Do you think the average commercial building inspection will identify all of the potential problems with a building? One major part of a facility that is left out of the report is an examination of the fire and life safety systems. If they need repairs or upgrades you could end up shelling out thousands of dollars to meet code requirements. Before you sign the contract, you should make a wise investment decision. Make sure that the building comes with the following 4 items and complete 1 critical evaluation.

1. Software-Based Fire Alarm System

Does the facility come with a copy of the site-specific software for the fire alarm system? Having a copy of this will eliminate the aggravation of trying to hunt down the copy from the previous owner. It will also save you money.  The site-specific software contains all the files or data necessary to restore the system. The site-specific data requires updating when the fire alarm system has programming changes. Fire alarm system changes without software typically cost $2,000-$5,000 and in some cases, it’s more expensive.

2. As-Built Drawings

When you purchase a building, the facility’s fire and life safety system’s as-built drawings should be a part of the paperwork. These are important documents because they’re a record of everything about the system; from its design to changes that occurred over the years. As-built drawings make future adjustments much easier. They provide a starting point to decide what elements to change or add. They identify items specific locations. Without these documents, the system will need a reevaluation and items locations won’t be available. Ultimately, service takes much longer and it’s more expensive.

3. Service Records

It’s good practice to keep inspection, testing, and maintenance records for at least seven years or the duration required by the local Authority Having Jurisdiction. These records are important to have on hand for your AHJ. They also tell you whether the fire and life safety systems were regularly serviced. This provides you insight into any issues systems had and the likelihood of uncovering other problems.

4. Deficiency Reports

Much like service reports a record of deficiencies explains a lot about the system’s status. Make sure any deficiencies noted on fire and life safety system tags are also in the report. If it’s not noted in the report there’s a good chance that the owner was unaware of the deficiency and it wasn’t fixed. Additionally, you can uncover whether there are any outstanding deficiencies that need repair.

5. Professional Fire and Life Safety Evaluation

You may want to consider hiring a fire and life safety professional to evaluate the facility’s systems before making a large investment. A fire and life safety services firm can identify a number of potential issues through a visual inspection. Their team can spot common problems such as wiring issues, corrosion, and aging systems that can add up to be quite expensive.

Much like buying a home there are certain evaluations one must make before making a large investment in a commercial property. You certainly don’t want to purchase a facility at the top of your price range then find out it needs thousands of dollars in fire and life safety system services. In order to avoid this unwanted surprise make sure there are copies of the program for the fire alarm system, as-built drawings, service records, and deficiency reports available. Additionally, hire a professional fire and life safety service company to evaluate the facility’s systems. They can identify potential issues which you can use to negotiate the cost of the property.

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