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Commercial building inspections in Hobart
Structural condition assessments, change of use checks, defect reports and concrete deterioration reports for offices, shops, warehouses, car parks and older city buildings. Signed by a licensed engineer, with priorities you can budget for.
Documented for your surveyor
Drawings, calculations and a Form 35 your building surveyor can rely on.
Fixed quote in 1–2 business hours
Get a fixed quote for your inspection
Send the address, the type and size of building, photos of what concerns you and why you need the report.
Fixed quote for your job. No obligation. Or call 03 6146 4747
In short
A commercial building inspection by a structural engineer assesses the structure of an existing building: its frame, floors, walls, roof and footings, plus any cracking, corrosion or concrete spalling. We prepare condition assessments, change of use reports, defect reports and pre-purchase reports for commercial buildings across Greater Hobart, signed by a licensed engineer and priced by fixed quote.
- Fee
- Fixed quote per building
- Quote
- Within 1–2 business hours
- You receive
- A signed report with priorities and photos
Choosing a report
Which commercial building inspection do you need?
The commercial building inspection you need depends on the question you're asking: what condition the building is in, whether it suits a new use, what caused a defect, or how far concrete has deteriorated.
| Report | When you need it | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Structural condition assessment | Planning maintenance, budgeting, or before refinancing or leasing | Frame, floors, walls, roof structure and visible footings, with repair priorities |
| Change of use report | A new use with heavier floor loads, or a building surveyor asking for evidence | Floor and roof capacity for the new use, and any strengthening needed |
| Commercial defect report | Cracks, movement, sagging or water damage you need explained | The likely cause, how serious it is and the repair to design |
| Concrete deterioration report | Spalling or rust stains in a car park, balcony or concrete frame | Mapping of damage, likely cause, make-safe advice and a repair scope |
| Pre-purchase or pre-lease inspection | Before you buy or sign a lease | Condition of the structure, defects that matter, likely scale of repairs |
| Dilapidation report | Before demolition, excavation or construction next door | A dated photographic record of existing condition. See dilapidation reports |
Concrete car parks
What causes concrete spalling in car parks?
Concrete spalls when the steel reinforcement inside it rusts. Rust takes up more room than steel, so it cracks the concrete along the bar and eventually pushes the cover off.
Steel in concrete is protected while the concrete around it stays alkaline. Two things break that protection down over the years:
- Carbonation: carbon dioxide from the air slowly lowers the alkalinity from the surface in. Where the cover to the steel is thin, it reaches the bars sooner.
- Chlorides: salt from coastal and estuary air, or carried in on vehicles, breaks down the protection even in alkaline concrete.
Water speeds both up. Cracks, leaking joints, failed membranes and blocked drains in a car park deck all let it reach the steel. Older car parks, waterfront buildings and exposed balconies are the usual places to find it.
What the report gives you
We map the cracking, rust staining, hollow-sounding (delaminated) concrete and spalls, identify the likely cause, and set out what to make safe now, what to repair and what to monitor. The repair scope is written so contractors can price the same thing.
| What you see | What it usually means | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Rust stains on the surface | Reinforcement has started to corrode | Inspect and plan |
| Cracks running along a bar line | Corrosion is pushing on the cover | Repair soon |
| Hollow-sounding concrete | The cover has separated from the steel | Make safe, then repair |
| Spalled concrete, exposed bars | Advanced corrosion and section loss | Make safe now |
A general guide only. The inspection sets the priority for each location.
Falling concrete
Spalls over a walkway, parking bay or entry can drop without warning. Fence off the area below until an engineer has inspected it.
Change of use
When does a change of use need a structural engineer?
A change of use needs a structural engineer when the new use puts more load on the floors or roof, or when the building surveyor needs evidence that the existing structure suits the new classification. Your building surveyor decides how much of the building must meet the current code.
| From | To | What we check |
|---|---|---|
| Office | Gym or fitness studio | Higher floor loads, dropped weights and vibration from group classes |
| Office | Archive or storage | Compactus and shelving loads, which are far heavier than office loads |
| Retail | Restaurant or function space | Crowd loads on the floor, and new kitchen plant on the roof |
| Warehouse | Showroom, retail or indoor recreation | Public use of floors and mezzanines, new openings and fit-out loads |
| House | Office or consulting rooms | Floors designed for a home now carrying office loads and filing |
| Upper floors of an older building | Apartments | Floor capacity, new walls and services, and fire and sound separation set by the designer |
Imposed floor loads come from AS/NZS 1170.1. NCC 2022 applies in Tasmania until 30 April 2027, and NCC 2025 from 1 May 2027.
The inspection
What does a commercial structural inspection include?
A commercial structural inspection includes a review of what's known about the building, an inspection of everything that carries load, and a signed report with priorities.
- Review of existing drawings, earlier reports and the building's history, where available
- Inspection of the frame, floors, walls, roof structure and visible footings
- Cracks located, measured and photographed; levels and deflections checked where they matter
- Corrosion, spalling and water entry mapped on concrete and steel
- The likely cause of each defect, and how serious it is
- Priorities: make safe, repair, monitor or no action
- The limits of the inspection, including areas we couldn't reach
- Signed by an engineer licensed in Tasmania as Engineer – Civil
Buying a commercial building?
A building inspector reports on general condition. A structural engineer explains what's moving or deteriorating, why, and what the fix involves. Our guide compares the two: building inspector or structural engineer. For homes, see pre-purchase structural inspections.
What to send for a quote
- The address, building type and approximate floor area
- Photos of the cracks, spalling or area of concern
- Any drawings or earlier reports you have
- Why you need the report: purchase, lease, change of use, maintenance or a dispute
You'll have a fixed quote within 1–2 business hours, with the inspection scope and the report date. Get a fixed quote
More commercial engineering
Often needed alongside an inspection
Dilapidation reports
An engineer's record of a building's condition before nearby excavation, demolition or construction, with dated photos and a measured crack register.
Learn more
Building defect & dispute reports
Independent engineer's reports on structural defects in new or recent building work, for talks with your builder, mediation or TASCAT.
Learn more
Fit-outs & mezzanines
Mezzanine floors, shop and office fit-outs, new openings in commercial walls, rooftop plant and solar panel loads, designed and certified for your building surveyor.
Learn moreFAQ
Commercial building inspection FAQs
Still unsure? Call 03 6146 4747 or send photos for a fixed quote.