Structural Condition Assessment Inspections

The Deliverable — Lead With This

Every engagement produces a written report sealed by a licensed PE. This is not a punch list or a home-inspection checksheet. It is a formal professional document, accepted by lenders, insurance carriers, attorneys, and Portland BDS, structured as:

1. Executive summary — the most significant findings up top, in plain language
2. Property details — address, inspection date, scope, access, limitations
3. Findings by system — organized assessment of foundation, framing, load paths, structural connections, and roof structure
4. Recommendations — prioritized by urgency and impact, with severity ratings so you can track condition over time or compare assessments
5. Annotated photo documentation — images tied directly to findings, not appended as a generic gallery

The severity ratings allow you to track condition changes if you do periodic assessments, and give lenders and insurers clear language to underwrite against.

What a PE Does That a Home Inspector Doesn't

A general home inspector walks through and notes what's visible. A licensed PE does structural engineering on what's observed:

• Load-path analysis — how gravity loads travel from the roof through the structure to the foundation, and where those paths are interrupted or overstressed
• Foundation integrity assessment — bearing, settlement, drainage, continuity, and connection to the superstructure
• Root-cause identification — bowing walls, uneven floors, and over-spanned members are symptoms; a PE identifies the cause, not just the symptom
• Professional seal — the PE stamps the report; it carries legal and financial weight a home inspection report does not

When a general home inspector flags a structural concern, a PE structural condition assessment is the appropriate next step.

Inspection Types

• Pre-purchase structural inspection — residential, especially homes 20+ years old; gives a buyer a clear-eyed structural picture before closing
• Condition assessment (existing concern) — evaluate a specific concern flagged by a home inspector, a contractor, or the owner
• Damage evaluation — assess structural impact from water intrusion, settlement, fire, vehicle impact, or storm damage
• Seismic condition assessment — evaluate seismic vulnerability for pre-purchase, insurance, or lender purposes
• Foundation inspection — settlement, cracking, lateral movement, bearing adequacy
• Commercial and multifamily condition assessment — periodic structural condition assessments of older buildings; load-bearing walls, columns, beams, and foundations checked for substantial deterioration; relevant for due diligence, lender and insurer requirements, and the Portland URM program
• Due-diligence and acquisition assessment — structural assessment as part of property acquisition; portfolio review available for multiple-property acquisitions

Commercial and Multifamily: Phased Assessment

For commercial and multifamily buildings — particularly older construction — a phased approach is appropriate:

• Phase 1 — visual condition assessment and qualitative report with prioritized recommendations
• Phase 2 (if Phase 1 finds substantial deterioration) — targeted testing (non-destructive or selective destructive investigation) to evaluate structural strength, followed by repair design delivered through the Structural Repair service

This mirrors the framework behind post-Surfside milestone inspection requirements and similar due-diligence standards that lenders, insurers, and building departments in Oregon and Washington increasingly expect for older commercial and multifamily stock.

When You Need One

• Before buying — especially homes or buildings 20+ years old
• Cracks appear in walls, foundation, or floor slabs
• After a flood, fire, storm, or vehicle impact
• Before a renovation or addition that will affect structure
• For an insurance claim or insurance renewal requiring a structural condition letter
• Lender or insurer requires a PE assessment
• Periodic check on an older multifamily or commercial building
• Property acquisition due diligence — single asset or portfolio

Typical Fees

• Pre-purchase residential inspection — $600–$1,200
• Condition assessment (specific concern) — $500–$1,000
• Damage evaluation — $800–$2,000 depending on scope and access
• Commercial/multifamily condition assessment — fee proposal based on building size and scope

The Pipeline

Find it here. Fix it with Structural Repair. Strengthen it with Seismic Rehabilitation. These three services are designed to hand off cleanly — the assessment report is structured to feed directly into a repair or rehabilitation scope without starting over.

FAQ

How is this different from a home inspection?

A general home inspector assesses overall condition across all building systems. A licensed PE evaluates structural integrity specifically — foundation, framing, load paths, connections — and seals the report. When a home inspector flags a structural concern, a PE structural condition assessment is the appropriate next step. The PE report is accepted by lenders, insurers, and courts; a home inspector's report is not a structural engineering opinion.

Do I get a stamped report?

Yes — every report is sealed by an Oregon-licensed PE. Accepted by lenders, insurers, attorneys, and Portland BDS. The report is structured as a formal professional document: executive summary, findings by system, prioritized recommendations, and annotated photo documentation.

Can you also design the repair?

Yes. If the assessment finds something that needs to be fixed, I can design and stamp the repair. See the Structural Repair page — the assessment and the repair design are designed to hand off cleanly to each other.