Building Maintenance Checklist

Why a building maintenance inspection matters

A building maintenance inspection helps owners find defects early and plan preventive maintenance before problems become costly. The checklist covers roofs, walls, grounds, interiors and services so that deterioration is recorded systematically. > "The existence of termites or infestation in older buildings with a crawl space is difficult to detect because contact with the ground is usually direct and termite tunnels are not obvious. Inspection by professional exterminators is essential in such cases."

What this building maintenance checklist covers

The checklist is organised into sections that follow the anatomy of a building: - External inspection - Roofs - Roof elements - Exterior wall material - Exterior finishes - Windows and doors - Exterior ceilings and decks - Grounds - Interior inspection - Mechanical and electrical - Attics Within each section, items ask you to inspect specific materials and components for signs of wear, damage, damp, corrosion, rot or infestation. Roofing items, for example, cover asphalt shingles, clay tiles, slate, metal, wood shingles and shakes, built-up roofs, membrane roofs and green roofs. Each item prompts you to look for defined defects, such as broken or missing tiles, corroded metal, blocked gutters, or damaged flashing.

How to inspect a building step by step

1. Begin with the roof, checking each roof type and its elements, including projections, cornices, undersides, flashing, and gutters and plumbing. 2. Inspect the exterior walls and finishes for cracks, stains, spalling, bulging, efflorescence and other damage. Assess mortar joints as good, fair or poor. 3. Check windows, doors and their hardware, weatherstripping and glazing. 4. Inspect exterior ceilings and decks, including wood supports, for moisture, rot and insect damage. 5. Move to the grounds, checking driveways and walkways, light wells, storm drains, retaining walls, foundations and landscaping. 6. Inspect the interior, including walls, ceilings, decorative masonry, chimneys, metal surfaces, stairs, doors, windows, cabinets and counters. 7. Check the mechanical and electrical system, isolating the supply before touching any conductor, and record any defect that requires a licensed electrician. 8. Inspect the attic, including load-bearing walls, beams, floors, and any signs of insect or termite infestation and rot. 9. Record all findings, including the location and extent of any damage, so that the owner can plan the necessary preventive maintenance.

Frequently Asked Questions

A building maintenance inspection is carried out to identify and address preventive maintenance issues before they cause damage. The checklist is a tool to help you inspect the property by grouping items into structural systems, for example external inspection, roofs, roof elements, exterior wall and finish materials, windows and doors, exterior ceilings and decks, grounds, interior inspection, mechanical and electrical installations, and attics.

The checklist records findings for many materials and elements of a building, including asphalt shingles, clay tiles, slate, metal, wood shingles and shakes, built-up roofs, membrane roofs and green roofs. It also covers other potential problem areas such as projections, galvanic action between dissimilar metals, cornices, roof undersides, flashing, and gutters and plumbing. Each item asks you to check for specific signs of deterioration, such as wear, breakage, missing elements, corrosion, damp, rot or blocked drainage.

You should inspect walls and structural elements for loose mortar, cracks, damp and other defects. The checklist prompts you to record the nature and cause of cracks and to note whether the cracks pass through the mortar or the masonry units. It also asks you to assess the condition of the mortar joints as good, fair or poor. Other wall types, such as cast-in-place concrete walls and wooden joists and beams, are checked for settlement, sagging, springiness and signs of insect or fungal decay.

The checklist instructs you to check for wood-destroying insects and fungi, and to look for insect and termite infestation in the structure and adjacent ground. It recommends inspection at least every six months, and notes that in older buildings with a crawl space, where termite tunnels are not obvious, inspection by professional exterminators is essential.

Before touching any conductor, isolate the electrical supply. The checklist then asks you to record any defect that requires a licensed electrician. It covers items such as the condition of incoming service wires and supports, whether exterior receptacles and switches are operational, whether ground fault circuit interrupters are provided where required by code, and whether fuses or circuit breakers trip frequently.

You should inspect retaining walls, foundations and landscaping for cracks, bowing, bulging, loose mortar joints, damp and damage. For landscaping, the checklist asks you to check whether trees overhang or touch the building, whether climbing plants cause damage, whether plants hold water against the structure, whether tree roots are damaging the structure, and whether lawns and shrubs need attention.

The checklist itself does not prescribe repair methods. Its purpose is to help you record findings, including the location and extent of any damage, so that the owner can plan any necessary preventive maintenance.

Written by

Arne Reis

Founder

Process optimizer with 25 years of expertise, focused on operational excellence in quality, maintenance, EHS, and commissioning. Emphasizes innovative solutions and top-quality standards.

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