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Living in a building might seem simple with your daily activity and constant door slam during windy weather all going on smoothly. However, have you ever thought of checking the condition of the building at least once? No, right? But it’s essential to check your building condition to know what’s hidden beneath your view.
Beyond the beautiful wall, sealing, and flooring, there can be damage to the skeleton of the building that may not be visible to your naked eyes. Therefore, a Building Condition Assessment (BCA) is essential to discover the current condition of the building and ensure the safety of people living in it. So, here’s what you can expect from a BCA report.
History Assessment
Start by gathering and studying the building’s history, evaluation, and background. This will give a view of how the building was designed and its overall structure. It is the initial step wherein the report objectives and goals are outlined by studying the building’s history.
Methodology
Before the actual assessment, do a visual inspection of the building to identify damages, interview property owners and residents, and record their reviews. Also, note down its size, layout and features. It’s a methodology that helps identify the methods used for conducting a building inspection and it’s an overview.
Site Condition
The building is inspected from every corner space, including the building’s site, parking, drainage system, water tanks, terrace, lawn, and walkways. This helps identify any potential risks that can cause harm to its overall condition. This step is to inspect common areas and identify problems and fixes.
Evaluation of Building Structure
This is an important inspecting stage where the skeleton i.e., the building’s structure and foundation are inspected. This is especially important because the changing weather conditions can lead to damaged walls, flooring, roof, doors and windows. If not treated, it can cause unfortunate accidents. Therefore, all these things are inspected to look for signs of any damage and repair. These damages are then repaired or restructured.
Interior Inspection
Once the exteriors are examined, the next step is to evaluate interior spaces like walls, windows, doors, ceilings, mould, pest, or any other indoor issue that can be harmful to the environment and property.
Inspection of Mechanical Systems
Here, all the ventilators, air conditioning, electrical equipment, fire protection system, and plumbing equipment are checked for damages. Check if they are working according to current government set conditions and codes. If not, they need to be replaced according to the current requirements.
Life Safety
Once all the building structure, equipment, hardware, and systems are inspected, it’s decided whether the building is safe to live in with all advanced equipment and devices in place.
Recommendations
In this stage, a final report is generated by summarising all the findings and fixes required in the building. The most critical issue is considered first based on its severity and urgency.
Cost Estimates
Based on the report generated, a rough cost estimate is provided for repairs, maintenance, and redesigning, which will help building owners be prepared to plan a budget for recommended repairs.
These are all the key elements that stakeholders and owners study in the building’s status, helping them stay informed about its maintenance, repairs and replacements. This building inspection checklist is essential to keep the building in its best condition and avoid future expenses and liabilities.
