14 Feb Why the ITE Building Inspection Matters
It’s important to be aware that all buildings must pass a building technical inspection (known in Spanish as the ITE, which stands for Inspección Técnica de Edificios) to avoid damage. The passage of time affects the structure of buildings.
So, the ITE is much more than just a formality to avoid fines. It’s used to assess the state of a building. The inspection involves a careful check of every element and part of a building, including the state of the beams, roof, stairs, pipes and structure.
Using all this information, a report is produced on the state of the building and on whether or not there’s any type of danger. If all goes well, the report is favourable. If not, for example if the building is dilapidated or there’s a danger of parts breaking off or other hazards, a report is produced to explain what needs to be done to repair it.
This is also useful when it comes to asking construction companies for quotes because it means they will all have the same report. That way, they all have to assess the same thing, which will help you avoid problems and possible hoaxes.
The significance of these reports includes ensuring the safety of tenants in your building, and avoiding causing damage to public property as a result of parts of the façade falling off or balconies collapsing, not to mention damage that may be caused to third parties.
ITEs should be performed by a qualified professional (an architect or engineer).