There is another aspect to brick buildings and that is seismic retrofitting of the building. Southern California is known for earthquakes. The City of Los Angeles and many of the surrounding cities have regulations as to how brick buildings are dealt with. This is especially true of those built before 1933 which usually do not contain structural steel. When seismic retrofitting has been done it is usually seen as small, 4 square steel plates spaced about every 4 ft. apart, with nuts and bolts on the exterior, usually near the top of the building. This is part of a method used in the Los Angeles area to help prevent the roofing system from collapsing during a seismic event. In other words, this is to prevent the roof from falling on your head during an earthquake.

Exterior doors vary from the usual metal frame and glass entry doors to metal roll up doors for loading and unloading and metal pedestrian fire escape/exit doors. In my experience, exterior door thresholds, that portion on the flooring that you step across when you walk through a door, are the main source of water intrusion at doors.

A problem with thresholds usually occurs when they are level with the exterior. This is often a source of moisture intrusion. The industry standard is that the threshold is to be above the exterior level by at least 1.5 inches. This is to allow for a proper moisture barrier. Rarely is this the case.

Exterior decks can be of many types. Tile, stone, waterproof material, concrete and metal are the most common for a commercial building. My biggest issue with decks is the waterproofing, especially if it is over occupied space. I look very closely at the transitions such as connections to the building and railings with special attention to the door thresholds. These areas usually require regular maintenance such as resealing the waterproof decking surface every 3 to 5 years depending on the material and foot traffic. In a very heavy traffic area this may need to be done more often.

Another area I pay particular attention to is the drainage. This can be an issue with enclosed decks with surface drains. Enclosed decks are the decks with solid walls for railings. The only place water can get out is through surface drains. If any leaves or debris get on these drains this can create a dam in a very short time during a heavy rain. These drains can clog up very easily and the deck can quickly become a tub. I really try to make sure the interested parties understand how important it is to keep these drains free flowing and to maintain them. I speak here from hard won experience.

In my experience, railings around decks generally have two main areas of concern. One is the height. Some of the very old deck rails dont feel safe specifically, any railing type or style that is less than 36 inches tall. The other is spacing. The City of Los Angeles recommends that the spacing between rails be no wider than 4 inches. The other possible issues are rusted, damaged or loose railings.

Exterior stairs are another area that is similar to decks. However, the added aspect is the steps themselves. They should be consistent in height and depth and feel safe.

From my experience, deferred maintenance is the biggest issue I see with the exterior of commercial buildings. A properly maintained building will last almost indefinitely.

The essence of the exterior is to keep moisture and weather out. When I approach a building with a well maintained exterior, I find it usually holds true that most all other aspects are in good order.

I hope you found this informative and of use.