Top 5 Commercial PCA Findings in Houston & the Texas Triangle

Howdy,

A good home inspection is already one of the best bargains in real estate. You pay a modest fee compared to the price of the home, and in return you get a clear picture of the property’s condition, leverage for negotiation, and sometimes a red flag that saves you from a bad deal.

Now take that concept and apply it to a commercial building — sometimes tens of thousands of square feet, multiple tenants, complex systems, and real money on the line. That’s what a Property Condition Assessment (PCA) does for commercial buyers and investors.

“A solid PCA always pays for itself — either in negotiation, planning, or by helping you walk away from the wrong deal.”

Over the years, I’ve been part of hundreds of commercial PCAs across Houston and the Texas Triangle. Below are the top five defects that keep showing up — the things that quietly cost buyers the most money after closing.

What Is a PCA (and How Is It Different from a Home Inspection)?

At a basic level, a PCA is a commercial inspection performed in alignment with ASTM E2018. It looks at the major systems, structure, and site — but it also goes further than a typical home inspection by focusing on cost, risk, and remaining life.

Instead of just “noting defects,” a PCA is about helping you budget — what needs attention now, what’s coming due soon, and what the next 5–10 years might look like if you buy the building.

1. Parking Lots, Drainage & Trip Hazards

If you want to know how a commercial property has been treated, start in the parking lot.

On PCAs, we regularly find failed asphalt, ponding water, poor drainage, missing striping, trip hazards, and ADA accessibility issues. Sometimes the parking lot alone can represent six figures of deferred maintenance — even on buildings that “look fine” from the front door.

From an investor perspective, the parking lot is more than just pavement. It’s curb appeal, safety, liability, and often one of the biggest single line items in the Cost-to-Cure report.

2. Aging or Neglected HVAC Systems

The second big-ticket item we see, over and over, is HVAC equipment at or past its expected service life — especially on older retail strips, office buildings, and flex spaces.

Units may still be cooling “for now,” but they’re often mismatched, poorly maintained, or patched together. Filters are filthy, drain lines are clogged, and service records are thin or nonexistent.

On a PCA, we’re not just asking, “Does it turn on?” We’re asking, “How many years are realistically left, and what will it cost if several units die back-to-back?” That’s the kind of surprise that can wipe out a year of cash flow if you don’t plan for it.

3. Flat Roofs & Rooftop Equipment

Flat roofs on commercial buildings are a different animal than pitched roofs on homes. Add multiple HVAC units, mechanical curbs, and rooftop penetrations, and you’ve got a lot of potential entry points for water.

Common PCA findings include ponding water, deteriorated membranes, failed sealants, damaged flashing, and poor drainage. We also see equipment set directly on the roof surface with no proper support, which accelerates wear and creates leak paths.

A commercial roof leak doesn’t just stain a ceiling tile — it can disrupt tenants, damage inventory, and lead to mold and air quality issues that are expensive to fix and even more expensive to ignore.

4. Water-Stained Ceilings & Indoor Air Concerns

Which leads to the next common finding: water-damaged ceiling tiles and signs of chronic leaks.

On PCAs, discolored tiles, bubbling paint, and musty odors are often your first clue that there’s a history of roof leaks, HVAC condensate problems, or plumbing issues above the ceiling grid.

Beyond the cosmetic side, long-term moisture can create mold and indoor air quality concerns. That’s why these areas often get flagged not just as “repairs,” but as potential health and liability issues — especially in offices, medical suites, and schools.

5. Foundation Movement & Structural Distress

Commercial foundations can hide movement for a long time. By the time someone calls for a PCA, the cracks, slope, or door issues are often past the “minor nuisance” stage.

We routinely see signs of differential settlement, slab movement, masonry cracking, and site drainage problems that have been ignored for years. In a large building, even “small” movement can translate to big repair costs or ongoing tenant complaints.

This is where our background in foundation evaluation and soil behavior becomes a major advantage for investors. We’re not just checking boxes — we’re looking at how the site, drainage, structure, and soils are all working together (or not).

Honorable Mention: Electrical & Life-Safety Issues

While the top five above usually carry the biggest price tags, we’d be ignoring reality if we didn’t mention electrical and life-safety defects as a frequent PCA finding.

Examples include missing emergency lighting, damaged exit signs, outdated panels, open junction boxes, improper wiring, and blocked or questionable egress routes.

These items don’t always represent the largest cost, but they do represent real risk — for owners, tenants, and the people who use the building every day.

Why Commercial PCAs Are Such a Bargain

A PCA is a big project. Sometimes we’re looking at 20,000–200,000 square feet, multiple roofs, multiple HVAC systems, and multiple tenant spaces — all under real-world time pressure so you can keep your transaction moving.

And yet, when you compare the fee to the value of the asset, the return is huge. One major defect found, one roof replacement planned instead of surprised, one deal you decide to walk away from — those moments easily justify the cost.

“You’re not just paying for an inspection — you’re paying for clarity on a multi-million-dollar decision.”

Not Every Home Inspector Can Perform a PCA — We Do

Commercial inspections live in a different universe than standard home inspections. You’re dealing with bigger systems, different codes and standards, multi-tenant layouts, and long-term capital planning — not just a punch list.

My own career started in the world of corporate store planning and commercial spaces before I ever set foot in residential real estate. That background, combined with years of field work and hundreds of PCAs, is what we bring to every commercial project at Imperial Pro Inspection.

We don’t just walk the building and take a few photos. We:

• Perform PCAs in alignment with ASTM E2018 guidelines.
• Use a team approach on larger properties to cover more ground, faster.
• Provide Cost-to-Cure estimates so you can see immediate and near-term repair costs in plain numbers.
• Flag risk areas that could impact financing, leasing, or future resale.

We perform PCAs across Houston, Sugar Land, Katy, Richmond, Rosenberg, Missouri City, and the entire Texas Triangle — including the Dallas–Fort Worth, Austin, and San Antonio markets.

Bonus: Add-On Services That Go Even Deeper

For buyers who want a deeper look before closing, we can also bundle in:

• Foundation elevation surveys on select properties.
• Mold and indoor air quality sampling where conditions warrant.
• Sewer scope inspections for main lines and critical drain systems.
• Infrared thermal imaging to help identify hidden moisture or insulation issues.

Not every property needs every add-on — but when you’re about to acquire a building that will anchor your business or portfolio, having these tools available can make all the difference.

If you’re considering a commercial purchase anywhere in Houston or the Texas Triangle, a PCA isn’t just a “nice to have.” It’s one of the smartest moves you can make before closing.

Neil Arnold

Professional Home Inspector, TREC#23450