FRAEW · PAS 9980 · Birmingham

FRAEW & EWS1 assessments in Birmingham.

Director-led Fire Risk Appraisals of External Walls for towers, refurbished blocks, student housing and mixed-use buildings across Birmingham and the West Midlands.

Director-ledHomes England approved CSS assessorsAbout 4 weeks to report

We carry out FRAEWs to PAS 9980:2026 and EWS1 assessments across Birmingham, the Black Country and the West Midlands. Our in-house contracting team carries out any opening-up, and we have appraised towers and hotels in the area with no reliable façade records.

Birmingham's external wall risks

Birmingham and the Black Country combine a large post-war tower stock with a wave of new city-centre apartments and student housing, two groups of buildings where FRAEWs are often needed.

1960s and 1970s residential towers, many of them over-clad in later refurbishments that hide the original construction.
New city-centre apartment buildings around the Jewellery Quarter, Digbeth and the city core.
Purpose-built student accommodation near the universities.
Hotels and mixed-use buildings, where PAS 9980 can be applied with care to buildings other than blocks of flats.
Converted industrial buildings, where historic brickwork meets modern insulated linings and additions.

Our FRAEW work in and around Birmingham

Our West Midlands work includes buildings where the façade was hidden or the records were missing. The evidence was gathered on site and the outcome followed from it.

West Plaza, West BromwichA 45 m 1960s tower appraised using drone and intrusive survey: Low risk, EWS1 A1. West Plaza condition surveyThe same tower's full envelope recorded from the same site visit. Travelodge Birmingham MaypoleA condition assessment and PAS 9980 appraisal for a 60-room hotel, from one consultant. One Vesta Street, ManchesterA 169-flat higher-risk building opened up over two days: Low risk, no remediation.

How we carry out a FRAEW

Scoping and document review. Drawings, fire strategy, fire risk assessment and any previous reports, so the site work targets the right places.
Site inspection and opening-up. Every elevation is inspected. Where records are missing or unreliable, our in-house contracting team makes intrusive openings so there is no wait for a separate contractor.
Appraisal and review. Each wall type is appraised to PAS 9980:2026, then the building as a whole, and the report is reviewed before issue.
Report and recommendations. A clear risk rating, proportionate recommendations and, where needed, an EWS1.

We typically inspect within about two weeks of instruction and issue the report within about two weeks of the inspection.

Where we work around Birmingham

We carry out FRAEWs across Birmingham, Sandwell, Wolverhampton, Dudley, Walsall, Solihull and the wider West Midlands. See our pages for Birmingham, Nottingham, Manchester and Oxford.

Frequently asked questions

Do you carry out FRAEWs in Birmingham?

Yes. We carry out FRAEWs to PAS 9980:2026 and EWS1 assessments across Birmingham, the Black Country and the West Midlands, each led by a Director.

Can you appraise a tower with no façade records?

Yes. At West Plaza in West Bromwich we used a drone survey and targeted opening-up to reveal the original façade behind later steel cladding, and concluded Low risk, EWS1 A1.

Do you carry out FRAEWs on hotels?

Yes. PAS 9980 was written for blocks of flats, but it can be applied with care to other buildings. At Travelodge Birmingham Maypole we set out clearly how the method had been adapted.

Can you combine a FRAEW with a condition survey?

Yes. Doing both from one site visit saves time and access costs, as we did at West Plaza and Travelodge Maypole.

Need a FRAEW in Birmingham?

We are Homes England approved Cladding Safety Scheme assessors, carrying out PAS 9980 FRAEWs and EWS1 assessments across Birmingham and the West Midlands.

0800 048 5229 enquiries@mtconsult.co.uk See our case studies