Owners and managers of residential or commercial properties are required to conduct routine building inspections as part of their overall maintenance plans. Property inspections are not only part of a good maintenance schedule but also ensure compliance with building or fire codes, and keep you informed about the health of your building.
A correctly executed property inspection will ensure compliance for your building; detect potential structural problems before they become larger (and significantly costlier); and protect the value of your asset well into the future.
Structural problems and repairs are different from renovations or non-structural repairs. Structural repairs may be needed for various reasons including concrete cancer, balustrade replacement, carbon fibre strengthening, brick growth and waterproofing. When the problems on your building necessitate the hiring of a structural repair specialist, it is important that you find the right one.
Nullifire has put together a list of helpful suggestions for hiring a structural repair specialist.
Research
Begin with some research to understand the issues affecting your property. Use this knowledge to identify big problems as well as smaller, seemingly unrelated issues.
Approach a third-party consultant
Hiring the services of a professional consultant may seem like an unnecessary expense to some, but doing so, especially for larger jobs, can save you time and money in the long run. Professional consultants such as a structural engineer have the experience to identify your issues and can be hired to oversee the appointment of the right building repair contractor. Further, they have the expertise to ensure the applied solutions are adequate and cost-effective for your particular situation.
Get a written report
Your chosen specialist’s scope is to inspect, analyse the damage and provide a written report outlining the issues and suggested remediation techniques. This report should itemise all the defects, their approach to rectification, building materials and other pertinent facts.
Ask for credentials
Make sure that the consulting engineer you hire has the necessary certified qualifications and experience to undertake the job at hand. Case studies, testimonials and accreditations will prove that the expert has the authority to perform the necessary repair work.
Remedial Building Services, for instance, brings more than 40 years of experience as an industry leader to the table, proving that the team behind the company has working knowledge and experience on every scenario about building structure damages. A company with similar experience in new home construction is not qualified to help you with your problem.
Request a proposal
Following the consultation, the structural repair expert should provide you with an estimate of the building repairs required as well as a timeline for completion and relevant insurance information.
Hire the structural repair specialist
Once you are confident with the specialist, ask them to draft a contract and begin the work.
Finding the right structural repair expert to manage the issues affecting your building will ensure the safety of occupants and neighbours as well as protect your significant investment.
