A commercial property risk survey for insurers, brokers and risk consultants: the business and its occupancy, construction and composite panels with photos of every elevation, gutters, drainage, waste and combustibles outside, neighbors and the setting, the parking lot, fire detection, extinguishers, sprinklers and exits, intruder alarm, glazing and perimeter security, power, generators and building services, then occupancy-specific risks that appear only when they apply — offices, kitchens, storage and forklifts, flammable and hazardous goods, woodworking, hot work, plastics, spraying and glass — a recommendations list with priorities, and sign-off by surveyor and client.
Survey Details
Who you surveyed, for whom, and when.
Survey title
Business surveyed
Premises address
Surveying firm
Surveyor
Survey date
Arrived on site at
Why this survey was ordered — New business — before cover, Renewal, Change in the business or the building, After a claim, Checking earlier recommendations, Other
Insurer, broker or policy reference
Person who showed you around, and their role
Years the business has been at this address
Headcount, owners included (if the survey needs it)
Approximate yearly revenue (if the survey needs it)
Trading or operating hours
Occupancy and Operations
What the business actually does here — this opens the matching risk sections further down.
What happens on these premises? Tick everything that applies. — Offices or reception, Retail shop or showroom, Commercial kitchen, cafe or restaurant, Storage or warehousing, Flammable liquids, gases or other hazardous goods kept on site, Woodworking or joinery, Welding, cutting, brazing or other hot work, Plastics, rubber, foam or fiberglass work, Spray painting, coating or finishing, Glass cutting or processing, Other manufacturing, assembly or repair
The business in a sentence or two
Floor area occupied
Is any part of the building empty or unused?
Has the business changed what it does, or expanded, since the last survey?
Construction
What the building is made of, and how far a fire would travel through it.
External wall materials — Brick or block, Poured or precast concrete, Concrete tilt-up panels, Metal cladding on a steel frame, Insulated sandwich or composite panels, Wood siding or wood frame, Glass curtain wall, Other
Roof structure and covering — Concrete deck, Steel deck with membrane, Metal sheet on steel purlins, Insulated sandwich or composite roof panels, Wood trusses or rafters with shingles or tile, Wood deck with membrane, Other
Ground floor — built of — Concrete slab, Timber over a concrete slab, Timber on foundations or a crawlspace, Timber on raised posts or piers, Steel deck with concrete, Earth or gravel, Not applicable
Upper floors — built of — Concrete slab, Timber over a concrete slab, Timber on foundations or a crawlspace, Timber on raised posts or piers, Steel deck with concrete, Earth or gravel, Not applicable
Internal stairs built from — Concrete, Steel, Wood, No internal stairs
Stories above ground
Approximate age of the building
General state of repair — Well kept, Fair — some wear, Poor — visible deterioration
Are insulated sandwich or composite panels used anywhere, inside or out?
Roughly what share of the wall area is panel? — Under 10%, 10–25%, 25–50%, Over half
What is inside the panels? — Mineral wool or another non-combustible core, Fire-rated foam with paperwork to prove it, Polystyrene (EPS or XPS), Polyurethane or polyisocyanurate (PUR or PIR) without paperwork, Nobody knows
Any panels with exposed core, holes or damaged facings?
Panel edges, labels or damage
Front elevation
Left side, as you face the front
Right side, as you face the front
Rear elevation
Construction notes
Outside the Building: Drainage, Waste and Housekeeping
The things outside that start fires, feed them, or let water in.
Gutters — Clear and running, Some debris, Blocked or overflowing, Damaged or missing sections, No gutters
Downspouts and where they discharge — Connected to drains and clear, Discharge onto the ground away from the walls, Disconnected, broken or discharging at the wall, Blocked
Any long-term water marks on the walls or ground — white mineral deposits, green growth, streaks?
Drainage problems
Signs of smoking close to the building (butts, ashtrays by doors or in planting)?
Pallets, cartons, bins or other combustibles stacked against or close to the building?
How often the waste is collected — Daily, Two or three times a week, Weekly, Every two weeks, Monthly, When called
Distance from the dumpsters or waste bins to the building
Are dumpster lids closed and the waste area secured from passers-by?
Waste area
Do trucks deliver or collect here?
Is there enough room for trucks to turn without leaving the paved area or coming close to the building?
Any sign that a vehicle has already hit the building, a canopy, a column or a door?
Are walls, doors, gas meters and columns in the truck area protected by bollards or barriers?
Notes on the outside of the building
Neighbors and Setting
What surrounds the premises, and what could reach it from next door.
Kind of location — Unit in an industrial complex, Standalone building in a business or industrial park, Residential or suburban street, Main road or highway frontage, Row of shops with street frontage, Multi-tenant office building, Shopping mall or arcade, open to the street, Enclosed shopping center with its own security, Rural or isolated, Other
Neighbors
Which side — Left, Right, Rear, Across the street, Above, Below
What they do there
Gap to our building
Does this neighbor add to the risk? — No, A little, Yes — real concern
Why
Are there late-night food outlets, bars or other late traders in the same block or complex?
Graffiti, broken glass or litter that suggests people gather or pass through after hours?
Graffiti or signs of loitering
Natural hazards you can see from the site — None obvious, Low ground or near a river or creek, Coastal or storm surge exposure, Brush or forest close by, Steep slope above or below, Large trees overhanging the roof, Other
Your site sketch
Notes on the setting
Parking Lot and Grounds
Where customers and staff could be hurt, or cars damaged, on the client's ground.
Does the business have its own parking or a shared lot it is responsible for?
Number of spaces
Surface — Asphalt, Concrete, Pavers, Gravel, Dirt or grass, Mixed
Are the spaces and driving lanes clearly painted or marked?
Condition of the surface — Good — even, no holes, Some cracking, Potholes, heaving or broken edges that could trip someone or damage a car
Handrails, guardrails and ramps — Solid and well fixed, Loose, damaged or missing in places, None needed
Drainage of the lot — Drains well, Puddles after rain, Drains or grates blocked by silt, leaves or weeds, No drainage — water sits
Is the lot lit after dark?
Parking lot
Parking lot notes
Fire Protection
How a fire would be noticed, fought and escaped.
Fire detection — None, Battery smoke alarms only, Hardwired alarms — local sounders only, Hardwired and monitored by an alarm company, Not sure
Are fire extinguishers mounted around the premises?
Extinguisher types seen — Dry chemical (ABC), Carbon dioxide, Water, Foam, Wet chemical (kitchen), Clean agent, Other
Date on the most recent service tag
Are all the extinguishers you saw within their service date?
Extinguishers and service tags
Fire hose reels or standpipes inside?
Nearest fire hydrant — On the property, On the street, within about 300 ft, Farther away, None found
How far away the closest fire station is, if known
Sprinklers — None, Part of the building only, Whole building — one water supply, Whole building — town main plus a backup (tank or pump), Not sure
Date the sprinklers were last inspected
Is the main sprinkler valve open and secured or monitored?
Is an evacuation plan posted where staff and visitors can see it?
Evacuation plan and fire equipment
Has there been a fire or evacuation drill in the last 12 months?
Is anything blocking a fire exit, an exit route, an extinguisher or an alarm call point?
Are exits signed and the signs lit or visible in the dark?
Is there emergency lighting along the exit routes?
Anything else about fire protection
Security
How hard the premises would be to break into, and how quickly anyone would know.
Doors — construction and locks
Windows — locks, bars, grilles or shutters
Shopfront or display glazing — No shopfront glazing, Ordinary annealed glass, Toughened glass, Laminated or security glass, Glass with security film, Glass behind roller shutters or grilles, Not sure
Intruder alarm — None, Local siren only, Sends alerts to the owner's phone, Monitored by a central station, Monitored, with a cellular or radio backup path
Security guards or patrols, if any
Security cameras in use?
Perimeter fencing — Full fence, about 6 ft or higher, with lockable gates, Partial fencing, None
Bollards, planters or barriers that stop a vehicle being driven through the front?
Is the outside lit after hours?
Anything else about security
Power and Building Services
The electrical supply, standby power, lifts and plant, and climate control.
Main electrical panel or switchboard location — Inside — in a closed cabinet or room, Inside — open to the room, Outside — enclosed, Outside — exposed
Age and style of the main panel — Modern breakers, in good order, Older but in good order, Old fuses, ceramic fittings or signs of overheating
Main electrical panel
Is the main supply backed by a UPS?
Standby generator — None, Starts by hand, Starts by itself on power loss
Generator fuel — Diesel, Gasoline, Natural gas, Propane, Battery or solar
When the generator was last serviced and run under load
Is someone on site trained, and able to get to it, to start the generator?
Elevators, hoists and overhead cranes — how many
Escalators, moving walkways and conveyors — how many
Walk-in cold rooms or freezers built inside the building — how many, and where
Other temperature-controlled areas — how many, and roughly what share of the floor
How the building is heated and cooled
Services notes
Offices
Electrical housekeeping and the server room.
Only shown when "Offices or reception" is ticked under Occupancy and Operations. Not ticked, so nothing here applies.
Is there evidence that portable electrical equipment has been tested (labels, a register)?
Power strips plugged into power strips, or multi-way adapters stacked?
Are those strips surge-protected, and to what rating?
Extension cords or power leads running across walkways?
Is there a server or network room?
Is it closed off and kept cool by its own air conditioning?
Is the equipment on a UPS that has been tested in the last three months?
Water stains in the ceiling, or water pipes, above the equipment?
Server room
Office or reception — wide shot
Office notes
Commercial Kitchen
Cooking fire risk, suppression and the kitchen exit.
Only shown when "Commercial kitchen, cafe or restaurant" is ticked under Occupancy and Operations. Not ticked, so nothing here applies.
Is there deep-fat frying?
Do the fryers have thermostats and a separate high-temperature cut-off?
Total oil held across all fryers
Is there wok or other open-flame high-heat cooking?
Wok burners — how many
Is there an automatic fire suppression system in the hood covering every fryer, wok and griddle?
Date the suppression system was last serviced
Date the hood and ducts were last professionally cleaned
Visible grease build-up on filters, the hood or the duct access?
Is a fire blanket mounted where the cook can reach it?
Is there a wet chemical (kitchen-rated) extinguisher near the cooking line?
Kitchen floor — Clean and dry, Damp or greasy in places, Slippery throughout, or damaged
Is there an exit from the kitchen other than through the dining area?
That exit, tested from inside and checked from outside — Clear, opens easily from inside, Partly blocked by stock or rubbish, Locked, chained or hard to open from inside
Kitchen — general view
Fryers, woks and the hood
Kitchen notes
Storage, Warehousing and Lift Trucks
What is stored, how high, and the machines that move it.
Only shown when "Storage or warehousing" is ticked under Occupancy and Operations. Not ticked, so nothing here applies.
What is stored, and how it is packed
Main way goods are stored — Loose on the floor, wherever there is room, On pallets on the floor, no marked areas, Floor storage in marked bays, Pallet racking or shelving up to about 20 ft, Racking or shelving above about 20 ft, Mixed
Is the storage arrangement orderly? — Orderly, Untidy in places, Disorganized — goods wherever they fit
Highest storage
Gap between the top of the stock and the sprinkler heads, if sprinklered
Has a fire protection engineer or the fire authority confirmed the storage height is acceptable?
Is racking and tall shelving anchored to the floor or wall?
Bent uprights, missing beam locks or overloaded shelves?
Are aisles and work areas clear of loose stock, wrap and trip hazards?
Are forklifts, pallet jacks, order pickers or scissor lifts used?
Is each machine inspected and its pre-use checks recorded?
Do the powered machines have warning lights and an audible alarm?
Are machine routes marked on the floor and kept apart from people and stock?
Where batteries are charged or gas cylinders swapped
Storage areas
Storage notes
Flammable and Hazardous Goods
What is kept, how much, and how it is separated from everything else.
Only shown when "Flammable liquids, gases or other hazardous goods kept on site" is ticked under Occupancy and Operations. Not ticked, so nothing here applies.
Where it is kept — Inside — in a safety cabinet, Inside — in a separate room, Inside — in the open, Outside — in a cage, shed or bunded area, Both inside and outside
The storage itself: how it is separated, ventilated, built and locked
Is the cabinet, room or enclosure one made for flammable storage, as the local rules require?
Flammable gases — what, what for, and how much
Flammable liquids — what, what for, and how much
Other hazardous goods (corrosives, oxidizers, toxics) — what, what for, and how much
Are the storage areas marked with clean, readable hazard signs?
Any sign of smoking near the flammable or hazardous storage?
Are safety data sheets kept and easy to find?
Gas, liquid and hazardous goods storage
Flammables notes
Manufacturing and Process Risks
Each process the business runs, with the controls that matter for it.
Only shown when a manufacturing or process activity is ticked under Occupancy and Operations. None is ticked, so nothing here applies.
Woodworking or joinery
Is every saw, sander and router connected to dust extraction, or within reach of it?
Sawdust built up on floors, ledges, light fittings or motors?
Are machine guards fitted and actually in use?
Are safe working zones marked around each machine, and do operators know the limits?
Workshop and dust extraction
Welding, cutting and hot work
Is welding done in bays with non-combustible screens or walls?
Does each welding bay have its own extinguisher close at hand?
Is hot work outside the bays controlled by a permit?
Does someone check for smoldering material after hot work and before locking up?
Welding bays
Plastics, rubber, foam or fiberglass
Are heated molding, hot-wire cutting or curing ovens used?
Highest process temperature
The processes, in plain terms
Plastics, rubber or fiberglass area
Spray painting and finishing
Where spraying is done — Fully enclosed booth or spray room, Partly enclosed area, Open floor inside the building, Outdoors
What is sprayed, and with what
Spray booth or area
Glass cutting or processing
What glass work is done
Glass workshop
Other manufacturing, assembly or repair
The process and its main hazards
Workshop
Process risk notes
Recommendations
What should change, how soon, and what the client said.
Recommendations
What should be done
Where
Kind of risk — Fire, Theft and security, Water and weather, Electrical, Housekeeping, Public or staff injury, Process or machinery, Other
How soon — Before cover starts or renews, Within 30 days, Within 90 days, Advice only
Client's response — Agreed, Already done, Will consider, Disagrees, Not discussed
Photo
Overall View and Sign-Off
Your judgement of the risk, and both signatures.
How this risk compares with similar businesses — Better than most, About average, Worse than most, Poor — should not be accepted as it stands
Summary for the underwriter
Any other photos
Left site at
Surveyor — signature
Client representative — name
Client representative — job title
Client representative — signature
Restoration & Insurance
Commercial Property Risk Survey
A commercial property risk survey for insurers, brokers and risk consultants: the business and its occupancy, construction and composite panels with photos of every elevation, gutters, drainage, waste and combustibles outside, neighbors and the setting, the parking lot, fire detection, extinguishers, sprinklers and exits, intruder alarm, glazing and perimeter security, power, generators and building services, then occupancy-specific risks that appear only when they apply — offices, kitchens, storage and forklifts, flammable and hazardous goods, woodworking, hot work, plastics, spraying and glass — a recommendations list with priorities, and sign-off by surveyor and client.
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Fill this in and download the finished PDF. Your answers stay on this device as you type. We ask for an email address once, at the download.
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This survey looks at fire through an underwriter's eyes. If the business needs its own assessment of fire hazards, the people at risk and the controls in place, use: Fire hazard risk assessment
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A commercial property risk survey is the visit an insurer or broker sends someone on before agreeing to cover a business premises, at renewal, or after a claim. The surveyor walks the outside and the inside, notes what the building is made of and how well it is kept, looks at who the neighbors are, checks how a fire or a break-in would be detected and fought, and then looks hard at whatever the business actually does — a fryer line, a pallet rack, a welding bay, a paint booth. This template follows that walk, opens the occupancy sections only when they apply, and ends with recommendations the client can act on. Fill it in here and download a PDF, or speak while you walk, and the document writes itself.
What the underwriter wants from a survey
An underwriter reading your survey is trying to answer three questions: how likely is a loss, how big could it get, and is the business doing what it reasonably can to stop it. Construction and neighbors decide how far a fire would spread. Housekeeping, alarms and sprinklers decide how early it is caught. The occupancy decides how often something is likely to start.
That is why the form asks for facts before opinions. Wall and roof materials, the share of composite panels, the distance from the dumpster to the building, the type of alarm and who it calls — these let the underwriter price the risk without having stood in the building. Your judgement goes at the end, in the risk comparison and the recommendations.
One occupancy question instead of twenty
Most paper surveys print every occupancy section for every premises and ask "does this apply?" at the top of each. On a dental office that means pages of kitchen, warehouse and spray-booth questions to skip.
Here you tick what the business does once, near the start. A cafe gets the kitchen section, a distributor gets storage and lift trucks, a cabinet shop gets woodworking and spraying, and everything else stays folded away. If you tick something later in the visit — the office turns out to have a back room full of solvent drums — the section appears where it belongs in the report.
Composite panels, combustibles and the outside of the building
Insulated sandwich panels with a foam core are one of the reasons a small fire becomes a total loss, so the form asks whether they are present, roughly what share of the walls they make up, and whether anyone knows what is inside them. "Unknown" is treated as a finding, because nobody can price a core that nobody can name.
Outside, the questions are about the things that start or feed fires and floods: pallets and bins against the wall, smoking by the back door, blocked gutters and downspouts, stains that show water has been running down a wall for years, and delivery trucks that have already clipped the building once.
Recommendations the client can actually close
A survey that only lists concerns leaves the client guessing. Each recommendation in this form says what should change, where, which kind of risk it addresses, and how soon — before cover starts, within 30 days, within 90 days, or as advice. The client's response is recorded beside it, and the urgent ones appear in the summary of findings.
Write each recommendation so someone who was not on the visit could check it was done: "fit a self-closing lid to the oily-rag bin in the spray area" rather than "improve housekeeping".
Common questions
Who carries out a commercial property risk survey?
Usually a risk surveyor or loss control consultant working for an insurer, a broker or an independent firm. Larger businesses sometimes commission one themselves before going to market, so they can fix problems before an underwriter sees them.
Is this the same as a commercial property inspection for a buyer?
No. A buyer's inspection is about the condition of the building and what it will cost to repair. A risk survey is about the chance and size of an insurance loss, so it spends more time on fire protection, security, housekeeping and what the business does inside.
Does the survey score the premises?
No. It records the facts and raises findings for the answers that are problems, and the surveyor gives one overall comparison with similar businesses at the end. Underwriters each have their own grading, and a number invented by the form would only get in the way.
How should I record a premises with several businesses in one building?
Survey the business you were sent for, and use the neighbors list for the other tenants, including above and below. If a neighbor's activity raises the risk — a restaurant sharing a wall, a body shop next door — mark it as a concern on that row.
What photos does a risk survey need?
All four elevations, the waste area, any drainage problem, the parking lot, the fire equipment and its service tags, the evacuation plan, the main electrical panel, and a general view of each occupancy area that applies. Close-ups go with each recommendation.