Trek Inspection Services has been providing top quality commercial building inspections in the greater Northwest, Seattle and Puget Sound regions, since 2005. And this is not just hype. Trek Inspection Services was found to be the top rated firm in the greater Seattle area for all HomeAdvisor-Pro customers in 2008 through 2017! Bob Pilch is the owner and inspector for Trek Inspection Services, and has been providing Commercial Inspections for over 12 years. He is licensed as a Home Inspector (#427) in Washington State. He has over thirty years of (real world) construction experience in all phases of construction. In addition, he has over six years of professional training in mechanical and electrical systems. He is also an electrical engineer. Trek Inspection Services has expanded its commercial building inspection services to the larger Northwest Regions, including: Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, Bellevue, Redmond, Kent, Renton, Everett, Vancouver, Portland, Yakima, Ellensburg, Wenatchee, Tri-Cities (Richland, Pasco, Kennewick) area, Spokane, Boise, Salem, Coeur d'Alene, and Salt Lake City.
Commercial Building Inspections are often conducted differently from residential
home inspections, and the considerations here are usually different, with an
emphasis on liability issues. These
inspections consider issues such as soon to be replaced items, or soon to be
repaired items and safety related issues. For example: a buyer considering a building with 10 roof top
mounted HVAC's, which are 15 years old, is likely to be facing a replacement
issue soon, and a large expense. In large multi-family buildings, sampling methods are usually
employed to keep the inspection cost down to a reasonable figure.
Typically, when I am inspecting large apartments or condo buildings, I usually
inspect about 10-15 units on the interior for the inspection, and then a full
attic and exterior inspection. But there are times when some buyers want every unit inspected.
On the Safety side of things, if you are purchasing a multi-unit facility, and there are significant safety related issues, such as trip and fall hazards, open electrical junction boxes, missing ADA hardware, missing Exit lights, etc., you could be open to a 'surprise' law suit and an unpleasant experience.
Many people, when making their purchase, decide to choose the most
inexpensive inspector suggested to them by their Realtor or
their friends. This is a big mistake, especially when you
consider how much money you are going to pay for your next
investment ($1M, $3M, $5M+), and weight it against the cost of your
inspection ($1000-$5000). Does it really make sense to save a
$100, $200 or $500, on the decision making side of a really large
investment? Also, you need to consider that you are likely going spend more money on the appraisal or environmental evaluation than on the inspection. The appraisal is looking out primarily for the bank, not your interest!
My inspection report files includes: 1) MP3 Audio File of my onsite notes taken during the inspection, 2) a link to the the video of the roof and upper story
areas (if multi-story, or not easily accessible), 3) a written report of the building/structures in a narrative style, with photos marked and numbered and correlated to the notes in the report. This report is in a PDF file format. I often use a drone to video the roof and upper areas unless the roof is flat and easily accessible, and sometimes I will include a spread sheet detail of the units
inspected if needed. I have developed my own software for writing these reports. For a sample of some of my work click
HERE or see below. The turn around time of my reports is 2-3 business days, in most cases.
If you are considering an inspection for your next property, you
should also consider having a cost estimate of repairs done for the
project. For commercial sites this is usually $250 and up, and an extra cost to the inspection, but well worth it! I have had several clients save ten's of thousands of dollars on their purchases by doing this. The estimate
numbers used are real world numbers. You can elect to do have this done after the inspection, and in most cases I recommend waiting for the report to be completed first.
Another consideration is EMR or Electro-Magnetic-Radiation issues. On some inspections it is a good idea to measure and record current levels of electric, magnetic and Radio Frequency radiation, especially in apartment and condo dwellings which have cell towers built on the top.
If you are like most people, when you purchase a building, you want to know what you are really getting for your money. You want to know the truth about the building you are buying. This is where a good inspection comes into the picture. For this to happen, there are two main components or factors: 1) a good field inspection of the building, 2) a clear and easily understandable report. These two factors are like a chain, in that, if one of them is weak, the entire chain is weak. You can have a really good inspector, but if that person does not express the ideas clearly, what good is the inspection? On the other hand, the inspection could be poorly done, and the report could appear to be well done and clear and nice, but then it is not the true condition of the building. And with this lacking report you are going to make your decision to buy this building? This is why you want a seasoned, knowledgeable, experienced and professional inspector on your side when you are considering your next property purchase. This is why you want Trek Inspection Services for your next inspection.
These types of inspections usually take four hours to two
days of field inspection work, depending on the size of the building(s) and number of units. The
turn around for the report is usually two to three business days. Payment is made at the beginning of the inspection, and prior to the work commencing a commercial pre-inspection agreement form must be filled out.
For more information about scheduling, availability, and prices,
Call Bob today at 253-279-1535, or email him at trekinspection@yahoo.com.
Or go to the Commercial Request Inspection or Quote page and fill out the short form for a price quote, or to request to schedule your next commercial building inspection.
These are photos and reports and videos of actual inspections done recently by Trek Inspection Services in the Northwest. The reports have been sanitized (the names and info has been changed or redacted) to protect the clients. |
![]() Spokane Hotel/Motel 58 units, 20890 sq.ft. -- Mar.22, 2017 Sanitized Report Roof Video |
![]() Feb.10, 2017 -- 9680 sq.ft. in Federal Way -- Sanitized Report |
![]() Nov.30,2016 -- 5672 sq.ft. in Silverdale -- Sanitized Report Roof Video |
![]() Jul. 18, 2016 -- 3700 sq.ft in Allen Roof Video |
![]() May 22, 2016 -- 3969 sq.ft. in Spokane |
![]() Oct.10, 2016 -- 21476 sq.ft in Sunnyside. 34 units Roof Video |
![]() Feb.20, 2016 -- 6356 sq.ft. in Kirkland. 10 Units |
![]() Aug.5, 2016 -- 4300 sq.ft in Puyallup Roof Video |
![]() Jun.9, 2016 -- 3216 sq.ft. in Yakima |
![]() Jun. 3, 2016 -- 3300sq.ft. in Auburn. |
![]() Jun.5, 2016 -- 33816sq.ft. in Scapoose. |
Request a Commercial Inspection or get a Quote for one HERE.
Download the Commercial Building Pre-Inspection Agreement Form needed for the Building Inspection.
Residential Pre-Inspection Agreement Form
Download my residential pre-inspection agreement form and print it out before you arrive at your scheduled inspection. Download the form in PDF format HERE.
Bob Pilch
Licensed Home Inspector
Call 253-279-1535