What Does a FRAEW Assessment Involve?

For property managers and building owners, navigating the complexities of fire safety compliance can be a significant challenge. When it comes to the external walls of your building, understanding what a Fire Risk Appraisal of External Walls (FRAEW) involves is essential. It provides the clarity and reassurance you need to manage your legal duties, ensure resident safety, and satisfy the requirements of mortgage lenders and insurers.

A FRAEW is not a simple visual check. It is a highly structured, professional, and detailed process designed to assess the genuine risk posed by a building’s external walls. By understanding each step, you can approach the assessment with confidence, knowing exactly what to expect.

What is a FRAEW Assessment?

A Fire Risk Appraisal of External Walls (FRAEW) is a specialised report that evaluates the risk of fire spreading over or within the external walls of a multi-storey, multi-occupied residential building. It is the core assessment required to understand the fire safety of a building’s facade, including its cladding, insulation, balconies, and other external features.

The entire process is governed by a clear, risk-based methodology which provides a framework for a competent professional to follow. This approach moves away from a simplistic “pass or fail” system, providing a nuanced and proportionate assessment of risk.

Step-by-Step: What a FRAEW Assessment Involves

Step 1: Initial Review & Desktop Study

Before a fire engineer sets foot on-site, a critical phase of information gathering takes place. This is where you, as the building owner or manager, play a key role. The fire engineer will request and review all available documentation, including:

Original building plans and architectural drawings.
Construction details and specifications of the external wall system.
Maintenance records and any previous fire safety reports.
Details on the fire strategy of the building (e.g., stay put or simultaneous evacuation).

This initial review is vital for establishing a preliminary understanding of the building’s construction and identifying areas that may require a more detailed physical inspection.

Step 2: On-Site Visual Inspection

Once the desktop review is complete, a qualified fire engineer will conduct a comprehensive visual inspection of the building’s external walls and all attachments. This involves a meticulous walk-around and an assessment of every elevation, paying close attention to:

The type and condition of cladding, insulation, and fire barriers.
The construction and materials of balconies, soffits, and other external features.
The location of windows and doors in relation to potential fire risks.
Visible defects or signs of poor workmanship, such as missing fire stopping or gaps in the facade.

This stage informs the fire engineer whether more in-depth, or “intrusive,” investigations are necessary.

Step 3: Intrusive Investigations (If Required)

Where documentation is insufficient or where visual inspection raises concerns, an intrusive survey is performed. This is a critical step for getting an accurate understanding of the materials and construction behind the facade.

A specialist will carefully open up small sections of the external wall at pre-determined locations. The purpose of this is to:

Confirm the type of insulation and its installation.
Verify the presence and condition of cavity barriers and fire stopping.
Take samples of materials for laboratory testing if their combustibility is unknown.

The number of “openings” required will vary based on the complexity of the building, and the areas will be made good after the inspection.

Step 4: Fire Performance Assessment & Data Analysis

This is the core of the FRAEW, where the fire engineer applies a professional framework. Using the data gathered from the desktop review, visual inspection, and intrusive surveys, they will evaluate the fire performance of the external walls.

This involves considering three main groups of risk factors:

Fire Performance: The combustibility of the materials used in the cladding, insulation, and membranes.
Façade Configuration: The building’s design, including its height, number of storeys, and the presence of features like balconies or solar shading.
Fire Strategy & Hazards: The building’s fire safety strategy, including its evacuation plan and the presence of any mitigating features like sprinklers or fire alarms.

Step 5: Risk Evaluation

Based on the analysis from the previous step, the fire engineer will use the professional framework to arrive at a final, overarching risk rating for the building’s external walls. The rating will fall into one of three categories:

Low Risk: External fire spread is unlikely to be more rapid than normally expected. No remediation is required for the external walls.
Medium Risk: External fire spread is likely to be more rapid than normally expected, but the heightened risk is deemed tolerable. In some cases, minor works or further investigation may be recommended to reduce risk.
High Risk: External fire spread is likely to be more rapid than normally expected and presents an unacceptable risk to life safety. Remediation work or interim mitigating measures (such as a waking watch) will be necessary.

This proportionate approach ensures that costly and disruptive remediation is only recommended where there is a clear, genuine risk.

Step 6: Reporting

All findings are meticulously compiled into a comprehensive written report. This detailed document is the final deliverable of the FRAEW process. It will include:

An executive summary with the final risk rating.
A clear statement of the fire engineer’s competence.
A full description of the building and its external walls.
Detailed findings from the desktop and on-site investigations.
A clear analysis of the fire performance of all materials and systems.
A list of recommendations for any necessary remedial works or interim measures.
A completed EWS1 form, which is a summary of the full report’s findings.

Step 7: Outcomes & Next Steps

The FRAEW report serves as the authoritative basis for all future decisions regarding the external walls. It provides you with a clear path forward, whether that means:

No Action Required: If the building is rated “Low Risk,” you have a robust, legally defensible report that confirms the safety of your facade.
Minor Works or Further Investigation: If the rating is “Medium Risk,” you have a clear list of recommendations for targeted, proportionate improvements.
Remediation: If the building is “High Risk,” the report provides a clear blueprint for the remediation work required.

A completed FRAEW also satisfies the requirements of most mortgage lenders, allowing residents to buy, sell, or remortgage their properties with confidence.

What Property Managers and Building Owners Gain from a FRAEW

A professional FRAEW is a sound investment that delivers multiple benefits:

Compliance & Due Diligence: It helps you meet your legal and statutory obligations under the Building Safety Act and the Fire Safety Order.
Unlocks the Market: The report and its accompanying EWS1 form provide the assurance needed for lenders to offer mortgages on properties in your building.
Clarity and Reassurance: It removes the guesswork from fire safety, providing a clear and documented understanding of the building’s risk profile.
Avoids Unnecessary Costs: By applying a risk-based methodology, it helps prevent disproportionate and unbudgeted remediation work.

Why It Must Be Done by Accredited Fire Engineers

The complexity of the FRAEW process means it must only be performed by a competent professional. Choosing an unqualified assessor can lead to an invalid report that is rejected by lenders and regulators, potentially exposing you to legal liability. An FRAEW is a legally defensible expert opinion that relies on the judgement and expertise of a professional who is fully accredited within their field.

Don’t leave the safety of your building to chance. By appointing an expert, you not only protect your asset but also the lives of those who live within it.

Start Your FRAEW Quote

Accredited Fire Engineers — Nationwide Coverage

Fully Compliant with the Building Safety Act

Trusted by Property Managers Across the UK

Fast Turnaround — No Hidden Costs

Insurance-Approved EWS1 Reports

This step-by-step form takes just a few minutes. We’ll ask for your building’s key details and any existing reports or drawings. The more information you provide, the faster our accredited specialists can give you an accurate, fixed-scope quote.

Step 1 of 5

Building Details

Building Name/Numbe(Required)

Building Postcode(Required)

Building Height / Number of Floors(Required)

Year of Construction (if known)

Only Accredited FRAEW Experts. No Exceptions. We only work with fully accredited fire engineers and chartered professionals who are qualified to carry out Fire Risk Appraisals of External Walls (FRAEW) under PAS 9980:2022.

Our experts hold the same high-level accreditations required for EWS1 forms — including IFE, RICS, CABE, and CEng — but with additional proven competency in conducting PAS 9980 assessments.

Every professional is fully vetted, with memberships, qualifications, and insurance verified. All surveys and reports follow PAS 9980:2022 methodology, and we provide a due diligence pack with every quote so you can check each specialist’s credentials with confidence.

What Does a FRAEW Assessment Involve?

What is a FRAEW Assessment?

Step-by-Step: What a FRAEW Assessment Involves

What Property Managers and Building Owners Gain from a FRAEW

Why It Must Be Done by Accredited Fire Engineers

Start Your FRAEW Quote

Accredited Fire Engineers — Nationwide Coverage

Fully Compliant with the Building Safety Act

Trusted by Property Managers Across the UK

Fast Turnaround — No Hidden Costs

Insurance-Approved EWS1 Reports

Accredited Fire Engineers — Nationwide Coverage

Fully Compliant with the Building Safety Act

Trusted by Property Managers Across the UK

Fast Turnaround — No Hidden Costs

Insurance-Approved EWS1 Reports

Building Details

External Walls.(Cladding)

Previous Reorts

Step 5: Extra Details

Compliance Assured

Building Safety Compliance

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