Summary Page
| Commercial Inspection Report for: | |
| Client(s): | Zachary Lotfalla |
| Property address: | 2 - 10 Market St Belvidere, NJ |
| Inspection date: | Thursday, May 18, 2006 |
This is a list of all items requiring your attention.
It is organized by seriousness, with safety related items appearing first.
You should review all items on this list,
giving the most attention to the more serious issues,
while not ignoring other concerns:
1) General information:
Safety
- OVERVIEW:
This is a commercial building, on Market St in the town of Belvidere, New Jersey.
It was originally built as a 4 floor factory building 125 years ago. It was rebuilt as a one-floor building following a fire, and has since been remodeled in the early 1980's into it's present use and appearance.
The building is fully occupied. There are 6 stores in the building. From left to right, there is a pharmacy, an accountant's office, a newspaper office, a jewelry store, a contractor's office (used by the present owner), and a restaurant.
The next thing to the right is a bridge over a tributary to the Delaware River, which runs next to the building on the right.
The contractor office and the restaurant (the nearest to the river) have no basement underneath their stores. All other stores have a basement under them.
The basement of this building is only under the leftmost 3 stores.
It has a concrete floor, and the foundation walls are made of a combination of native stone, brick, and cement.
The supports for the building are massively overbuilt, and will hold up a building 4 to 5 times the size of this one. All beams in the basement holding up the building's floors are also massively oversized and much stronger than is needed to hold up this building.
The building is structurally in excellent condition.
The building itself, and the stores, are in generally good condition, subject to some considerations.
The most significant issues to be concerned with in considering this building are the following:
There is no danger to the structure at this time, and
there is no danger of imminent failure or collapse in the near future,
however repairs will be needed in the future to prevent more serious problems from developing.
The basement is not used for anything by the tenants, so the mold is not a health hazard. One water leak into the basement is eroding a section of soil that may be supporting one beam. While this is an isolated area that (may) affect one beam, measures should be taken to secure this area to avoid future problems.
The roof needs to be sealed, and leveled in some areas, or additional drains need to be installed.
There are some low spots which collect puddles, and leaks were observed under these areas.
While some of these issues can have serious consequences if ignored, they can all be reasonably resolved, and do not in and of themselves give reason to not consider this building.
There are other relatively minor problems that are detailed in the report. You should read the entire report, and familiarize yourself completely with the information contained in it
5) Exterior:
Safety, Repair/Replace, Evaluate
- There is a large tree at the right rear corner of the property, which may fall on the structure due to erosion of it's roots and earth by the water. While this is NOT an imminent danger, it should be monitored. Recommend consulting with a qualified arborist to determine if tree(s) need to be removed and/or pruned.
6) Exterior:
Safety, Repair/Replace
- All stores have a rear or side entrance for a second egress.
Some of the stores (the pharmacy and the jewelry store) have bars installed across the doors that must be removed in order to open the door in an emergency. This is a safety hazard and should be repaired as soon as possible.
All stores have their own gas meter and electric meters behind the stores.
7) Exterior:
Safety, Repair/Replace
- Some electric service wires come from overhead service poles in the front of the building and run across the roof to the rear of the building. These wires cross each other, and some of them are routed such that they rub against flue vents, and the cooking exhaust vent from the restaurant. The power lines should be re-routed so they do not come in contact with the surface of the roof, flue vents, the cooking exhaust vent, or each other. This problem can cause safety, fire, and power interruption issues, and should be brought to the attention of the power utility company.
8) Exterior:
Repair/Replace, Evaluate
- Siding is damaged and/or deteriorated in one or more areas.
There is also significant mold growth. A qualified contractor should evaluate and make repairs and/or replace siding as necessary to prevent water and vermin intrusion.
9) Exterior:
Repair/Replace
- One or more large trees are very close the foundation. Tree roots can cause significant structural damage to foundations. Recommend having a qualified tree service contractor or arborist remove trees as necessary to prevent damage to the structure's foundation.
10) Exterior:
Repair/Maintain, Monitor
- A tributary to the Delaware river flows next to the foundation of the building on the right side, and is slowly eroding the foundation.
There is no danger to the structure at this time, and
there is no danger of imminent failure or collapse in the near future,
however repairs will be needed in the future to prevent more serious problems from developing.
Debris floating "downstream" in the water has caused some damage to the bottom of the structure.
11) Exterior:
Repair/Maintain
- The screen doors in the rear are all in poor condition. Recommend a door contractor to evaluate and repair.
21) Roof:
Safety, Repair/Replace, Evaluate
- Some electric service wires come from overhead service poles in the front of the building and run across the roof to the rear of the building. These wires cross each other, and some of them are routed such that they rub against flue vents, and the cooking exhaust vent from the restaurant. The power lines should be re-routed so they do not come in contact with the surface of the roof, flue vents, the cooking exhaust vent, or each other. This problem can cause safety, fire, and power interruption issues, and should be brought to the attention of the power utility company.
This is a major safety and fire hazard and should be dealt with as soon as possible.
22) Roof:
Repair/Replace, Evaluate
- Standing water was found on the flat roof.
This is a result of low spots in the roof. If standing water remains after 48 hours, then the roof installation is likely substandard, and additional roof drains may be needed. A qualified roofing contractor should evaluate and repair if necessary to prevent prolonged standing water.
23) Roof:
Maintain
- Debris such as leaves, needles, seeds, etc. have accumulated on the roof, due mainly to the overhanging tree. This is a conducive condition for wood destroying insects and organisms since water may not flow easily off the roof, and may enter gaps in the roof surface. Leaks may occur as a result. Debris should be cleaned from the roof now and as necessary in the future.
24) Roof:
Maintain
- A tree is overhanging roof and is within 10 feet of roof vertically. This is a conducive condition for wood destroying insects and organisms since organic debris such as leaves or needles are more likely to accumulate on the roof surface. Accumulated debris may cause water to enter gaps in the roof surface and leak into attic and/or interior spaces. Trees should be pruned so they are at least 10 feet above roof, or don't overhang the roof.
27) Basement:
Repair/Replace, Evaluate
- Evidence of prior water intrusion was found in one or more sections of the basement. One section of earth is being washed away slowly. The beam above this supported on a concrete / brick pillar at one end and may be slotted in to the exterior wall at the other end. There is heavy mold infestation through out this area, and all over the support beam. Could not discern the actual situation.
28) Basement:
Repair/Replace, Evaluate
- The sump pump appeared to be malfunctioning. The motor works but no water was being pumped out. This is a conducive condition for wood destroying insects and organisms due to the risk of water accumulation. A qualified contractor should evaluate and repair as necessary.
29) Basement:
Repair/Replace, Comment
- The basement of this building is only under the leftmost 3 stores.
It has a concrete floor, and the foundation walls are made of a combination of native stone, brick, and cement. The supports for the building are massively overbuilt, and will hold up a building 4 to 5 times the size of this one. All beams in the basement holding up the building's floors are also massively oversized and much stronger than is needed to hold up this building.
The building is structurally in excellent condition.
The basement is in poor to fair condition, with numerous water leaks, one of which comes from the bathroom of the newspaper office. This leak should be fixed. All of the other leaks are from the rear of the building.
There are walls that have been put up at a time after the building was first built that separate the basement into sections under each of the 3 stores. These walls have been broken through to make a passageway so you can walk into each section from the entrance to the basement in the pharmacy.
30) Life Safety:
Safety, Repair/Replace, Evaluate
- Life safety issues consist of measures taken to ensure the safety of "the public" in a commercial store or other space.
They include adequate lighting, safeguards concerning trip-and-fall hazards, emergency lighting, lit exit signs, and adequate means of escape in the event of fire.
All of the stores have a second means of egress (a back or side door), however two of the stores, (the pharmacy and the jewelry store) have these doors barred, and in the case of the jewelry store, the bars are locked with no key readily available.
The remainder of the stores have back doors which have turn-knobs, and in some cases dead-bolt locks that must be opened before the doors can be opened. Also, the doors open inwards.
It is customary for second egress doors to have push-bar latches, and open outwards.
You should check with the local town officials for requirements concerning second egress and comply with these requirements.
Of all the 6 stores, only the restaurant has emergency lighting units installed and has lit exit signs over both doors.
Recommend that these be installed in the other stores. This is a liability issue as well as a safety issue.
Trip-and-fall hazards were well controlled in all stores.
Portable fire extinguishers were installed in most of the stores by the front door. These all had a recent inspection tag and were in good condition. There should be fire extinguishers installed in the rear of the stores as well.
31) Pharmacy:
Safety, Evaluate
- The bathroom in the pharmacy is fully functional. The hot water was measured at 131 degrees which is too hot.
The hot water temperature is greater than 120 degrees Fahrenheit. This is a safety hazard due to the risk of scalding. The thermostat should be adjusted so the water temperature doesn't exceed 120 degrees. For more information on scalding dangers, visit http://www.tap-water-burn.com/
The hot water comes from a electric 10 gallon A.O.Smith hot water heater which is mounted above the bathroom. This was not accessible for direct inspection, and was not inspected.
32) Pharmacy:
Safety
- The emergency door has two wood bars that must be removed before one can open the door. It is also blocked by stored items. This is a fire and safety hazard and must be remedied as soon as possible. The rear emergency exit should be a outward opening door with a push bar so to allow a quick egress in case of fire.
33) Pharmacy:
Repair/Replace, Repair/Maintain, Evaluate
- The estimated useful life for forced air furnaces is 15 to 20 years. This furnace is a Lennox furnace which was installed in 1983. It is in fair to good condition, and has a filter. Because the pharmacy is a larger store than the others, this furnace has double the amount of burners. There is no no A/C condenser, as air conditioning is provided by 2 through-the-wall A/C units. Neither of these work.
The furnace is starting to rust. A qualified heating contractor should inspect and evaluate this furnace.
Due to its age it may need replacing at any time. Recommend budgeting for a replacement in the near future.
34) Pharmacy:
Repair/Replace, Comment
- There is water leaking down the right wall of the pharmacy and from the center of the ceiling . This is due to pooling of water on the roof and cracks in the sealing of the roofing sheets. A qualified roofer should repair the roof.
39) Electric service:
Safety, Repair/Replace, Evaluate
- There are 6 separate overheat electric services into the building, one for each store.
Some come from a pole in the rear yard, and some come from a pole in the front of the building in the street.
The services from the pole in the rear yard are in fair to good condition, however there are serious problems with the services from the pole in the street in front of the building.
These electric service wires come from an overhead service pole in the street in front of the building and run across the roof to the rear of the building. These wires cross each other, and some of them are routed such that they rub against flue vents, and the cooking exhaust vent from the restaurant. The power lines should be re-routed so they do not come in contact with the surface of the roof, flue vents, the cooking exhaust vent, or each other. This problem can cause safety, fire, and power interruption issues, and should be brought to the attention of the power utility company.
40) Electric service:
Safety, Repair/Replace, Comment
- The electrical service panel for the restaurant is a 200 amp circuit breaker panel with a main circuit breaker disconnect at the top of the panel.
The panel itself was inspected and is in good condtion.
The panel, however, is located in the bathroom above the toilet.
This is a potential electric shock hazard due to proximity to water and electrical grounds in the bathroom.
Recommend an electrician relocate the main service panel for the restaurant.
The panel is
41) Electric service:
Safety, Repair/Replace
- A junction box in the furnace room of the newspaper office is loose and/or not securely anchored. Wire conductors may be damaged due to repeated movement and/or tension on wires, or insulation may be damaged. This is a safety hazard due to the risk of shock and fire. A qualified electrician should evaluate and repair as necessary.
42) Electric service:
Safety, Repair/Replace
- A cover plate is missing from one or more electric receptacles boxes. They are intended to contain fire and prevent electric shock from exposed wires. This is a safety hazard due to the risk of fire and shock. Cover plates should be installed where missing.
47) Contractor's office:
Safety, Repair/Replace, Evaluate, Serviceable, Comment
- Contractor's office - rear room and front room.
There is no life-safety equipment such as emergency lighting and lit exit signs in this store.
There is a fire extinguisher in the rear room but it has an outdated inspection tag.
Recommend that the local fire dept be consulted as to local requirements for this equipment.
48) Contractor's office:
Safety, Repair/Replace, Evaluate
- There is a Lennox propane fired forced hot air furnace installed in the contractors office. The furnace was inspected, and it was determined that there is no air filter being used. This will result in decreased efficiency, and shorter life of the furnace. The flame produced by the burners is yellow or orange rather than blue. This is likely caused by dirty or clogged burners. A qualified heating and cooling contractor should evaluate and repair as necessary.
49) Contractor's office:
Major defect, Comment
- The estimated useful life for forced air furnaces is 15 to 20 years. This furnace is a Lennox furnace from 1983 and may need replacing at any time. Recommend budgeting for a replacement in the near future.
50) Contractor's office:
Repair/Replace
- No filter is visible for the heating/cooling system. As a result, unfiltered air will flow through the system, and the heating/cooling equipment life and the indoor air quality may be reduced. Correctly sized filter(s) should be installed. If necessary, guides or retaining devices should be installed or repaired so filter(s) are securely anchored and gaps around edges are minimized.
51) Jewelry store:
Safety
- The Jewelry store is equipped with a "do it yourself security system "with self done bars on the windows.
Also there is bar across the rear door which is also pad locked and there is no key in sight. This is a fire hazard in case of emergency people can be trapped in side with no way out. This problem should be rectified immediately.
52) Jewelry store:
Repair/Replace, Evaluate
- One or more toilets are loose. A qualified contractor should remove the toilet(s) for further evaluation and repairs if necessary. A new wax ring should be installed and toilet(s) should be securely anchored to the floor to prevent movement and leaking.
53) Jewelry store:
Evaluate
- The estimated useful life for forced air furnaces is 15 to 20 years. This furnace is a Lennox furnace from 1983 and may need replacing at any time. There is also heavy rusting . A certified heating contractor should evaluate the condition of the furnace. Recommend budgeting for a replacement in the near future.
59) Accountant office.:
Safety, Repair/Replace, Evaluate
- One or more open ground, three-pronged electric receptacles were found. This is a safety hazard due to the risk of shock. A qualified electrician should evaluate and make repairs as necessary. For example, replacing receptacles or correcting wiring circuits.
Grounding type receptacles began being required in residential structures during the 1960s. Based on the age of this structure and the presence of 2-pronged receptacles in some areas of this structure, an acceptable repair may be to simply replace the ungrounded 3-pronged receptacles with 2-pronged receptacles. However the following appliances require grounding type receptacles:
This list is not exhaustive. Grounded circuits and receptacles should be installed in locations where such appliances will be used.
60) Accountant office.:
Safety, Repair/Replace, Evaluate
- One or more ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) electric receptacles did not trip when tested. This is a safety hazard due to the risk of shock. A qualified electrician should evaluate and repair as necessary.
61) Accountant office.:
Safety, Repair/Replace, Evaluate
- The sink outlet near the bathroom sink appears to have no ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protection. This is a safety hazard due to the risk of shock. A qualified electrician should evaluate to determine if GFCI protection exists, and if not, repairs should be made so that all receptacles that serve countertop surfaces within six feet of sinks have GFCI protection. For example, install GFCI receptacles or circuit breaker(s) as needed.
62) Accountant office.:
Repair/Replace, Evaluate
- Stains and elevated levels of moisture and leaks were found in one or more ceiling areas and on the wall shared by the pharmacy. The stain(s) appear to be due to roof leaks. A qualified contractor should evaluate and repair as necessary.
63) Accountant office.:
Repair/Replace
- The rear door is below grade . One must go up two steps to exit and there is no drain. Recommend a qualified contractor to install a drain to prevent flooding and debris.
68) Contractor's office:
Safety, Repair/Replace, Evaluate
- The rear door is equipped with a turn knob and opens inward, This is a safety hazard in case of fire. The door should be equipped with a push bar and open outwards. Recommend a qualified door contractor to correct the problem.
69) Contractor's office:
Safety, Repair/Replace
- The fire extinguisher is lacking an inspection tag. Fire extinguishers should be checked once a year to ensure proper function.
70) Contractor's office:
Evaluate
- The electric service in this office is 150 amps and was last inspected over twenty years ago.
78) Restaurant:
Safety, Repair/Replace, Evaluate
- The main electric panel which has a service of 200 amperes and has a main circuit breaker at the top of the panel is located in the bathroom. This is a safety risk and may cause electrical shocks due to the moist environment. A licensed electrician evaluate and move the main electrical panel to a safer location.
79) Restaurant:
Repair/Replace, Evaluate
- Life safety is generally good in the restaurant.
There are fire extinguishers and smoke detectors and lit exit signs.
The only problem is that the rear doors is equipped with a turn knob, a dead bolt lock and opens inwards. It is customary for exit doors to be equipped with a push bar and open outwards.
Recommend you review requirements for this with the local town officials, and comply with any official safety requirements.