Property Condition Assessment
One service that is the epitome of the Architectural Engineer is the property condition assessment. A property condition assessment (PCA) includes a review of a commercial building’s systems to evaluate deferred maintenance items that can materially affect the operation and value of a property. Building systems that may be assessed include the foundation, roof, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, structural analysis of foundations, vertical transportation, accessibility features, landscaping, paving, fire safety features and building envelope (windows and walls). The report that comes out of this commercial property condition assessment can help the client understand how the condition of the building will impact the asset’s financial performance. A property assessment for commercial buildings is appropriate for real estate transactions that are larger in nature, such as a warehouse, office space or apartment complex.
WAM, Inc. offers property condition reports per the ASTM E 2018 standard, which defines good commercial practice in the United States of America for conducting a baseline commercial building property value assessment. The report consists of a walk-through survey that includes extensive photo documentation, a document review and interviews to augment the survey. The report does not identify minor repairs or maintenance items which are part of the property owner’s current operating budget, as long as those items appear to be taken care of on a regular basis. Instead, the report addresses infrequently occurring “big ticket” maintenance items that normally involve significant expense or outside contracting, such as foundation failures or flaws in foundation design.
Site Development
WAM, Inc. provides consulting engineering and coordination services with your civil/site engineer for site development projects including Planning for commercial, industrial and residential project. We work as prime consultants for owners and sub-consultants on team designed projects. Our expertise and understanding of site feature requirements, analysis, local zoning bylaws and permitting/approval issues.
Multifamily
Walter A. McKinnon Associates provides architectural engineering and structural consulting engineering for multifamily projects for developments throughout the south shore and metro Boston area. We typically work as sub-consultants on traditional architect led design teams for these projects. Our expertise and understanding of building systems analysis and permitting issues and concerns enables us to assist design teams with integrated building and structure designs. Multifamily structures we have experience with are:
- Townhomes
- Row Housing
- Multistory wood shearwall construction on concrete podium
- Multistory steel stud shearwall construction
Commercial
WAM, Inc. provides consulting engineering for commercial projects for large and small developments throughout the South Shore and Metro Boston area. We work as the prime consultant on select “design” and “team” build projects and as sub-consultants on traditional architect led design teams. Our expertise and understanding of building systems analysis and permitting issues and concerns enables us to assist design teams with site and building structure designs. Commercial structures that our consultants have experience with are:
- Structural Steel Brace & Moment Frames
- CMU Block Bearing structure
- Pre-engineered Metal Building Foundations
- Single Story Wood or Steel Stud Shearwall Structure
Specialty Services
Here are Walter A. McKinnon Associates we are experienced in what may be deemed as specialty services for our commercial clients that are not of typical scope. Examples of these specialty services are:
- Solar panel array and rack fastening and roof certification
- Fire Escape/Egress Inspection & Certification
- Silo Foundation analysis and design
- Concrete retaining walls for special site conditions
- Segmented gravity retaining walls