Prevent Bad Building Investments by Getting a Commercial Code Inspection
Investing in a commercial property can be exciting in planning for future business. When you find yourself looking into the logistics of what it takes to maintain a new commercial property, permits should be at the top of your list. Unpermitted work can be a daunting flaw in your investment. Thus, causing a huge setback in many of your business plans. Keep reading to learn why you should always get a commercial code inspection done on any property before you purchase.
Lack of Commercial Building Permits Puts You at Risk
Many construction companies operate with a “whatever it takes to get the sale” mindset. Some might even offer to do the work without pulling permits to cut down costs and speed up the construction process. On its face, this might seem like a prudent move, but skipping permits is often a costly mistake.
- You might find if the general contractor is willing to skimp on permitting, they’re skimping elsewhere. Unlicensed contractors, uninsured contractors, and untrained contractors. These are huge risks to safety for the workers, your employees, and your customers.
- Previous owners skipped on permitting and your building is out of code. This might result in your business being shut down by the city or county, having insurance claims denied when you try to file, or not being able to sell the building at a later date.
- You (or the previous owner) want to save on property taxes and don’t pull permits, which might trigger a new assessment. Later, when the property is assessed, your taxes are increased and possibly back taxes will be owed.
What to Ask For When Investing in A Commercial Building
Adding more risk when investing in a commercial building isn’t at the top of any investor’s list. Thus, ensuring that you find a trusted partner to help you navigate and obtain a professional code inspection for the commercial building is a must.
Professionals from our team at Classic Construction are not only well-versed in code compliance for new buildings and reconstruction, but are experts in helping navigate new commercial building investments. This ensures that the property is fully protected from surprises along the way with a professional code inspection.
What to Do If You Find Something Out of Compliance
If you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of finding something within the building that is out of compliance, the first thing you should do is NOT purchase anything until the situation is resolved and the issue is corrected. The seller should be responsible for bringing the building up to code before ownership is transferred to you. If they are not willing to do so, you might want to walk away from that property. If you choose to purchase it without inspection, you are now the person liable for anything out of compliance.
Reaching out to the building department is another great way to also inform you if there are any open permits on the property. It’s good to note that an outstanding permit that was never properly inspected is just as risky as untrained contractors.
Reach out to us today if you are looking into purchasing a commercial building but aren’t sure if it’s up to commercial code inspection and compliance. Not only is Classic a reputable company, but you can always count on us to get the job done right. On-Time. On Budget. That’s Classic.