Building Condition Assessment in Montréal & Québec

Metra Consultation provides building condition assessments in Montréal and throughout Québec for condominium syndicates, property managers, owners, investors, and prospective purchasers. Our engineering review helps document existing conditions, identify visible deficiencies and organize repair or further-investigation priorities.

A building condition assessment provides an organized overview of the physical condition of a property, identifies observed deficiencies, and supports planning for maintenance, repairs, and further investigation. When a concern is primarily structural, the review can be coordinated with our building and structural inspection service. For condominium planning, findings can also support the technical information used for the maintenance record and reserve-fund process.

For divided co-ownership properties, Metra Consultation can also assist the syndicate in assembling and understanding the technical information required for the syndicate’s certificate regarding the condition of the co-ownership.

Building Condition Assessment

Our assessment services may include:

  • Review of available drawings, reports, and maintenance records

  • Visual inspection of accessible common building components

  • Assessment of structural and foundation conditions

  • Review of roofs, façades, windows, and building-envelope components

  • Inspection of parking garages, balconies, and exterior structures

  • Review of grading, drainage, roads, and parking areas

  • General review of accessible mechanical and electrical systems

  • Identification of visible deficiencies and deterioration

  • Prioritization of maintenance, repair, and further investigation

  • Preliminary opinions of probable repair costs

  • Preparation of a building condition assessment report

Components Commonly Reviewed

The scope may include:

  • Foundations and structural framing

  • Exterior walls and façades

  • Roofing and waterproofing

  • Windows, doors, and sealants

  • Balconies, stairs, and guardrails

  • Parking structures

  • Interior common areas

  • Plumbing and drainage

  • Heating, ventilation, and electrical equipment

  • Fire-protection systems

  • Elevators

  • Pavements, sidewalks, and site drainage

  • Retaining walls and exterior infrastructure

The precise scope is established according to the building type, client objectives, available access, and applicable professional disciplines.

Syndicate Certificate

When a co-owner sells a unit, the syndicate must provide the seller, following a request, with a certificate regarding the condition of the co-ownership within the prescribed period.

The certificate includes required financial, administrative, insurance, maintenance, inspection, loss, major-work, and litigation information.

This certificate is issued and signed by an authorized representative of the syndicate. It is not replaced by an engineering condition report.

Metra Consultation can support the syndicate by providing or organizing technical information concerning:

  • Recent building inspections and expert assessments

  • Major repairs completed during the relevant period

  • Known physical deficiencies

  • Significant work anticipated in future years

  • Estimated timing and cost of planned building work

  • Information contained in the maintenance log

  • Findings from the reserve fund study

  • Supporting plans, reports, and technical documentation

Our Process

Our typical process includes:

  1. Defining the assessment scope and intended use

  2. Reviewing available building documents

  3. Inspecting accessible common components

  4. Identifying deficiencies and information gaps

  5. Classifying immediate, short-term, and long-term priorities

  6. Coordinating specialized investigation where required

  7. Preparing the technical report

  8. Supporting integration of relevant findings into the syndicate’s records and certificate

Important Limitations

A general visual condition assessment does not include destructive openings, concealed-condition verification, code-compliance certification, environmental testing, or detailed design unless specifically included in the mandate.

Where a potential safety issue is observed, immediate measures or a focused engineering investigation may be recommended.

What to Send Before a Building Condition Assessment

For an initial review, send the property address, building type and approximate age, the purpose of the assessment, available drawings, previous inspection or engineering reports, maintenance records and any known areas of concern. This information helps define the appropriate disciplines, access requirements and assessment scope before the site visit.

Contact Us

Contact Metra Consultation for a building condition assessment in Montréal or elsewhere in Québec, or for technical support in organizing building-related information for a co-ownership transaction.