InspectOS · Report structure
The four parts of a property condition report
A Portuguese condition report runs in the order the work is done: paperwork first, then the building, then the grading that turns findings into decisions.
PART 01
Desktop verification
Completed before the visit. A document mismatch changes what the inspector looks for once inside.
- Certidão permanente against caderneta predial, area tolerance under Art. 28.º-A CRP
- Licença de utilização, ficha técnica, título urbanístico
- Energy certificate validity and registration
- Condominium declaration and assembleia minutes
- Municipal file dates against the building on site
PART 02
Exterior and interior scan
Exterior first, then interior. Findings are located, described and photographed as they are found.
- Roof, drainage, façades, balcony waterproofing
- Visible structure, cracking, ground levels
- Damp in all three forms, with meter readings
- Electrical, gas, plumbing and ventilation
- Building envelope and thermal performance
PART 03
Instruments and escalation
Named instruments are what separate measurement from opinion. Escalation thresholds are stated, not implied.
- Moisture meter and hygrometer for hidden damp
- Cover meter for reinforcement depth
- Phenolphthalein for carbonation depth against cover
- Moisture meters for quantified readings
- Borescope, with the owner's written consent only
PART 04
Grading and limitations
Every finding carries an action. The report also records where it is silent and why.
- Severity grade, from monitoring to safety-critical
- No repair costings: quotes come from a contractor
- Recommended action per finding
- Areas that could not be inspected, with the reason
- Named engineer, OE cédula, date and signature
Why the date matters
Article 342.º/1 of the Civil Code puts the burden of proving a defect on whoever claims it. A report signed before the deed fixes the state of the building at a moment the seller still owned it, which is the point a hidden-defect claim usually fails without.