Commercial Building Inspection Checklist For Investors
Multi-family housing property inspection we performed in Des Moines, Iowa.
Our team provides a detailed building inspection checklist to guide both inspectors and property owners in evaluating the condition of the commercial building. This checklist includes essential elements to ensure thorough inspections, covering safety standards, maintenance histories, and specific areas within the building that require attention.
Commercial building inspections are a comprehensive process that evaluates the condition of various types of commercial properties, focusing on aspects such as safety, maintenance, and compliance. These inspections play a crucial role in real estate transactions, influencing negotiations and repair requirements.
What is a commercial building inspection?
A commercial building inspection is a thorough examination of a commercial property’s condition, encompassing its systems, components, and overall structure. This essential step in the commercial real estate process provides buyers, sellers, and property owners with a detailed report of the property’s condition. By identifying potential issues, defects, and needed repairs, a commercial building inspection ensures that the property meets health, safety, and quality standards. Whether you are buying, selling, or maintaining a commercial building, an inspection is crucial for making informed decisions and protecting your investment.
Before a commercial building inspection, it is essential to prepare the necessary documents and information. This includes property deeds and titles, building permits and plans, inspection reports, and maintenance records. Additionally, environmental reports and assessments, as well as safety and accessibility reports, should be readily available. Having these documents on hand will help the inspector provide a more accurate and comprehensive report, ensuring that all aspects of the property are thoroughly evaluated.
Commercial Inspection Checklist: What You Need To Know
A commercial building inspection’s primary purpose is to determine the current condition of a property. As an investor, this gives you a good idea of necessary repairs that would be required to own and maintain the building.
There are two main types of commercial property inspections. One is a broad overview of all of the major systems and components of the building and the second is a more extensive look at the building’s systems and components in greater detail. Both are technical inspections, but as an investor, your goals for the property and your financial situation will most likely determine which inspection method is best for you.
Most real estate investors request a broad overview to provide an overall scope of the property’s condition. Due to the popularity of this service, we’ve provided a commercial property inspection checklist of areas we inspect during our broad scope inspection. We want real estate investors, like yourself, to get an idea for what may be included in a commercial building inspection. Then depending on the investor’s needs, building type, and use, we can go deeper into any or all of these areas. We custom tailor a plan that is right for you.
Heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems;
Plumbing system;
Electrical and mechanical systems;
Roof surface, drainage, flashing, penetrations, etc. Read more about roof inspections here.
Exterior elements and fixtures, such as walls, windows, doors, parking lots, sidewalks, and other structures;
Basement, limited structural foundation;
Interior elements and fixtures, such as walls, doors, windows, floors, restrooms;
Other areas specific or unique to the property.
The commercial property inspection checklist is applicable to many types of buildings and uses, such as offices, apartment complexes, retail stores, manufacturing facilities, and more. Commercial buildings, in particular, require thorough inspections to ensure safety and compliance with codes. We have valuable experience inspecting tiny 1,200 square foot office spaces to large 300,000 sq foot factories. Each building inspection requires strategic planning, astute know-how, and a trained eye for defect identification. The better job we perform, the better decision you make as a commercial real estate investor!
Exterior Building Inspection
The exterior building inspection is a critical component of a commercial building inspection. It involves evaluating the building’s envelope and exterior walls, inspecting the roof, gutters, and downspouts, and checking the condition of windows, doors, and other exterior features. Additionally, the inspection includes examining the parking lot, sidewalks, and landscaping. Identifying any signs of damage, deterioration, or needed repairs during the exterior inspection helps ensure the building’s structural integrity, safety, and overall condition are maintained.
Interior Building Inspection
The interior building inspection is a thorough examination of the building’s interior systems and components. This includes evaluating the condition of walls, floors, and ceilings, inspecting the electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems, and checking the condition of lighting, fixtures, and appliances. Additionally, the inspection involves examining the interior doors, windows, and other features. Identifying any signs of damage, deterioration, or needed repairs during the interior inspection helps ensure the building’s safety, comfort, and overall condition are maintained.
Building Systems and Components
A commercial building inspection includes an examination of the building’s systems and components, such as mechanical and electrical systems, heating and ventilation systems, plumbing systems, fire suppression and alarm systems, and safety and accessibility features. Additionally, environmental concerns are assessed. Inspecting these systems and components helps identify potential issues that could affect the building’s safety, efficiency, and overall condition. Ensuring these systems are in good working order is crucial for the long-term maintenance and operation of the commercial property.
Warehouse facility inspection we performed for our investor client in Osceola, Iowa.
Commercial Property Inspection Checklist: The Benefits
You may be on the fence about hiring a commercial property inspector and wondering if you really need a commercial property inspection at all. There are many factors to consider, and even though we may be a tad biased, we truly believe in the value of an inspection only benefiting you in the long run. Don’t let time and money stop you from making a sage decision. Listed below are several benefits of paying for a commercial property inspection.
Gives you the ability to negotiate with the seller for a lower price on the property;
Allows you the opportunity to obtain repairs before you purchase the property;
Provides a good understanding of the property’s value;
Ascertain the quality of the systems in the building which can help you determine the correct updates, as well as glean both short-term and long-term expenses;
Educates you on all building features;
Can help protect your investment long-term.
All in all, the choice to pay for an inspection is completely up to you, but we highly recommend it. No matter who you partner with on your inspection, skipping the inspection entirely is a huge mistake that may cost you immense time and financial resources down the line.
Once you decide to complete an inspection and review the outcome, you’ll need to decide if you want to negotiate with the seller, back out of the deal, or move forward with the sale. A great commercial property inspection can help you make an informed and prudent investment decision.
Dental office space inspection we performed for our commercial property buyer in Ottumwa, Iowa.
Commercial Property Inspection Checklist: Final Words of Wisdom
As experienced commercial building inspectors, we inspect one major area: the mechanical rooms. We can usually gather a lot of important information about the condition of a building based on how well the mechanical rooms are maintained. Are they clean and orderly or is everything dirty and in disarray? Generally speaking, this is a good indicator of what is lurking within the walls and systems of the building.
On the other hand, a mechanical room that smells like lemon Pine-Sol with a fresh coat of paint can also be a red flag. Sometimes this can be a sign of an attempt to mask or hide large issues that may be present.
The decision to invest in a very expensive building can be unnerving and difficult to discern. Don’t go it alone. Do yourself a monumental favor by hiring a qualified and competent commercial building inspector to pave the way for your substantial investment. At Forever Home Inspection Iowa, we would be honored to assist you in this process.
We can help answer questions regarding safety, maintenance, occupancy, and more. With our expertise, we deliver an inspection and report to align with your desires and budget. We do our due diligence so that you can do yours. Trust us to provide you with crucial insight that only an experienced commercial building inspector can offer!
Navigate to our Services & Pricing page for more information. Also, be sure to check out our other blog posts to learn more about the do’s and don'ts of commercial property investing and inspections. See our post recommendations below.
Now What?
We are consistently told that we are the best commercial building inspector in town. We’re excited to partner with you on your inspection! Connect with us by giving us a call or start the scheduling process with our online form. Our friendly and responsive admin team is available to help answer any questions you may have about our services.
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