Was Your Commercial Building Built 40 Years Ago? You May Need To Have It Recertified
If you own a commercial building, you need to find out when it was built. In some areas, if the building is 40 years old, it needs to be inspected and deemed safe. It does not matter if you haven't owned the building for long, or if there have been additions or renovations. If the whole structure was not demolished and another one built, it will need to be recertified. While you may receive a notice in the mail, it is wise to start the process yourself as the 40th year approaches. Here is a bit of what you can expect.
Structural and Electrical Inspections
You will need to contact someone to do the inspection. The inspectors must be either an engineer or architect registered with the state. All structural aspects of the building will need to be inspected, including walls, foundation, roofing, windows, flooring, and any masonry. In addition, the electrical system needs to be inspected. The inspection needs to be done within 90 days of the 40th anniversary of the building. When it is submitted, there needs to be a permit application with it.
Required Repairs
Any problems with the structure will be listed in a report detailing all required repairs. The code compliance department in your city will send you a notice of what needs to be done and how long you have to complete the repairs. You will probably need to apply for a building permit before starting any of the work that needs to be done. It would be best if you have a licensed contractor do the work.
Reinspection
Once the repairs have been done (hopefully within the time allowed on the notice,) the building will need to be inspected again. Once the inspectors deem the building safe, you will not have to worry about another inspection for ten years. If you passed the first inspection, the same ten-year period applies. After reaching 40-years old, your building will need to be inspected every ten years.
There are a few exceptions to the 40-year recertification regulation. Each county has their own rules, so you need to contact the code compliance department to find out if you are exempt or not. While you can do this at any time before the 40th year, make sure you double check the requirement the year before, so you can have the inspection done on time if the law has changed.
For more information, contact a company like G Batista & Associates.