Depending on client needs or accepted risks, and property types, some inspections can require the involvement of specialists, and some can be done by a general commercial building inspector or engineer.
The report may include such items as concerns observed, recommendations for repairs or further inspections, opinions of the likely cost of future capital projects, and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance surveys.
The PCA process began to formalize in the early 1990s as a response to the Resolution Trust Corporation, and as more pension-fund type investors started to take an interest in commercial real estate.
They are intended to be unbiased technical opinions of the upcoming capital work required at the property, but can reflect the ownership strategy of the building owner.
The PCA author strives to understand the ownership objectives so they can be considered when developing the list of forecasted projects.
A PCA covers eleven major areas: The site inspection should be a thorough and representative picture of the structure and above mentioned building systems.
They are either per unit/bed/pad/room (apartment, hospital, mobile home park, hotel, respectively), or done on a square foot basis (commercial and industrial).