About This Training
Cost to remedy is a service add-on that complements a commercial property inspection by giving clients a financial perspective on conditions observed. It entails performing an inspection, drafting a standard report, then using that information to compile estimates into a cost table for repairs and replacements. The result is a due diligence and capital planning tool for clients, such as buyers, owners, investors, tenants, and those involved in operations planning.
During this hands-on field training, you’ll complete a cost to remedy service from start to finish, including:
- Performing a mock inspection
- Identifying conditions that warrant repair or replacement
- Determining suggested remedies for the observed deficiencies
- Using cost data sources to calculate estimates for each remedy
- Compiling the estimates into a cost to remedy report
You’ll walk away with the final cost to remedy report for the subject property, including immediate costs and a reserve table projecting short-, mid-, and long-term costs. This training provides the opportunity throughout to ask questions and get answers to anything that might come up when you offer this service on your own.
Two spreadsheet templates are provided and used in class. One is used to calculate repair and replacement costs for specific deficiencies using the various cost sources, and the other is a report template where those totals are compiled into a cost table as the final deliverable to the client. Cost data sources such as RS Means, BNi, and Craftsman are used to calculate repair and replacement estimates.
You’ll also learn how to set the service scope with the client, market and communicate this service to potential clients, and update proposals and agreements for liability protection. Altogether, this gives you the step-by-step process to expand your commercial property inspection services and start offering cost to remedy with confidence.
What's Included
The in-person session provides complete instruction. You’ll also receive templates and reference materials to keep for future use.
Who Should Take This Course
Although no prior experience is required to register, we recommend having a familiarity with commercial building systems. This one-day field training is designed for new and experienced commercial property inspectors ready to add cost to remedy to their services. Trade professionals, commercial real estate professionals, cost estimators, and facility and maintenance personnel also attend this training to deepen their understanding of property conditions and cost tables for repairs and replacements.
This training is also offered as a live virtual course via Zoom, covering the same cost to remedy concepts without the hands-on mock inspection. Learn more at Cost to Remedy Fast-Track Course, or refer to the training calendar for upcoming dates for both versions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens after I register?
Upon registration, you’ll receive a confirmation email to access this training’s specific online portal. The portal contains optional prep materials to review before the training, as well as the templates, reference guides, and takeaway documents used during the class — all available for future reference after the training is complete.
Registration doesn’t include a CCPIA® All-Access Membership.
Do I have to be a member to attend?
No, you don’t have to be a CCPIA® member to attend. If you’re not a member, you’ll be prompted to create a free account at registration to access this training’s specific online portal, which contains optional prep materials, templates used during the training, and additional takeaway guides and documents for future reference.
Note: The free account only provides access to this training’s specific online portal. It does not include the certification program to become a CCPIA® Certified Commercial Property Inspector or the many other courses and benefits included in the All-Access Membership. The All-Access Membership is $39/month or $399/year. Learn more at the membership registration page.
What should bring to class?
Please bring a tablet or laptop to access to the Google Sheets templates in this portal. If you’re unable to bring a device, printed copies of the templates will be provided.
Wear inspection attire, including weather-appropriate layers and footwear for climbing a ladder. You’ll be inspecting the interior, exterior, and accessing the roof. Note that if conditions are wet, the class may not access the roof for safety reasons.
How does the Field Training differ from the Virtual Fast-Track?
Both trainings teach key concepts for offering cost to remedy services and include practice exercises calculating repair and replacement costs and drafting a cost to remedy report using the templates provided.
The hands-on field training provides the opportunity to first inspect a commercial building, then build a cost table based on the inspection findings observed firsthand. You’ll get experience moving from the inspection directly to calculating costs. This include guidance for gathering the essential information, such as:
- Photo documentation
- Measurements and units for specific deficiencies
- Assessing conditions firsthand to determine whether each is a repair, replacement, or maintenance item
In the virtual fast-track, example photos are used to work through the cost to remedy workflow from start to finish.
How does this differ from other field trainings?
Both classes are spent mostly in the field and provide hands-on experience inspecting a commercial building, but the standard field training focuses on the inspection itself. This includes understanding building systems, identifying deficiencies, completing on-site documentation for an inspection report. It also includes a pre-inspection exercise covering proposal, pricing, and research methodologies. Learn more about this class at Commercial Property Inspection Field Training.
The Cost to Remedy Field Training includes all of that and adds the cost estimating component. After the mock inspection, you’ll use your findings to build a cost to remedy report. This includes learning how to:
- Classify observed conditions as a repair, replacement, or maintenance item
- Assess condition severity, urgency, and priority
- Identify what information to gather during the inspection for a cost to remedy report
- Take measurements and other collect data from observed deficiencies
- Determine appropriate remedies or corrective actions
- Calculate costs using industry data sources (RS Means, BNi, Craftsman, etc.)
- Create a cost to remedy report
- Handle client scoping conversations and update inspection proposals and agreements for cost to remedy
For example, you’ll work through decisions like whether a parking lot should be repaired or replaced, and what costs go into filling a pothole or replacing a rooftop unit.
Who is the instructor?
The instructor for this training is Rob Claus, CCPIA® Director of Education and Lead Instructor. Before joining CCPIA, Rob worked as a commercial property inspector and served as director of commercial inspections at a large inspection firm, giving him direct experience with the workflows and challenges inspectors encounter in the field.
Is there an final exam?
No, there is no final exam. After class, a certificate of completion is emailed to you for attendance.
Will I receive a certificate?
Yes, an official CCPIA® training certificate is emailed to you after the training.
What type of commercial property will I inspect?
The mock inspection features a different type of commercial property depending on the location. Check the training calendar for the featured building at a specific location. Property types include office buildings, event venues, restaurants, warehouses, retail properties, and more.
Is lunch included?
Yes, catered lunch is provided, in addition to water, coffee, and other beverages throughout.
Do you have hotel and lodging recommendations?
If available, recommended lodging options are listed on the class page in the event calendar, along with the training location to help you find nearby accommodations. These are small classes, so hotel deals or group codes are typically not offered.