If you’re looking at buying, selling, or even leasing a commercial building, it is always a wise idea to look into hiring building inspectors. The last thing you want is to invest a lot of money into a building only to find out that it has significant issues.
This is where hiring a commercial building inspector comes in handy. A professional business inspector takes a look at the property and tries to find any issues with it so that you have an accurate idea of the value.
They also help you determine how much it will cost in order to fix whatever issues the building inspector finds. Continue reading to learn more about building inspector jobs, and what building inspectors look for.
What Is a Commercial Building?
There are many different structures that fall under the category of commercial buildings. These types of buildings are meant to turn a profit with the goods or services provided in them. The owner of the building looks to profit from either capital gains or income from the rent.
Commercial buildings are cafes, convenience stores, factories, hotels, malls, and office buildings. These buildings are inspected by building inspectors. Most building inspectors specialize in both commercial buildings as well as residential buildings.
Despite that, it is important to be aware of the differences between the two types of inspections depending on the type of building you want to be inspected.
Commercial buildings are an asset as well as an income generator, so it is important to find someone for your building inspector jobs that specializes in commercial building inspections to get the most accurate assessment.
The Goal of Building Inspectors
The biggest factor when it comes to acquiring commercial real estate is the return on investment that you’ll get, as well as the residual value. When you’re making such a large investment, it is vital to know an accurate assessment of the building’s value.
Building inspectors look at five major things that determine the lifespan and overall health of a building. The first thing that they tend to look at is the roofing to see what state it is in.
The structural integrity and electrical system are also points in the building that are important for inspection. Issues with either of those parts of the building are expensive to repair or replace.
The other most important things that building inspectors look for are issues with the plumbing in the building and the health of the HVAC system. In order to assess the value properly, it is important to gauge the health of the HVAC system.
A building inspection review is the best way to ensure that a comprehensive inspection was conducted. This review is what helps you to determine if the building is ultimately worth investing in for your business.
The Main Things Building Inspectors Look For
With how big of an investment commercial buildings are, it is important to make sure that you’re spending your money wisely. This is especially true given the number of things that could be wrong with the building.
Here is a closer look at the four most important things that building inspectors are looking for.
1. The Building’s Five Major Systems
Each commercial building has five of the major systems that every building inspector should look at. They’re the electrical, mechanical, heating, plumbing, and air conditioning systems.
It is the job of the building inspector to look at all of these systems and determine the health of each. If any of them is not in good shape, it is important to determine how much it will cost to repair or replace the system.
They’ll include these repair or replacement estimates in their final report of the building inspection. They’ll also take a look at the fire safety systems that are in place at the building to make sure that everything is up to code.
2. The Building’s Exterior
There is a lot more that goes into the building’s exterior than just the outer walls. The exterior also includes the sidewalks and walkways, the parking lot, and even the landscaping.
It is the job of the building instructor to examine all of these aspects of the property and determine if they’re safe and structurally sound. Similar to the five major systems, if they identify areas of the exterior that need work, they’ll include an estimate for how much that work will cost.
While inspectors are knowledgeable on all parts of building inspections, they sometimes want insight from professionals in the roofing industry as well as building contractors to get expert opinions.
3. The Interior of the Building
There are two main reasons why building inspectors look at the interior of a building. The first reason is to make sure that the building meets the local building code. The other thing that they’re looking for is to see if there are any health-related or other hazards.
They’ll look closely at the building’s walls, floors, bathrooms, and cooking spaces for any signs of danger. If they identify any, they’ll determine how much it will cost to fix.
4. Building Documentation
There are also many documents that a building inspector reviews during the building inspection process. Whether it is appraisals or building permits, or even emergency evacuation plans, these records all provide a clearer picture of how much the building will cost.
These findings are then collected into the inspector’s final report on the building. This report has written evidence of the observations the inspector made along with pictures documenting the findings.
The report also includes recommendations on how to take corrective action and get the building into tip-top shape. Most reports will also include an estimate for all of the costs needed for the building.
Hire Your Building Inspector Today
If you’re looking to invest in commercial real estate, it is vital that you find great building inspectors to work with. A building inspector will help you by closely examining a building’s systems, exterior, and interior to make sure that it is in good condition.
If they find anything wrong, they’ll include an estimate of what it will cost to fix and help you determine if the building is the correct investment for you.
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