Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

3 Keys to Successful Property Inspections

  • By Western Specialty Contractors
  • 03/01/19

If you want to reduce maintenance costs, there are advantages to doing property inspections. To begin with, they give you valuable information that makes the stressful maintenance decision-making process easier and straightforward. We all know that effective inspections involve more than just walking around a property looking for potential issues. Here’s how to succeed at property inspections.

1. Start with standardized methods. Successful inspection programs, built on a foundation of standardized methods, help improve consistency over time. That way, you can reliably compare results from a current inspection to past ones. Take several pictures of each component’s condition—don’t try to rely on notes from inspectors exclusively; use a condition rating scale—keep ratings as simple as possible. Don’t be tempted to start doing inspections first, then record the data later. That’s a recipe for expensive mistakes and a sub-par inspection.

2. Instructions matter. Successful inspections leverage great written guidelines. Provide your team with written instructions they can review. Even if your inspection is set up correctly, it only makes it harder to get the traction if your staff isn’t sure what to do. It’s about taking the guesswork out of the equation.

3. Create checklists (or know where to get them). Successful inspections have rock-solid processes. If you’re new to exterior maintenance, creating checklists can be a fun and exciting way to get better. If you want to do a great inspection, you need to learn how to make inspection checklists. If that isn’t you yet, you can shortcut this by asking a contractor to help you. You might supply the vision and property knowledge, and they bring their years of experience and expertise.

This article originally appeared in the College Planning & Management March 2019 issue of Spaces4Learning.

About the Author

Western Specialty Contractors (www.westernspecialtycontractors.com), based in St. Louis, MO, is the nation's largest specialty contractor in masonry and concrete restoration, waterproofing, and specialty roofing.

Featured

  • New City School

    Turning Crisis into Opportunity: Transforming New City School

    When New City School in St. Louis suffered catastrophic flood damage in July 2022, the event could have marked a serious setback for the 100-year-old institution. Instead, it became a forward-looking opportunity.

  • Preparing for the Next Era of Healthcare Education, Innovation

    Across the country, public universities and community colleges are accelerating investments in healthcare education facilities as part of a broader strategy to address workforce shortages, modernize outdated infrastructure, and expand clinical training capacity. These projects, which are often located at the center of campus health and science districts, are no longer limited to traditional classrooms.

  • Chartwells Launches Campus Dining Evaluation Framework

    Contract food-service management provider Chartwells Higher Education recently announced the launch of BLUEPRINT, according to a news release. The evaluation framework was designed to provide a data-driven and customizable roadmap towards optimizing campus dining services and, by extension, the student experience.

  • Ohio State University Opens 26-Story Hospital

    The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center recently opened in Columbus, Ohio, standing 26 stories and covering 1.9 million square feet, according to a university news release. The project marks ten years of effort and is the university’s largest single-facility construction project ever.