Technical Inspection Cost: What It Depends On

Object size and type

The larger the building or structure (area, number of floors or spans, number of structural elements), the greater the scope of inspection and calculation work, and so the cost. The material of the structures matters too: inspecting steel structures (our specialty — poles, towers, industrial facilities) has its own specifics compared with reinforced concrete or brick.

Accessibility of the structures

Inspecting structures at height, in hard-to-reach places, or at an operating facility requires special equipment or clearance (work at height, stopping equipment) — this affects timing and cost compared with free access to structures at ground level.

Scope and depth of the inspection

• a preliminary inspection (a survey and recording of visible defects) costs less than a main (detailed) one with instrumental measurements and load-bearing capacity calculations; a main inspection is not always needed, only if the preliminary one has found defects that could reduce strength, stability or stiffness, or the needs of people with limited mobility have not been taken into account;
• the need for laboratory tests (determining the actual steel grade or concrete strength) adds time and cost;
• after an emergency event, or where defects and damage have been found, an inspection more often goes as far as the main (detailed) stage than a scheduled inspection of an object in good order, where the preliminary stage sometimes suffices.

Availability of design documentation

If drawings (KM/KMD) or other design documentation for the object exist, the inspection and verification calculations go faster. Without documentation, some data (sections, joints, actual dimensions) must be determined by on-site measurement, which increases the scope of work.

The object’s consequence class

The object’s consequence (responsibility) class — CC1, CC2 or CC3 — affects the required depth of verification calculations and the qualification of the executor. For more on consequence classes and who may conduct an inspection, see the article Who May Conduct a Technical Inspection of Buildings and Structures.

Timing and location

An urgent inspection (for example, after an emergency) and an object in a remote region can affect the cost through logistics and the priority of the work.

What to send for a calculation

Describe the object’s type and size, any available documentation, the purpose of the inspection (routine, before reconstruction, after an emergency) and the desired timeline. If you don’t know something, leave it blank — we will clarify it while preparing the inspection. See also technical inspection.

Example: how the scope of work is built up

A hypothetical example (the figures are for illustration only): a building whose steel structure consists of 12 frames, each made up of two columns and a truss.

1. Inventory: 12 × 3 = 36 main elements (three per frame), all inspected visually.

2. Measurements are taken selectively, for instance on every third frame: 12 ÷ 3 = 4 frames, that is 4 × 3 = 12 elements.

3. Metal samples are taken first of all from the most heavily loaded elements (verifying steel properties).

4. Then come calculations, the report and, if needed, the passport.

The cost is built up from the labour each item requires, and the actual extent of selective checks is set by the work programme.

What increases the scope and what reduces it

How each factor changes the list of work:

What the customer should prepare

• design documentation, the passport and earlier inspection reports;
• records of repairs, strengthening and reconstruction;
• information on new equipment, extensions or a new use;
• access conditions: passes, equipment shutdown, a responsible person;
• the purpose and the result needed: a report or a passport.

Typical mistakes when ordering an inspection

• comparing offers without one technical specification: one covers only a survey, another also samples and calculations;
• ordering only a visual inspection when reconstruction needs calculations, so the inspection is repeated;
• not mentioning changes in the loads during operation.

What the work you pay for consists of

The technical specification sets the scope of work, and the stages are defined by the current Procedure. The scope at each stage depends on different factors:

More on the stages in the article Technical Inspection of Buildings and Structures: Procedure and Passportisation.

What to check in an offer before comparing prices

Two offers with different prices often describe different work. Check five things:

On certificate classes, see Who May Conduct a Technical Inspection.