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By AZ Advisory Team, December 28, 2009 4:10 pm

Conduit Raceways

All types of wiring methods present in the building must be detailed and individually inspected. The evaluation of each type of conduit and cable, if applicable, must be done individually. The conduits in the building should be free from erosion, and checked for considerable dents in the conduits that may be prone to cause a short. The conductors and cables in these conduits should be chafe free, and their currents not over the rated amount.

Emergency Lighting

Exit signs lighting and emergency lighting, along with a functional fire alarm system must all be in good working condition.

Above is the Minimum Inspection Procedural Guidelines For Building’s Structural Recertification for the Miami-Dade County, contact me for the specific guidelines in your county.

This concludes our series on Forty Year Inspection Requirements.  Feel free to contact me to discuss this with you further or for any other topics related to commercial real estate that you may be interested in.

Alex Zylberglait provides commercial real estate investment advisory as well as research, estate planning, asset allocation, valuation, financing, special assets services, transaction advisory and commercial property acquisition and disposition services.

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By AZ Advisory Team, December 27, 2009 12:01 pm

Electric Service

A description of the type of service supplying the building or structure must be provided, stating the size of amperage, if three (3) phase or single (1) phase, and if the system is protected by fuses or breakers. Proper grounding of the service should also be in good standing. The meter and electric rooms should have sufficient clearance for equipment and for the serviceman to perform both work and inspections. Gutters and electrical panels should all be in good condition throughout the entire building or structure.

Branch Circuits

Branch circuits in the building must all be identified and an evaluation of the conductors must be performed. There should also exist proper grounding for equipment used in the building, such as an emergency generator, or elevator motor.

Alex Zylberglait provides commercial real estate investment advisory as well as research, estate planning, asset allocation, valuation, financing, special assets services, transaction advisory and commercial property acquisition and disposition services.

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By AZ Advisory Team, December 26, 2009 11:24 am

Loading

It is of importance to note that even in the absence of any observable deterioration, loading conditions must be viewed with caution. Recognizing that there will generally be no need to verify the original design, since it will have already been “time tested”, this premise has validity only if loading patterns and conditions remain unchanged. Any material change in type and/or magnitude or loading in older buildings should be viewed as sufficient jurisdiction to examine load carrying capability of the affected structural system.

Scope of Electrical Inspection

The purpose of the required inspection and report is to confirm with reasonable fashion that the building or structure under consideration is safe for continued use under present occupancy. As mentioned before, it is a recommendation procedure, and under no circumstances are these minimum recommendations intended to supplant proper professional judgment.

Alex Zylberglait provides commercial real estate investment advisory as well as research, estate planning, asset allocation, valuation, financing, special assets services, transaction advisory and commercial property acquisition and disposition services.

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By AZ Advisory Team, December 25, 2009 9:54 am

Windows

Window condition is of considerable importance with respect to two considerations. Continued leakage may have resulted in other adjacent damage and deteriorating anchorage may result in loss of the entire unit in the event of severe wind storms short of hurricane velocity. Perimeter sealant, glazing, seals, and latches should be examined with a view toward deterioration of materials and anchorage of units for inward as well as outward (section) pressures, most importantly in high buildings.

Wood Framing

Older wood framed structures, especially of the industrial type, are of concern in that long term deflections may have opened important joints, even in the absence of deterioration. Corrosion of ferrous fasteners will in most cases be obvious enough. Dry rot must be considered suspect in all sealed areas where ventilation has been inhibited, and at bearings and at fasteners. Here too, penetration with a pointed tool greater than about one eight inch with moderate hand pressure, will indicate the possibility of further difficulty.

Alex Zylberglait provides commercial real estate investment advisory as well as research, estate planning, asset allocation, valuation, financing, special assets services, transaction advisory and commercial property acquisition and disposition services.

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By AZ Advisory Team, December 9, 2009 5:32 pm

Concrete Framing Systems

Concrete deterioration will, in most cases similarly to relate to rebar corrosion possibly abetted by the presence of salt-water aggregate or excessively permeable concrete. In this respect, honeycomb areas may contribute adversely to the rate of deterioration. Columns are frequently most suspect. Extensive honeycomb is most prevalent at the base of columns, where fresh concrete was permitted to segregate, dropping into form boxes. This type of problem has been known to be compounded in areas where flooding has occurred, especially involving salt water. In spall areas, chipping away a few small loose samples of concrete may be very revealing. Especially, since loose material will have to be removed even for cosmetic type repairs, anyway. Fairly reliable quantitative conclusions may be drawn with respect to the quality of the concrete. Even though our cement and local aggregate are essentially derived from the same sources, cement will have a characteristically dark grayish brown color in contrast to the almost white aggregate. A typically white, almost alabaster like coloration will usually indicate reasonably good overall strength. The original gradation of aggregate can be seen through a magnifying glass. Depending upon the structural importance of the specific location, this type of examination may obviate the need for further testing if a value of 2000 psi to 2500 psi is sufficient for required strength, in the event that visual inspection indicates good quality for the factors mentioned.

Alex Zylberglait provides commercial real estate investment advisory as well as research, estate planning, asset allocation, valuation, financing, special assets services, transaction advisory and commercial property acquisition and disposition services.

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By AZ Advisory Team, December 8, 2009 6:30 pm

So here’s a continuation of our topic: Forty Year Inspection Requirements

Floor and Roof Systems

Cast in place reinforced concrete slabs and/or beams and joists may often show problem due to corroding rebars resulting from cracks or merely inadequate protecting cover of concrete.

Patching procedures will usually suffice where such damage has not been extensive. Where corrosion and spalling has been extensive in structurally critical areas, competent analysis with respect to remaining structural capacity, relative to actual supported loads, will be necessary. Type and extent or repair will be dependent upon the results of such investigation.

Precast members may present similar deterioration conditions. End support conditions may be important. Adequacy of bearing, indications of end shear problems, and restraint conditions are important, and should be evaluated in at least a few typical locations.

Alex Zylberglait provides commercial real estate investment advisory as well as research, estate planning, asset allocation, valuation, financing, special assets services, transaction advisory and commercial property acquisition and disposition services.

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By AZ Advisory Team, December 2, 2009 2:14 pm

So here’s a continuation of our topic: Forty Year Inspection Requirements:

Steel Framing System

Corrosion, obviously enough, will be the determining factor in the deterioration of structural steel. Most likely suspect areas will be fasteners, welds, and the interface area where bearings are embedded in masonry. Column bases may often be suspect in areas where flooding has been experienced, especially if salt water has been involved.

Thin cracks usually indicate only minor corrosion, requiring minor patching. Extensive spalling may indicate a much more serious condition requiring further investigation.

Of most probable importance will be the vertical and horizontal cracks where masonry units abut tie columns, or other frame elements such as floor slabs. Of interest here is the observation that although the raw materials of which these masonry materials are made may have much the same mechanical properties as the reinforced concrete framing, their actual behavior in the structure, however, is likely to differ with respect to volume change resulting from moisture content, and variations in ambient thermal conditions.

Moisture vapor penetration, sometimes abetted by salt laden aggregate and corroding rebars, will usually be the most common cause of deterioration. Tie columns are rarely structurally sensitive, and a fair amount of deterioration may be tolerated before structural impairment becomes important. Usually, if rebar loss is such that the remaining steel area is still about 0.0075 of the concrete area, structural repair will not be necessary. Cosmetic type repair involving cleaning, and patching to effectively seal the member, may often suffice. A similar approach may not be unreasonable for tie beams, provided they are not also serving as lintels. In that event, a rudimentary analysis of load capability using the remaining actual rebar area, may be required.

Alex Zylberglait provides commercial real estate investment advisory as well as research, estate planning, asset allocation, valuation, financing, special assets services, transaction advisory and commercial property acquisition and disposition services.

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By AZ Advisory Team, November 25, 2009 1:30 pm

Masonry Bearing Walls

Random cracking, or if discernible, definitive patterns of cracking, will of course, be of interest. Bulging, sagging, or other signs of misalignment may also indicate related problems in other structural elements. Masonry walls where commonly constructed of either concrete masonry remits or scored clay tile, may have been constructed with either reinforced concrete columns tie beams, or lintels.

Steel bar joists are, of course, sensitive to corrosion. Most critical locations will be web member welds, especially near supports, where shear stresses are high possible failure may be sudden, and without warning.

Cold formed steel joists, usually of relatively light gage steel, are likely to be critically sensitive to corrosion, and are highly dependent upon at least normal lateral support to carry designed loads. Bridging and the floor or roof system itself, if in good condition, will serve the purpose. Wood joists and rafters are most often in difficult from “dry rot”, or the presence of termites. The former (a misnomer) is most often prevalent in the presence of sustained moisture or lack of adequate ventilation. A member may usually be deemed inacceptable condition if a sharp pointed tool will penetrate no more than about one eight of an inch under moderate hand pressure. Sagging floors will most often indicate problem areas. Gypsum roof decks will usually perform satisfactorily except in the presence of moisture. Disintegration of the material and the foam-board may result from sustained leakage. Anchorage of the supporting bulb tees against uplift may also be of importance, with significant deterioration. Floor and roof systems of case in place concrete with self centering reinforcing, such as paper backed mesh and rib-lath, may be critical with respect to corrosion of the unprotected reinforcing. Loss of uplift anchorage on roof decks will also be important if significant deterioration has taken place, in the event that dead loads are otherwise inadequate for that purpose.

Alex Zylberglait provides commercial real estate investment advisory as well as research, estate planning, asset allocation, valuation, financing, special assets services, transaction advisory and commercial property acquisition and disposition services.