What a technical inspection is
A technical inspection is an engineer’s structured look at a property: what is there, what condition it is in, and what it could cost you. It is done for the buyer and reported to the buyer.
It is not a legal review, and it is not a market valuation. It answers practical questions. Is the structure showing signs of a problem? Is there moisture? Are the electrical and plumbing installations safe and in order? Is the built area the one that appears in the permit and in the listing?
What we look at
Structure and building envelope
- Visible cracks and their pattern, settlement signs and deformation.
- Condition of roofs, gutters, slabs and walls.
- Moisture, leaks and waterproofing.
Installations
- Electrical panel, wiring and protections, compared with what the electrical regulations expect.
- Plumbing, hot water, drainage and waste water.
- Gas installation, where there is one.
Site and surroundings
- Drainage of the plot, slopes and retaining walls.
- Access, utilities and boundaries.
- Aerial photography and video of the property and its surroundings, so you can evaluate the area from anywhere.
Documents against reality
- Whether the built area and the layout match the building permit and the plans provided.
- Whether alterations or additions appear to have been made without documentation. Any legal consequence is for your attorney to assess.
Rural properties and fincas
A finca is not judged like a city apartment. Besides the main house, we look at the access road, the water source and its supply, how waste water is handled, the electrical supply, the state of secondary buildings and the stability of the terrain around them. We work in the Valle del Cauca and can tell you honestly if a property is outside our area.
New builds and off-plan handover
If you bought from a developer, the inspection at handover is your last chance to have defects corrected before the final payment. We check the finished unit against the specification, list every pending item and help you present it to the developer in a clear, factual way. There is no confrontation involved: the list simply says what is done and what is missing.
What you receive
- A written report with photographs for each finding.
- Findings sorted by priority: safety or structural, functional, and cosmetic.
- A short list of questions to ask the seller or developer.
- An indicative scope of the corrective work, and an order of magnitude of its cost when it can be estimated, in COP, USD and EUR.
What an inspection cannot do
An inspection reports what can be seen and reasonably tested without demolition. Hidden defects, the quality of buried elements and soil behaviour cannot be fully assessed from the surface. When the risk justifies it, we tell you which specialist study, such as a geotechnical study, is worth commissioning.
How it works
- You send the location, the listing or documents, and your timeline.
- We agree the scope and the fee in writing.
- We visit the property and document it.
- You receive the report, and we walk you through it by video call if you want.
If you also want the title, zoning and permits reviewed, see property due diligence. If you are still deciding what to buy, read our guide to buying property in Colombia.