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Building Inspections
Why, Who, What
The three questions most frequently asked concerning a building inspection are "Why should I
have one?", "Who should do it?" and "What should the inspection include?" The writer is a licensed Professional Engineer and a certified Energy
Manager who has performed many building inspections and is qualified to answer these three questions.
There are three main reasons to have an inspection of a home prior to its purchase. The
first is to instill confidence to the purchasers that they are buying a that not only meets their personal needs but also is a sound structure with all of the internal systems
functional. Another is to identify and describe the functional attributes of all systems in the building and to discover or identify problems or potential future
problems that may develop. The third reason is the evaluation of all components within the structure from the foundation through the roof as well as all exterior
components.
Now that the "Why" has been discussed, who should be doing the inspection. First
and foremost, it has to be a person who is thoroughly knowledgeable in the construction and who has a complete understanding of plumbing, electrical, heating, air conditioning
systems and any other attributes that can go into a house. In addition to this knowledge, this person must also understand the various styles and types of
construction that have been built going back to the past century. Methods of construction have changed over the past 100 plus years and it is only with the knowledge of
how a house was built can the inspector make a valued judgment on what he sees.
The inspector should be licensed and certified in the work he is performing. This
certification does not allow him to provide and Engineer's Report or to pass himself off as a licensed Engineer unless he is a licensed Professional Engineer unless he is a
licensed Professional Engineer registered in the State where the inspection is being performed. Under the State laws only a duly licensed (P.E.) can provide this service.
With the "Why" and "Who" covered, the last question to be covered is what is
to be inspected. Very simply stated everything has to be covered from the foundation through the roof. It is only through the components of the building that a
composite picture of the building can be constructed since most of the components have a bearing on each other. For the structure, one has to evaluate the foundation,
the inside and outside walls, floors, ceilings, windows, stairs, doors and finally the roof. Systems to be evaluated include the plumbing, electrical, heating and air
conditioning systems. All additional amenities must also be evaluated such as security systems and fireplaces. Another component of the inspection has to include
the outside fixtures. This covers the sidewalks, curbs, walks, driveway, steps and platforms or any other permanent fixture on the property.
Additional areas of specialization that can be covered include energy conservation, asbestos,
lead and radon. Dome of these evaluations will require additional laboratory analysis and cannot be evaluated at the time of the inspection and will have to wait until
the laboratory report is received.
The inspection report should be a formal written report. The format of the report should be
written in layman language and not a check list. It should be written in a logical sequence so that the reader can understand how the inspector has arrived at his
conclusions on the structure, the systems within the structure and the fixtures outside of the structure.
Prior to the completion of the report the inspector should provide a verbal report on the
inspection. once the formal written report is delivered the inspector should always be available to answer any questions or clarifications that may arise as a result of
the inspection.
To restate the three questions first asked, it is in the best interest of the buyer to have a
professional inspect the building prior to its purchase. He should be licensed and preferably be a Licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.). The inspection should
cover all systems within the structure, the structure itself and all outside fixed items on the property.
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