Why Pre-Offer GC Assessment Changes the Game
A standard home inspection happens after you’re in contract — after earnest money is at risk, after contingency periods are ticking, after the seller has received competing offers. The GC pre-offer walk happens before any of that.
Roland walks the property as a licensed GC before the offer is submitted. The findings don’t just identify problems — they create negotiating leverage, FHA appraisal preparation, and an accurate renovation budget for the cash flow model.
The GC Difference on a 2–4 Unit Property
On a single-family home, a problem missed pre-offer is inconvenient. On a duplex or triplex, a missed problem multiplies: one failing HVAC unit in a shared system affects all units. One cast iron drain collapse affects every unit above it. One unpermitted addition flags every unit in the FHA appraisal.
The GC pre-offer walk prices every system by remaining useful life and identifies every condition that affects FHA eligibility, insurance, or cash flow projection — before you are committed.
The Complete Pre-Offer GC Checklist — 2–4 Unit Properties
1. Permit History
Roland pulls complete building permit records from the county building department before the offer. This step takes 30 minutes and can prevent a $500,000 mistake.
- Open permits: An open permit means work was started and never finaled. FHA appraisers flag open permits. Lenders may require resolution before funding.
- Unpermitted additions: Enclosed carports, added bathrooms, converted garages — if they don’t appear in the permit record, they weren’t permitted. FHA appraisers flag them. They must be removed, permitted retroactively, or the price adjusted.
- Expired permits: Permits more than 180 days without a final inspection are expired and require reactivation. This adds time and cost.
- Notices of Violation: Active code violations must be resolved before FHA closing and affect property value.
2. Roof Assessment
- Roof age verification (permit records + visual inspection)
- Material type: 3-tab shingles (15-18 yr life), architectural shingles (25-30 yr), tile (40-50 yr), flat membrane (15-20 yr)
- FHA minimum: roof must have 2+ years of remaining useful life or be replaced before closing
- Florida 4-Point insurance requirement: roofs over 20 years require a 4-point inspection for insurability
- Multi-unit flat roofs: commercial-grade membrane required, drain condition critical
3. Electrical System
- Panel manufacturer identification — critical: Federal Pacific / Stab-Lok panels are an insurance red flag. Many carriers refuse to insure properties with FPE panels. Zinsco panels are the same risk. Pushmatic panels are a lesser but real concern.
- Service amperage adequacy: 100A minimum per unit for modern loads; 200A preferred on 3–4 unit properties
- Branch circuit wiring: aluminum wiring (1960s–70s) requires connectors or replacement — fire risk and insurance flag
- GFCI protection in kitchens, baths, and exterior outlets — FHA minimum property standards requirement
- Separate meters per unit: shared metering is a cash flow risk Roland identifies before offer
4. Plumbing
- Cast iron drain lines: Pre-1980 concrete block construction commonly contains cast iron. Failure is catastrophic and expensive ($15K–$40K to replace in a multi-unit). Roland uses a drain scope where accessible.
- Polybutylene supply lines: Found in 1980s–90s construction. Prone to failure at fittings. Many insurance carriers will not write policies with polybutylene present.
- Water heater age: FHA minimum is functional water heating in each unit. Roland notes ages and prices replacement.
- Water pressure per unit: low pressure indicates supply line restriction or supply main issues
- Separate shutoffs per unit: critical for tenancy management
5. HVAC Per Unit
- Unit age and manufacturer: average lifespan 12–15 years in South Florida climate
- Refrigerant type: R-22 (Freon) systems are no longer legally rechargeable — replacement-only when they fail
- Ductwork condition and material: flex duct, sheet metal, fiberglass — age and condition affect efficiency and indoor air quality
- Separate thermostat per unit: shared HVAC systems are a tenant dispute source
- Cooling load calculation: undersized systems in South Florida run constantly and fail prematurely
6. Structural Assessment
- Foundation type: CBS (concrete block structure) vs wood frame vs slab on grade — different risk profiles
- Visible cracking: hairline vs structural — Roland distinguishes. Stair-step cracking in CBS block = settling, often benign. Horizontal cracking = lateral pressure, potentially serious.
- 40-year certification status: buildings 40+ years old require structural/electrical recertification. Certification pending = most lenders won’t finance.
- Hurricane straps: required for FHA in high-velocity hurricane zones. Missing straps may flag at FHA appraisal.
7. Rental Unit Condition — The Rent Driver
This is the assessment most unique to Roland’s GC background. The condition of the rental unit determines the rent you can command — which determines whether the FHA self-sufficiency test passes and what the DSCR calculation supports.
- Kitchen condition: cabinet age, countertop material, appliance age — priced per unit for rent-readiness
- Bath fixtures, tile, ventilation — FHA minimum property standards apply to all occupied units
- Window condition: impact vs non-impact. Non-impact windows in HVHZ require insurance premium or shutters.
- Flooring type and condition: worn carpet, damaged tile — priced to market-rent standard
- Smoke and CO detector presence — FHA Minimum Property Standards requirement
Pre-Offer GC Assessment — Get Roland’s Eye on Your Deal
Submit Your Target Property for GC Review.
Roland walks 2–4 unit properties before any offer is submitted — pricing every system by remaining useful life, pulling permit history, and producing a rent-readiness assessment per unit. Zero cost on buyer representation.
What the GC Checklist Produces
The pre-offer GC assessment results in three deliverables that change how you approach the deal:
- System-by-system renovation budget with remaining useful life estimates per unit — the number that goes into your cash flow model as the maintenance reserve.
- FHA appraisal flag inventory — every condition that will be called out by the FHA appraiser, priced and positioned as a negotiating point before you offer.
- Rent-readiness assessment per unit — what each rental unit needs to reach market rent, priced as a renovation scope, used to verify the self-sufficiency test calculation.
