Commercial Building Inspection Near Me: What Inspectors Look For
The building inspection is quite important and a world from the building inspector can change the fate of the building forever. The buildings are often bought and sold, but the main work is done by the inspector at the initial level. The Commercial Building Inspection checks and verifies every aspect of the building before giving a green signal for purchase. The experts analyze the building from top to bottom and knock every inch of the structure to see whether it’s worth the demanded price or not. If the banks are involved, they hire the best commercial inspection company because it would require a substantial amount of money. Below you can find the most important points that an inspector should look for.
Foundations and basement
Doesn’t matter how tall is the building, it always stands on firm foundations. The state of foundations clearly tells the present condition of the building. So, when an inspector visits a building for a potential buyer, he should start with the foundation. Usually, people have basements and the access is wide open. If you don’t encounter any missing concrete, water accumulation, humidity in the walls, zero mold, and absence of odors, then probably the foundations are in a good state. In can case there’s a doubt, a sample can always be sent to the labs for confirmation. So, just by checking the foundations, the inspector can tell how long the building will last.
Heating and plumbing system
There are different supply and waste lines that enter and leave the building. That’s why the heating and plumbing system must inspected. Usually, the bigger building has a centralized heating system, and its performance must inspected before clearing it. The heating system often works together with the plumbing system, so their performance or state should inspected in detail. If by any chance you found a problem with plumbing, then the whole building should inspected in detail if necessary. Because if you discover an underground leak, then no one can say how much damage it has already caused.
The condition of the roof
The roof is another basic but important part of every house and as an inspector, you must inspect it thoroughly. There are different kinds of roof defects or issues that you should know about before home inspection. Commercial Building Inspection can simply start by looking at the apparent condition of the roof. If the roof is clean and there’s no growth of plants, then it cleared for the second stage of inspection. Take your time to inspect the edges and joints on the roof. If you encounter any cracks, then it can be an alarming situation. Otherwise, missing shingles or other roofing material can be a sign of trouble. So, follow the SOP and dig out the facts.
Electrical and mechanical systems
Electrical and mechanical systems are two main systems of the building that facilitate residents at different points. An efficient electrical system ensures the presence of electricity around the clock. No matter how heavy appliances or devices one uses in the Commercial Building Inspection, the electrical system must withstand all the load efficiently. The absence of a good electrical system means that you can’t put the desired load on the system. A building also has mechanical systems, such as the elevator. Before you suggest the buyer to proceed, make sure you have inspected both of these systems. Because without them a high level of comfort can’t guaranteed.
Fire protection
A fire protection system is also one of the basic requirements of good construction. Because no matter how strong is the building, it is still vulnerable to fire. Every good building planned by keeping fire protection in mind. The presence of fire exits, extinguishers, water hoses, emergency lights, decides how focused and concerned you are about fire safety. The inspector’s job is to verify if the taken safety measures are adequate and functional. The extinguishers can checked only by looking at their date of inspection. If you don’t find the safety measures in place, then you should note them down on the improvement plan.
Ventilation and air conditioning
Clean air is one of the basic necessities for human life just like water. The absence of ventilation and air conditioning system points towards poor ventilation and low quality of air. If that’s what you discover, then either building should upgraded or you should drop the idea of that building and focus on other buildings. Because, if the ventilation wasn’t a focus during construction, then it will always be the troubling factor.
The building must inspected for the above-listed services and utilities. This is not the stone age, and the arrangements in the building should be adequate and healthy for living. The listed points are important, but that doesn’t mean you can’t add more. Every situation is slightly different from the other, that’s why make sure you cover all the aspects thoroughly before reporting back.
