Articles

by Mark Cohen, J.D., LL.M., and Nick Gromicko A commercial inspector generally works for a prospective purchaser of a property, but sometimes the owner of the property (the seller) asks the inspector for a copy of the inspector’s certificate of insurance (COI), or asks to be added to the inspector’s liability policy as an additional…

Emergencies can happen anywhere and at any time. Commercial building owners and managers must ensure the proper implementation of safety features to protect occupants. For instance, exit signs and emergency lighting are essential safety features that illuminate the path to safety in low-visibility situations. Commercial inspectors should find these features at all types of commercial…

Every structure must be designed and constructed to withstand lateral loads and horizontal loads. Structures are braced against lateral and horizontal forces in several ways. Bracing is installed perpendicular to the direction of the potential force. Bracing is often installed in every direction because forces can come from every direction. The most common bracing methods…

When a commercial property inspector provides his/her report to the client, that report is for the client’s sole use. The legal concept of “privity of contract” applies here. Privity of contract is a legal principle that prevents any person from enforcing a contract unless they are a party to that contract. Thus, only the inspector’s…

The Glossary of Terms below will help the inspector use the proper terminology in their commercial property inspection report. Consider uploading it to your reporting software, along with the CCPIA copyright technical renderings – both are available for members to use freely. Take CCPIA’s Inspecting Low-Slope Roofs Course for Commercial Property Inspectors to learn how…

When a commercial property inspector provides a due diligence report (i.e., an inspection report or environmental assessment) as part of their client’s commercial real estate (CRE) transaction, it is for the sole use of the inspector’s client. In this case, the legal concept of “privity of contract” applies. Privity of contract is a common legal…

Terms You Should Know: wind uplift: The upward-acting pressure on a roof’s components resulting from wind traveling across the roof. windward: The side of the building that’s facing the wind. leeward: The side of the building that’s sheltered from the wind; downwind. Wind Forces A building is an obstruction to wind flow and causes a…

Terms You Should Know: post-tensioning: a pre-stressing technique where steel strands are tensioned after the concrete is cast pre-stressed: concrete that undergoes internal stresses from reinforcing steel strands to offset tension stress of future loads pre-tensioning: a pre-stressing technique where steel strands are tensioned prior to the concrete being cast rebar: nickname for reinforcing bar…