5. Research

5.1  Objective

The objective of research, including the review of documents and the performing of interviews, is to augment the information obtained during the walk-through survey and to provide supporting documentation to the inspection report. 

5.2  Document Procurement

It is the client's responsibility to obtain copies of all documents and provide them for the inspector.  These documents are most often obtained from the seller or from local government offices.  The inspector is not responsible for gathering or paying for copies of appropriate documents to be reviewed unless these tasks are specifically assigned to the inspector in the Scope of Work Agreement.

5.3  Documents to Be Reviewed and Included in the Inspection Report

The inspector should review all documents provided by the client and owner.  The inspector should also make an inquiry and review of any other documents that can be reasonably procured on-site or from the building owner or manager, such as Certificates of Occupancy, building code violation notices, repair invoices, and warranties.  The inspector is not required to uncover and review information that is not provided or cannot be reasonably ascertained or acquired on-site.  Copies of documents that the inspector believes may be of interest to the client and copies of documents that support the inspector's opinions should be included in the inspection report.

5.3.1 Examples of documents the inspector may want to request for review:

• accessibility surveys;

• appraisals;

• building plans;

• Certificates of Occupancy;

• citations;

• deck age records, plans and construction permits;

• deck and balcony maintenance, power-washing, painting, treating, repair and modification history;

• emergency evacuation plans;

• environmental studies;

• evacuation drill records;

• fire-detection test and maintenance records;

• fire door inspection reports;

• fire-prevention plans;

• fire extinguisher service records;

• fire records;

• flame-resistant certificates;

• floodplain maps;

• floor plans;

• kitchen grease-cleaning records;

• kitchen post-fire inspections;
  
  

• maintenance records;

• manufacturers' installation instructions;

• notices;

• permits;

• power-washing records;

• previous inspection reports;

• proposals;

• rent records;

• repair estimates/invoices;

• safety inspection records;

• seller disclosures;

• sprinkler head replacement records;

• utility bills; and

• warranties.

5.4  Interviews

The inspector should identify and interview the person(s) with the most knowledge about the condition of the building.  Typically, this will be the building owner or manager.  Unless otherwise agreed to in the Scope of Work Agreement, it is the responsibility of the client to arrange to have such person(s) on hand for interview by the inspector on the day of the walk-through survey. 

5.5  Pre-Inspection Questionnaires

The inspector may request that the owner, building manager and/or client fill out pre-inspection questionnaires to gather information.  The inspector may rely that these responses are truthful.  In cases where parties refuse to fill out questionnaires in writing, the inspector may interview the parties and fill out the questionnaires for them.  The inspector should note in the report if s/he filled out the questionnaire based on an interview and whether such interview was performed in person, by telephone, or by email.  Copies of all responses to such questionnaires should be included in the inspection report. 

5.6  Reliance

The level of accuracy of information varies, depending on its source.  The inspector may rely on information obtained to the extent that the information appears to be accurate and complete.  This Standard does not require the inspector to independently verify the accuracy of the documents reviewed by the inspector or included in the report, nor the statements made by those interviewed by the inspector.

5.7  Fraud

The inspector is not a fraud investigator, and this Standard does not require the inspector to look for intentionally hidden deficiencies in the subject property.  The inspection report is supplementary to the seller's disclosures.

5.8  Previously Generated Reports

A previously generated inspection report should be treated no differently than any other document reviewed during the research portion of the inspection, and, as with information collected from any other source, information obtained from a previously generated report should reference its source in the new inspection report.  No portion of a previously generated report should be used as a substitute for the new inspection report.