering firm should address them rather than pass the cost to the client.

We are headquartered at Unit 803, Dusseldorf Business Point, Al Barsha 1, Dubai and work on projects across the UAE - buildings, marine structures, bridges and industrial facilities.

New Nordic Consultants Pvt Ltd. in Noida, India provides supporting engineering capacity to the UAE team.

Fees are tailored to each building - they depend on building size, age, number of floors, accessibility and the NDT scope required. New Nordic provides a detailed, fixed-price proposal within 48 hours of your initial enquiry.

Programmes covering multiple buildings attract structured pricing. Send us your building details for a prompt quotation.

Yes. We run structured Portfolio Inspection Programmes for Owners Association management companies, developers and institutional property owners. Programmes include a structured inspection schedule, consolidated project management and consistent reporting standards across all buildings.

Portfolio programmes are the most efficient and cost-effective approach for clients with three or more buildings. We coordinate site access, NDT scheduling and report delivery to minimise disruption.