01 / Condition
Building Condition Assessment
Capital-expenditure and condition reporting to ASTM E2018-24, over a 10-year term — the report your lender needs for a commercial deal.
What it coversEngineering due diligence · ASTM E2018-24
Lender-ready building condition assessments worldwide
Independent building condition and environmental site assessments for the purchase, financing and refinancing of commercial, industrial and multi-family property.
- 37+ years
- ASTM E2018-24
- EGBC · APEGA · PEO
- Projects worldwide
- Bank preferred lists
02 / Environmental
Environmental Site Assessment
Phase I, II and III ESAs to ASTM E1527-21 / CSA Z768-01 — order on their own or married with the building assessment.
Phase I / II / IIIWhat a building condition assessment covers
A building condition report — also called a property condition assessment (PCA) — evaluates the capital expenditures over a $5,000 threshold on a building across a 10-year term, using the ASTM E2018-24 standard. Capital expenditures normally include:
- Roof surface, windows and doors
- Heating and air-conditioning units
- Plumbing, electrical and lighting components
- Structural components and larger internal finishings (flooring, walls, ceilings)
- Natural gas piping, elevating devices and fire-safety components
- Parking and paving, landscaping and other site-wide elements
Why lenders ask for one
When a financial institution is asked to loan money against a property, it needs to know the borrower can afford the capital expenditures, and that if the borrower defaults, the property is in reasonable condition and re-sellable. These reports are also commissioned by savvy buyers even when no lender requires one, and as tenancy inspection reports for commercial or industrial units.
The ASTM E2018-24 standard
The American Society for Testing and Materials publishes this standard for gauging capital expenses over a threshold (normally about $5,000) across a term (normally 10 years). The 2018 is the standard; the 24 marks the 2024 revision, replacing the earlier ASTM E2018-15 from 2015. ASTM standards are used internationally, which is why a report written to E2018-24 reads the same to a lender in Toronto, Houston or Frankfurt. Values are listed in US dollars; we restate the threshold in the local currency of the market the property sits in, so it reflects a comparable capital expense.
Facility Condition Index (FCI)
We divide total building-related expenses by the estimated replacement cost of the building to produce a Facility Condition Index, ranging from excellent (0–5%) down through good, fair and poor, with anything over 30% considered critically poor.
- Excellent
- 0–5%
- Good
- 5–10%
- Fair
- 10–30%
- Critical
- 30%+
Coverage, turnaround and cost
We take work worldwide. Because ASTM E2018-24 and ASTM E1527-21 are international standards, the same report satisfies lenders wherever the asset sits. Our densest coverage is Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta, where we carry provincial engineering registration — see all regions we serve. For a site outside those regions, anywhere in the world, send the address and we will confirm coverage before quoting.
- Coverage
- Worldwide — densest in Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta
- Turnaround
- About 5 business days for a typical report
- Rush option
- As little as 2 calendar days after inspection
- Typical fee
- $2,800 – $10,000, depending on size and timeline
- Property types
- Commercial, industrial and multi-family — not single-family homes
Common questions
What is a building condition assessment?
A building condition assessment (BCA), also called a property condition assessment (PCA), evaluates the capital expenditures over a $5,000 threshold on a building across a 10-year term using the ASTM E2018-24 standard. It gives lenders and buyers a clear picture of a property's condition and future capital costs.
What is the difference between a BCA and a PCA?
None in practice. Building condition assessment and property condition assessment describe the same commercial due-diligence report; lenders and standards simply use one term or the other.
Do you inspect houses?
No. We work on commercial, industrial and multi-family properties for purchase, financing and refinancing. We do not perform single-family home inspections.
Do you work outside Canada?
Yes. ASTM E2018-24 for building condition assessments and ASTM E1527-21 for Phase I ESAs are international standards, and reports issued under them are read by lenders worldwide. Our densest coverage is in Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta, where we hold provincial engineering registration; elsewhere we mobilise to the site and, where local law requires a locally licensed engineer of record, we associate with one. Send an address anywhere and we will confirm what we can do before quoting.
How long does a report take?
A typical PCA or ESA report takes about 5 business days with no rush charges, and can be completed in as little as 2 calendar days after inspection with rush charges.
What does it cost?
PCA and ESA reports typically range from $2,800 to $10,000 depending on the size of the property and the timeline. Send us an address and we normally return an estimate within one business day.
Request a proposal
Send us an address and we’ll come back within one business day
Tell us the property address and a contact. We normally return a free proposal for a building condition assessment or environmental site assessment within one business day.