Contrary to what may people think, a property inspection exercise is not a routine procedure that follows a template cast in stone. The use of property inspection apps and software with set templates might lead some people to erroneously think that an inspector is only obligated to report on the common things like plumbing and structural integrity. No two property inspection reports should look the same since no two property are identical, regardless of how similar they might look. Here are a few things that determine what a property inspection report should focus on, in addition to reporting on the regular things.
The geographical location of the property
The location of a property determines what the inspector focuses on largely because geography determines the climate. Climatic conditions are important determinants of how houses get built today. A house located in an area that experiences very hot summers and extreme winters will need to be carefully inspected for the integrity of the heating/cooling system. This is because a failing heating system can result in hellish winters while a malfunctioning cooling system can mean heat exhaustion during hot summers.
Type of property
Commercial properties have totally different style from residential properties. If the property is commercial, the emphasis of an inspection will tend to be on the ability of the property to handle the needs of many people comfortably without putting them in any apparent danger. The inspection will also focus on checking whether the property is compliant with federal and local construction directives. This means things like wheel chair ramps, fire extinguishers, and fire exits are highlighted in the report.
On the other hand, an inspection for a residential property focuses on the comfort that the resident will enjoy while living there. This means that a property inspector will be looking at things like the location of kids’ bedrooms if the inspection is being done for a family with kids, for example. If the person for whom the inspection is being undertaken on behalf of a bachelor, the focus might be on totally different things like the accessibility of the roof for parties.
Special needs
If a client has special needs like being wheel chair bound, the property inspection report will be made to inform on the suitability of the house. This means that staircases will also include ramps, the presence of an elevator and the relative maneuverability of a house will be considered. If these are not present, an inspector will be looking at the possibility that they can be added.
Price point
The price point of a property affects what the inspection focuses on too. A property priced in the millions will be inspected for the state of luxury like the accessibility and state of the swimming pool in addition to regular areas. On the other hand, an inexpensive property will be inspected for the regular areas only.
Other factors determine the focus for a property inspector in addition to these. At the end of the day, the most important thing is that the report sufficiently addresses the areas of interest of the client.