
Types of Building Inspections You Should Know
If you are undertaking construction on your property building inspections Melbourne, zoning regulations and building codes may require you to pass framing inspection, electrical inspection or plumbing inspection before beginning any work. These inspections ensure that the work meets with these criteria and meets expectations.
However, there are also a variety of interior factors that must be thoroughly inspected, such as wall conditions, kitchen facilities and fire safety hazards.
Exterior
An exterior property inspection involves inspecting the building’s outer structure – including parking lots or structures, landscaping, roofing materials and roofing systems – with the purpose of ascertaining its structural integrity, identifying necessary repairs costs and making other key decisions about it.
Commercial property inspectors examine numerous documents during an inspection, such as appraisals, building plans, citations, certificates of occupancy and surveys. They may also conduct physical checks in walls, floors, bathrooms, offices and kitchen spaces to check for safety related hazards and ensure everything meets local building codes – this data will all be documented in an inspector’s Property Condition Report (PCR). A commercial property inspection can help reveal whether an investment opportunity is worthwhile – getting professional inspection can save thousands in maintenance costs in the future!
Interior
An interior portion of a building inspection is vital in order to ensure that home or office spaces on a property adhere to local codes and are safe. This part of the inspection involves scrutinizing every aspect of its interior such as walls, floors, bathrooms, kitchen spaces and any other spaces included as part of its interior design.
Building inspection can involve more than simply inspecting stairways and exit hallways – it may also include checking fire safety requirements such as exit corridors. Furthermore, inspectors may conduct radon tests on structures. They can also examine and report on elevators, boilers, backflow valves, petroleum bulk storage units, property registration documents, facade conditions, energy benchmarking reports and sprinkler/stand pipe status reports. Some building inspectors work for governments while others specialize in third party inspection companies for these kinds of properties.
Electrical
Electrical and plumbing inspections identify potential issues with outlets, wiring and pipes that could create fire hazards or leakage – thus saving property owners both money and avoiding safety risks. By early identification of such issues, inspections can save property owners both money on costly repairs while protecting them against potential safety threats.
Building inspectors conduct electrical inspections to assess whether all wiring is safe. They’ll make sure all switches, receptacles and light fixtures are securely mounted without exposed wires; additionally they look out for ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) in bathrooms, garages, basements and outdoor receptacles.
Inspectors also check to make sure all work on the structure adheres to its plans that were approved during permit approval, such as painting or caulking exterior walls.
Plumbing
An inspection of plumbing system components is one of the most essential components of building inspection, as it can detect potential issues such as leaks or clogs which could cause more significant structural damage over time.
Inspectors inspect a building’s circuit breakers, water pressure, and any components installed improperly that could potentially pose issues later. They also look out for any component installations which might pose future issues that require correction.
As soon as construction begins, various inspections should take place, including foundation inspection and framing inspection. These checks ensure the project adheres to plans and meets local requirements. It’s especially essential when building new homes – if the foundation is weak it could endanger their entire structure; similarly framing issues could compromise it further and reduce strength further still.
Fire Safety
Buildings containing flammable materials must abide by fire safety laws and ordinances to safeguard their occupants from potential danger. A fire safety inspection assesses a building to make sure it complies with these standards, as well as evaluate active and passive fire protection systems like smoke alarms that warn occupants when danger threatens, fire doors that close automatically when an alarm sounds, etc.
These inspections also ensure emergency exits are clearly marked, unobstructed and easy to open. Inspections may also confirm whether a fire sprinkler system is present – this helps reduce fire damages while potentially leading to lower insurance rates for properties and offering peace of mind to both owners and occupants.