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Industrial building 0 / 8 Industrial condo 0 / 6 Office building 0 / 7 Retail plaza 0 / 6 Development land 0 / 6
1 Roof 2 Clear height and column grid 3 Shipping doors 4 Yard and trailer parking 5 Power 6 Sprinklers and fire safety 7 Office area 8 Zoning and environment
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Industrial building
A freestanding warehouse and distribution building.
1 Roof The most expensive surprise in an industrial building. 2 Clear height and column grid What decides how much you can store. 3 Shipping doors How the building moves goods. 4 Yard and trailer parking Space outside is often worth as much as space inside. 5 Power Machines and EV fleets need more than you think. 6 Sprinklers and fire safety They decide what you can store and how high. 7 Office area The part that's hardest to reuse. 8 Zoning and environment What you're allowed to do there, and what's in the ground.
1 Industrial building
Roof
The most expensive surprise in an industrial building.
Ask for the roof's age, type (built-up, modified bitumen or single-ply) and any warranty that transfers to you. A roof survey, with core samples on older roofs, shows where water is already getting in. Budget replacement in the price if it's near the end of its life: on a large building it's a seven-figure item. ← Previous All points Next →
2 Industrial building
Clear height and column grid
What decides how much you can store.
Clear height is measured to the lowest obstruction: joists, beams or sprinkler heads, not the roof. Modern distribution users want 32 to 40 feet; 18 to 24 feet still suits many manufacturers. Wider column spacing and a good speed bay make racking layouts far more efficient. ← Previous All points Next →
3 Industrial building
Shipping doors
How the building moves goods.
Count truck-level doors (trailer-bed height) and drive-in doors (at grade) against how you ship. Check the dock levellers, seals and bumpers, and whether the doors are insulated. A rough guide: one truck-level door per 10,000 sf for distribution; less for manufacturing. ← Previous All points Next →
4 Industrial building
Yard and trailer parking
Space outside is often worth as much as space inside.
Measure the truck court depth: 120 to 130 feet lets a tractor-trailer turn and back in. Outside storage and trailer parking are only allowed where zoning says so; confirm it in writing. Paving and drainage are costly to redo; look for cracking, ponding and catch basins. ← Previous All points Next →
5 Industrial building
Power
Machines and EV fleets need more than you think.
Find the service size (amps and volts) on the main panel or from the utility, not the listing. Upgrading a service can take months and needs the utility's capacity on the street. Look for the transformer's owner (tenant or utility) and any ESA defects on record. ← Previous All points Next →
6 Industrial building
Sprinklers and fire safety
They decide what you can store and how high.
ESFR sprinklers protect high-piled storage, often without sprinklers in the racks. Older ordinary-hazard systems can limit stack height or storage type; ask a fire protection engineer. Get the latest inspection reports and check for any open fire department orders. ← Previous All points Next →
7 Industrial building
Office area
The part that's hardest to reuse.
Office content is usually 5% to 15%; more than a buyer needs is space paid for and not used. Two-storey offices often sit on a mezzanine: check it's permitted and counted in the area. Washrooms, HVAC and accessibility in the office drive renovation costs. ← Previous All points Next →
8 Industrial building
Zoning and environment
What you're allowed to do there, and what's in the ground.
Confirm your use is permitted in the zoning by-law, not just "industrial" in general. Order a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment; past uses (plating, fuel, dry cleaning) may call for a Phase II. Look for registered easements, site plan agreements and any work orders on title. ← Previous All points Next →
1 Your unit 2 Status certificate 3 Reserve fund and common elements 4 Permitted uses 5 Separate services 6 Parking and loading space
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Industrial condo
One unit in a multi-unit building, owned with others.
1 Your unit Bought as a condominium unit, not a building. 2 Status certificate The condo corporation's health check. 3 Reserve fund and common elements Who pays for the roof and the parking lot. 4 Permitted uses Two rule books: the zoning by-law and the declaration. 5 Separate services Who pays for what you use. 6 Parking and loading space Usually common elements, with rules.
1 Industrial condo
Your unit
Bought as a condominium unit, not a building.
Confirm the unit's registered area and what's included: the mezzanine is not always counted. Each unit should have its own drive-in door, separate washroom and its own entrance. Look at the units on either side: noisy or odorous neighbours affect your use. ← Previous All points Next →
2 Industrial condo
Status certificate
The condo corporation's health check.
Under the Condominium Act, 1998 the corporation must provide a status certificate on request. It shows the monthly common expenses, any arrears, special assessments and lawsuits. Have a lawyer review it during the conditional period, with the budget and reserve fund study. ← Previous All points Next →
3 Industrial condo
Reserve fund and common elements
Who pays for the roof and the parking lot.
The reserve fund pays for major repairs to common elements: roof, paving, building envelope. A thin reserve fund often means a special assessment is coming. Read the reserve fund study for the roof and paving timelines, and the planned contributions. ← Previous All points Next →
4 Industrial condo
Permitted uses
Two rule books: the zoning by-law and the declaration.
The condo's declaration and rules can be stricter than zoning: some ban auto repair, food or assembly uses. Check both before you go firm; a use that fits zoning can still be refused by the corporation. Ask about outdoor storage, overnight parking and hours, which are often restricted. ← Previous All points Next →
5 Industrial condo
Separate services
Who pays for what you use.
Separately metered hydro and gas keep your costs your own; ask if water is shared. Each unit should have its own HVAC on the roof, and its own electrical panel. Check the panel size; upgrades in a condo need the corporation's consent. ← Previous All points Next →
6 Industrial condo
Parking and loading space
Usually common elements, with rules.
Parking spaces may be exclusive-use common elements, owned units, or first come. Confirm space for trucks to reach your door, and whether trailers can be left overnight. Count the spaces allocated to your unit in the declaration, not just what you see on site. ← Previous All points Next →
1 Tenants and leases 2 Floor plates and efficiency 3 Rooftop mechanical 4 Elevators and life safety 5 Building envelope 6 Parking and access 7 Lobby and amenities
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Office building
A multi-storey office with tenants on each floor.
1 Tenants and leases You're buying the income as much as the building. 2 Floor plates and efficiency How much of the floor tenants can actually use. 3 Rooftop mechanical Heating, cooling and their age. 4 Elevators and life safety Regulated, inspected and expensive. 5 Building envelope Windows, walls and the water they keep out. 6 Parking and access Still a deciding factor in the suburbs. 7 Lobby and amenities The first impression tenants pay for.
1 Office building
Tenants and leases
You're buying the income as much as the building.
Read every lease: rent, term, renewal options, expansion rights and any early termination. WALT (the weighted average lease term) shows how long the income is secured. Get tenant estoppel certificates confirming rent, deposits and defaults before closing. ← Previous All points Next →
2 Office building
Floor plates and efficiency
How much of the floor tenants can actually use.
The load factor (gross-up) turns usable area into rentable area; compare it with nearby buildings. Large, regular floors with good natural light lease best. Check BOMA measurement standards used in the leases, so area figures match. ← Previous All points Next →
3 Office building
Rooftop mechanical
Heating, cooling and their age.
Ask for the age and condition of the boilers, chillers or rooftop units, and the service records. Building automation and LED lighting cut operating costs that tenants notice in their recoveries. Budget for refrigerant phase-outs and end-of-life replacements in the capital plan. ← Previous All points Next →
4 Office building
Elevators and life safety
Regulated, inspected and expensive.
Elevators are licensed and inspected by TSSA; ask for the latest reports and the modernization date. Fire alarm, sprinklers and emergency lighting need current inspections and no open fire department orders. Accessibility upgrades are often required when a building is substantially renovated. ← Previous All points Next →
5 Office building
Building envelope
Windows, walls and the water they keep out.
A building condition assessment covers cladding, curtain wall seals, windows and roofing. Failed window seals and caulking are common in buildings from the 1980s and 90s. Energy performance affects tenant demand and, increasingly, financing terms. ← Previous All points Next →
6 Office building
Parking and access
Still a deciding factor in the suburbs.
Compare the parking ratio (stalls per 1,000 sf) with tenants' needs and nearby buildings. Paid parking can be a separate income stream; check any parking leases. Transit and highway access matter more to office tenants than almost anything else. ← Previous All points Next →
7 Office building
Lobby and amenities
The first impression tenants pay for.
A refreshed lobby, washrooms and common corridors help leasing more than their cost suggests. Amenities such as a fitness room, bike storage and end-of-trip facilities attract tenants. Check whether common area improvements can be recovered from tenants under the leases. ← Previous All points Next →
1 Anchor tenant 2 Storefronts and tenant mix 3 Signage 4 Parking and access 5 Common area costs (CAM) 6 Environmental history
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Retail plaza
A neighbourhood plaza with an anchor and smaller shops.
1 Anchor tenant The tenant the rest of the plaza depends on. 2 Storefronts and tenant mix Who's there, and whether they help each other. 3 Signage Visibility is rent. 4 Parking and access If customers can't get in easily, they don't come. 5 Common area costs (CAM) What tenants pay on top of rent. 6 Environmental history Some tenants leave something behind.
1 Retail plaza
Anchor tenant
The tenant the rest of the plaza depends on.
The anchor's lease term, rent and renewal options drive the plaza's value. Look for co-tenancy clauses: smaller tenants may pay less if the anchor leaves. A "go dark" right lets an anchor stop operating while still paying rent; check for it. ← Previous All points Next →
2 Retail plaza
Storefronts and tenant mix
Who's there, and whether they help each other.
A mix of needs-based tenants (pharmacy, food, services) holds up better than discretionary retail. Exclusive-use clauses can stop you leasing to a competitor of an existing tenant. Check each tenant's sales, where the leases report them, and any rent in arrears. ← Previous All points Next →
3 Retail plaza
Signage
Visibility is rent.
Pylon and fascia sign rights are usually set out in the leases; confirm who has which panel. Sign permits and the municipal sign by-law limit size and lighting. A visible pylon on a busy road can justify higher rents for smaller units. ← Previous All points Next →
4 Retail plaza
Parking and access
If customers can't get in easily, they don't come.
Count stalls against the zoning requirement and how busy the lot gets at peak times. Check turning movements and signals at the entrances; an all-turns entrance is worth a lot. Look for reciprocal easements with neighbouring properties for access and parking. ← Previous All points Next →
5 Retail plaza
Common area costs (CAM)
What tenants pay on top of rent.
Compare the operating cost and tax recoveries in each lease with what is actually billed. Caps on recoveries and gross leases leave costs with the landlord. Review the latest year-end reconciliation to spot under-recoveries. ← Previous All points Next →
6 Retail plaza
Environmental history
Some tenants leave something behind.
Past dry cleaners and gas stations are the classic concerns in plazas. A Phase I ESA will flag them; a Phase II tests the soil and groundwater if needed. Leases should make tenants responsible for contamination they cause. ← Previous All points Next →
1 Official Plan and zoning 2 Servicing 3 Access and frontage 4 Natural heritage and flooding 5 Environment and archaeology 6 Development charges and fees
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Development land
A site to build on: what can go there, and what it will take.
1 Official Plan and zoning What you're allowed to build. 2 Servicing Water, sewers and power at the lot line. 3 Access and frontage How trucks and traffic get in. 4 Natural heritage and flooding The part of the site you may not be able to use. 5 Environment and archaeology What's in the ground. 6 Development charges and fees Costs that come before the first shovel.
1 Development land
Official Plan and zoning
What you're allowed to build.
The Official Plan sets the long-term designation; the zoning by-law sets uses, height, setbacks and density today. Employment areas are protected for job uses; converting them to residential is difficult. A rezoning or minor variance takes time and is never certain; price that risk in. ← Previous All points Next →
2 Development land
Servicing
Water, sewers and power at the lot line.
Confirm municipal water, sanitary and storm capacity, not just that pipes are in the road. Some areas are waiting for servicing allocation; that can hold up a project for years. Ask the utility how much electrical capacity is available nearby, and the cost to bring it in. ← Previous All points Next →
3 Development land
Access and frontage
How trucks and traffic get in.
Frontage on a public road, and the road authority's approval for new entrances, are essential. Regional roads and provincial highways have stricter access and setback rules. A traffic study may be needed for larger projects. ← Previous All points Next →
4 Development land
Natural heritage and flooding
The part of the site you may not be able to use.
Conservation authority regulated areas (such as TRCA) can limit building near valleys, streams and wetlands. Floodplain and erosion hazard limits are mapped; check them early. Tree preservation by-laws and species-at-risk surveys can affect the layout and timing. ← Previous All points Next →
5 Development land
Environment and archaeology
What's in the ground.
A Phase I ESA, and a Phase II where needed, tells you about contamination. A Record of Site Condition is required in Ontario before changing to a more sensitive use, such as residential. An archaeological assessment may be needed before approvals, especially near water. ← Previous All points Next →
6 Development land
Development charges and fees
Costs that come before the first shovel.
Municipal and regional development charges are often significant; get current rates for your use. Add parkland dedication, community benefits charges and application fees to the budget. Budget the timeline: site plan approval and building permits can take many months. ← Previous All points Next →
Looking at a specific building? Kam can walk it with you and tell you what these points mean for that one.
Request a Proposal General information to help you ask the right questions; not a building inspection, legal, tax or environmental advice. Every property needs its own professional due diligence.