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Real Estate · Engineering & Technical Advisory

Real Estate Technical & Capex Due Diligence

Buy property knowing the physical risks and the capital spend ahead of you

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What it is

Real Estate Technical & Capex Due Diligence

Technical Due Diligence (TDD) is a physical and compliance assessment of a property before acquisition or financing. We review structure, building envelope, MEP systems, fire and life safety, and statutory approvals, and translate what we find into a costed capex forecast your deal team can use.

Typical duration
2 to 3 weeks
Industry
Real Estate

The business problem

Why clients need this

Commercial buildings can carry deferred maintenance, ageing MEP plant, or unapproved modifications that only surface after closing, when they hit net operating income.

  1. 01

    Unbudgeted spend on HVAC, waterproofing, lifts, or electrical upgrades undermines the investment case.

  2. 02

    Gaps in occupancy approvals, fire-safety documentation, or other permits create operating and legal exposure.

  3. 03

    Deal timelines leave little time for a thorough engineering review.

Our approach

How we deliver it

  1. 1

    Approvals & Document Review

    Checking occupancy approvals, permitted plans, fire-safety records, and maintenance contracts.

  2. 2

    Physical Inspection

    Inspection of structure, façade, HVAC, electrical substations, plumbing, fire systems, and building management systems.

  3. 3

    Capex Forecasting

    Separating immediate (Year 1) repairs from a 5-to-10-year replacement and reserve forecast.

  4. 4

    Red-Flag Reporting

    A deal-focused summary separating potential deal-breakers, negotiation points, and routine costs.

Data & AI

How technology strengthens this service

Remaining-life estimates for major equipment are built from manufacturer data, published lifecycle benchmarks, and the asset's own maintenance and operating records, rather than age alone.

How we use AI across our work

Typical deliverables

What you receive

  • Technical Due Diligence (TDD) Report
  • 10-Year Capex Forecast Model (Excel)
  • Statutory & Fire-Life Safety Compliance Checklist
  • Red-Flag Summary for Investment Committees

Outcomes

What changes for you

  • An evidence base for price negotiation, holdbacks, or indemnities
  • A realistic post-acquisition capex budget built into the model from day one
  • Fewer surprises from undisclosed structural, MEP, or approval issues

Who it is for

  • Real estate funds & REITs
  • Corporate property buyers
  • Family offices investing in property
  • Commercial real estate lenders

FAQs

Common questions

Can you work to tight transaction timelines?+

Yes. We scope the work around your exclusivity period and can issue a preliminary red-flag memo within about a week of site access, followed by the full report before closing.

Do you cover environmental and fire-life safety compliance?+

Yes. We review applicable local building and fire-life-safety requirements, and a Phase I environmental review can be added.

How does the capex forecast fit into our financial model?+

We provide a structured Excel workbook separating immediate life-safety items, short-term catch-up repairs, and long-term reserves, ready to link into your model.

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