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…
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…
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…
First, you must decide whether you’ll offer commercial property inspections by expanding the scope of your existing company’s services, or whether you should incorporate a sister company specifically for commercial…
Who Can Perform a Commercial Property Inspection? This video discusses how all commercial property inspections are unique and covers three basic approaches that the commercial property inspector can take based…
Your service area comes into play in many aspects of your business, from marketing and advertising to pricing and fees. Service area parameters differ significantly by specific locations in the…
Regardless of a commercial property’s size, use, or location, various maintenance activities must be performed, including general upkeep, emergency repairs, and special inspections, such as those required by an insurance…
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…
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…
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…
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.…
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…